Costa Mesa

On Tuesday, October 20, the Costa Mesa City Council will consider sweeping changes to the General Plan, Zoning Code, and Measure K implementation that could reshape our city for generations. In an email message submitted to the City Council, Costa Mesa First argues that while Costa Mesa must comply with state housing laws, the City should not lose sight of neighborhood character, environmental protection, public participation, and local control in the process. Among the conce

One of the final public hearings on the agenda could affect residents citywide by rezoning properties throughout Costa Mesa.

Growth, Surveillance, and Local Control: The Issues Shaping Costa Mesa's Future We attended a bunch of meetings in September, some with surprises! We have already written about the September 14 Planning Commission meeting and the September 15 City Council meeting. Our special report can be found here. Here is a summary of the activity at City Hall in September: Council, Commission and Committee Meetings: City Council: Two additional meetings were held, including a Study Sessi

PLANNING COMMISSION PREVIEW: MEASURE K, 20 CONTROVERSIAL AMENDMENTS, AND A LOST MOBILE HOME PARK

PLANNING COMMISSION HOLDS BACK ON SENDING MEASURE K REZONING TO CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY COUNCIL RESTRUCTURES FDCSP BEFORE VOTING TO APPROVE A PROJECT WITH REDUCED IMPACTS

🏢Costa Mesa Planning Commission Special Meeting – Monday, September 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM 📍 City Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive📄 View the Agenda here. Attend in person or by Zoom, watch on TV, or on YouTube. Instructions are in the Agenda. 🎤 PUBLIC COMMENTS: This is the time for YOU to comment for THREE FREE minutes on ANYTHING that is not on the agenda. There will also be a public comment period for each Agenda item. WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE CI

May was much less busy than March and April at City Hall, but it didn’t come without some contentiousness. The meeting schedule was lighter, but we were still reeling from the news in April that the City spent $7 million more than projected in 2025-2026. Below is a summary of City Hall activity for May 2026. Council, Commission and Committee Meetings: City Council: three meetings held; Planning Commission: no meetings held (That’s right! No meetings!); Finance and Pension Adv

Two meetings held last week deserve closer attention from Costa Mesa residents. Because of their importance—and how they connect—this will be a two-part update, so be sure to read both parts. PART ONE — CITY COUNCIL “ADOPTS” A BUDGET—OR DID IT? At the Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Regular Meeting, the Costa Mesa City Council voted to adopt a budget for Fiscal Year 2026–2027. On the surface, that may sound routine. But a closer look raises an important question: was a complete and mea

We attended the Measure K Rezoning Outreach meeting on Monday evening at the Norma Herzog Community Center, and while the discussion was worthwhile, the light turnout highlighted an ongoing challenge: public awareness and engagement.

f you want to skip to the item that will most likely have the most impact on your daily life, go to the Planning Commission New Business item near the bottom.

Besides the early December meeting of the City Council, things were somewhat calm at City Hall. Here’s an update: Council and Committee Meetings: City Council held only one meeting on December 2, and we already covered it in a special update since it concerned the Draft Fairview Park Master Plan Update. Please read that dispatch here: https://www.costamesa1st.com/post/city-update-for-november-2025-and-the-december-2-2025-city-council-meeting-fairview-park-master Planning

November was a dynamic month for governance in Costa Mesa. Here’s an update: Council and Committee Meetings City Council held two meetings in November—we already covered the November 18 meeting in a special update about the Draft Fairview Park Master Plan Update, but it met again on December 2, with that same subject on the Agenda; Planning Commission met once; Active Transportation Committee met; and Finance and Pension Advisory Committee (FiPAC) also held a meeting. NOV