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

CITY HALL UPDATE FOR JULY 2026: A MONTH OF CONTROVERSY, PLANNING, AND MAJOR POLICY DECISIONS

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

In some respects, April was a calmer month at City Hall, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t controversy. The meeting schedule was lighter, but there were a few long meetings, with some of the items being controversial. At the end of the month, the City released the draft environmental report on the Fairview Park Master Plan Update, which disclosed the City’s site choice for the relocated fly field. Below is a summary of City Hall activity for April 2026. Council, Commission an

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy! From “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns Translation: But little mouse, you’re not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid plans of mice and men Go oft awry, And leave us only grief and pain, For promised joy! A PLANNING PROCESS IN DISARRAY If grief and pain were on dis