THIS WEEK AT CITY HALL: TECHNOLOGY MASTER PLAN, AI STRATEGY, AND FAIRVIEW PARK UPDATE
Costa Mesa's Next Big Investment? Council Reviews $15.5 Million Technology Roadmap
Fairview Park Steering Committee to get Master Plan Update
🏨 Monday’s Planning Commission and 💸Wednesday's Finance and Pension Advisory Committee Meetings have been canceled
🏛️ Costa Mesa City Council Study Session: The Costa Mesa City Council will meet on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for a Study Session. While only one item is on the agenda, it is a significant discussion that could shape the City's technology investments and priorities over the next five years.
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:00 p.m. (Note the early start time.)
📍 Location: City Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive
📄 Agenda: View agenda here.
🎤 PUBLIC COMMENT: This is your opportunity to address the City Council for either two or three minutes on the agenda item. Public comment is typically taken before the Staff presentation. However, in recent meetings, the Mayor has also allowed comments after Staff presentations before Council discussion. He may also limit public comments to two minutes.
📌 IMPORTANT! WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY NOON TO BE SCREENED AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
🗂️ STUDY SESSION ITEM:
1. Proposed Information Technology Strategic Plan Phase II
Staff will present the item and is requesting that the City Council provide feedback on a proposed five-year Information Technology Strategic Plan covering Fiscal Years 2026-27 through 2030-31.
The presentation may be found here.
The plan serves as a roadmap for modernizing the City's technology infrastructure, improving cybersecurity, supporting public safety operations, enhancing resident services, and increasing organizational efficiency. Staff warns that delaying or rejecting the plan could postpone critical infrastructure upgrades needed to keep City systems and services operating reliably.
Key Highlights
✅ Progress on Phase I: Of the 21 projects identified in the original IT Strategic Plan:
15 projects have been completed, including:
TESSA
Microsoft 365 implementation
Police and Fire mobile data computers
Citywide computer replacement program
6 funded projects remain underway, including:
ERP implementation
CAD/RMS study
GIS planning
Disaster recovery improvements
VoIP prerequisites
Council Chambers audiovisual upgrades
🚀 What's Proposed in Phase II? The new five-year roadmap includes:
30 planned initiatives
34 future/TBD initiatives
The plan is intended to be updated annually as priorities, technology, and available funding evolve.
🔒 Top Priorities Identified: City leadership ranked the following areas as the highest priorities:
Cybersecurity
Digital workplace improvements
Expanded digital services
The assessment identified approximately 64 opportunities for improvement, including:
Infrastructure Resilience:
Replace aging emergency power systems.
Upgrade storage and backup systems before they reach end-of-life.
Public Safety Technology:
Improve IT support for Police and Fire operations.
Add specialized public-safety IT expertise.
Resident Service Enhancements:
Create a citywide citizen request and business engagement platform.
Improve tracking and responsiveness to public requests.
Operational Improvements:
Better utilize Laserfiche.
Improve project management tools.
Modernize maintenance and work-order systems.
Real-Time Information Center:
Continue evaluating a Police Department RTIC, including staffing, technology, and facility needs.
🤖 Artificial Intelligence and Technology Modernization: The report recommends developing a formal AI strategy that includes:
Defined use cases
Data governance standards
Privacy protections
Staff training
Performance measurements
Risk management controls
AI is presented as a tool to improve service delivery and staff efficiency rather than as a standalone initiative.
Potential applications include:
Routing non-emergency calls
Streamlining internal workflows
Improving operational efficiency
💰 Cost and Funding - Projected Phase II Costs:
Category | Cost |
Technology Projects & Integrations | $10.1 million |
Staffing | $5.4 million |
Total | $15.5 million |
The plan would be funded primarily through:
The City's required annual 1.5% General Fund allocation to capital assets
Capital Asset Needs (CAN) repayment funding
Total projected funding is approximately $16.5 million over the five-year planning period.
The City's IT Replacement Fund had an unaudited balance of approximately $9.9 million as of June 30, 2026.
An additional 34 future/TBD projects are estimated to cost approximately $11.3 million, but would only move forward if funding becomes available.
Here is a slide from the presentation explaining the total cost of the program over five years:
🕰️Five-Year Implementation: The proposed schedule for implementation of IT Strategic Plan is:
Years 1-3: Focus on strengthening the City's technology foundation through major infrastructure upgrades, including network equipment, firewalls, servers, storage systems, public safety mobile computers, and dispatch system modernization.
Year 4: Expand operational capabilities and cybersecurity with citywide computer replacements, wireless network improvements, security monitoring tools, additional IT staffing, Laserfiche enhancements, project management software, and technology upgrades for Council Chambers and Public Works.
Year 5: Emphasize digital services and business continuity through multi-factor authentication, mobile device management, citizen request tracking, AI-enabled tools, electronic signatures, backup power systems, online business application processes, Council initiative tracking, and additional IT staffing support.
📈 Expected Benefits: Workshop participants identified more than 400 potential benefits across 38 categories. The most frequently cited benefits include:
Better customer experience (54)
Greater operational efficiency (51)
Improved document and records management (34)
Better business processes (24)
Improved data storage, cost savings, and staff time savings (19 each)
Bottom Line: Although this is technically a "receive and file" Study Session, the discussion will help guide approximately $15.5 million in technology investments over the next five years. The plan focuses on replacing aging infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity, improving public safety technology, expanding digital services, enhancing records management, and preparing the City for future technology and AI initiatives.
As with all Study Sessions, no formal action is required, but Council feedback may influence the direction and prioritization of future technology projects.
🌻 Fairview Park Steering Committee Meeting
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:00 p.m.📍 Location: City Hall, Community Room, 77 Fair Drive (park in rear)
🔗 Agenda: View agenda here.
🎤 Public Participation: Speak Up! You get two FREE minutes to comment during the public comment period.
🛑 Important! You MUST attend in person at 77 Fair Drive. The meeting is NOT on Zoom, livestreamed, or recorded. You must attend in person.
📝 Minutes for Approval. The Committee will consider approval of meeting minutes from:
August 13, 2025 (yes, 2025, not a typo!)
June 10, 2026
📌 Old Business: Status of Master Plan Update. The Committee will receive an update on the status of the Fairview Park Master Plan.
Notably, there is no staff report included with this agenda item, so there is little indication of what may be discussed. The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Master Plan Update was revised and recirculated earlier this year, with public comments due in late August. That environmental document does not appear to be finalized, likely because it has not yet been considered by the City Council.
When will the Master Plan Update move forward to the City Council? At this point, your guess is as good as mine.
🏞️ New Business: Rehabilitation of Existing Path in Lawn Area. The Committee will review a proposal to replace approximately 1,010 feet of deteriorated asphalt pathway in Fairview Park's lawn area with decomposed granite and metal edging. Staff is seeking feedback before moving forward and has indicated that the project is a priority because of the path's deteriorated condition.
Key Points:
✅ Location and Use: The pathway runs from Placentia Avenue near Estancia High School's stadium to the paved service road adjacent to the park restroom. It is primarily used by pedestrians and cyclists, with occasional access by City maintenance and public safety vehicles.
✅ Current Condition: Constructed in the late 1980s, the path shows significant deterioration, including edge cracking, rutting, depressions, block cracking, and grass encroachment. The Agenda Report states these conditions create potential tripping hazards.
✅ Why Not Simply Repave It? According to staff, the path lacks a stable edge or concrete border. Resurfacing the existing asphalt would likely result in premature failure because the pavement edges would continue to crack and unravel.
✅ Recommended Alternative: Staff recommends replacing the asphalt with decomposed granite and metal edging. They believe this option will restore functionality at a fraction of the cost of full asphalt reconstruction while reducing construction impacts and better complementing the park's natural setting.
✅ Previous Experience: The City has previously used decomposed granite pathways at Brentwood Park and Tanager Park.
✅ Funding Source: The project would be funded through the City's Capital Improvement Program account for "Fairview Park - Fencing, Signage and Trails," which currently has a balance of approximately $246,974.
✅ Measure AA Considerations: Staff has determined that the project qualifies as routine maintenance and a public safety improvement. As a result, they believe it is exempt from the voter approval requirements of Measure AA.
This project is way overdue!
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