Costa Mesa residents are fortunate to have CMTV 3, the city’s Municipal Access Channel that provides the citizens of Costa Mesa with governmental, informational, and special interest programming.

For those residents who can’t make it to a City Council meeting Council in person, Costa Mesa TV provides live coverage of the meetings. CMTV 3 also televises Planning Commission and Parks & Recreation Commission meetings. 

Replays of City Council and Planning Commission meetings are replayed throughout the week of the meeting on CMTV 3 and are available for on-demand viewing on the City’s website here.

City Council & Planning Commission meeting replay schedule (during the week of the live meeting) is Wednesdays 5:30 p.m., Fridays 3 p.m., Saturdays 9:30 a.m. & Sundays 4 p.m.

The public is invited to take part in the ribbing cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the newly rebuilt Costa Mesa Fire Department Station 1.

The event is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday Sept. 29 at the station located at 1570 Adams Ave.

The 11,740 square foot structure replaces the old Fire Station No. 1 that was originally built in 1961. This is the first fire station built in Costa Mesa since Station No. 6 was built over 25 years ago in 1993.

With the City Council hearing from citizens that the city’s crime map technology was difficult to navigate online, city staff responded by unveiling two new interactive maps that will give website visitors the ability to monitor Police Department and Fire & Rescue calls for service.

Located on the city’s website here and here, the maps are the culmination of a coordinated effort between the Fire and Police Departments and Information Technology staff.

Click here fore more information.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District is offering a free set of educational talks and tours to share the best practices and processes that our local agencies use to protect our environment.

These include tours of recycling and wastewater processing facilities, as well as presentations about how you can help recycle and divert waste from landfills.

For more information click here.

The Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club is getting ready to hose the 71st Annual Costa Mesa Fish Fry, Carnival & Car Show at Fairview Park.

This year, the event moved to the fall to avoid conflicts with the nesting season at the park. The event will be held on Sept. 21-23 and will continue its small-town style and of course tasty fish dinners.

Since 1927, the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club has helped raise money for local schools, clubs, and other organizations in the community. For more information on the Lions Club and the Fish Fry click here.

"Our character is both formed and revealed by how we deal with everyday challenges as well as extraordinary pressures and temptations. Like a well made tower, character is built stone by stone, decision by decision."

- Michael Josephson

The Police Department's Community Policing Unit and park rangers joined with county park rangers to conduct several enforcement actions in Talbert Regional Park on Aug. 22 and Aug. 29.

The actions resulted in three municipal code violations, two arrests made, one for narcotics paraphernalia, one citation for open container and three county violations for being off-trail.  

 

Lastly, Costa Mesa park rangers, three outreach workers, and a representative from Veteran’s Affairs office will be canvassing Talbert Park on Sept. 12 in conjunction with the continued pampas grass mitigation, which will resume again on Sept. 17. 

In anticipation of Newport-Mesa Unified School District students returning to school this week, the Police Department wanted to remind parents and other motorists of some basic back to school driving safety tips. 

Important tips include obeying speed limits and posted signs, refrain from texting and driving and being mindful of no parking zones and other related traffic laws. 

Students can contribute to overall safety by maintaining awareness of their surroundings and vehicular traffic when walking to school and crossing streets.  

Fire crews recently responded to Huntington Beach with the Urban Search & Rescue unit to assist with a structure fire. 

Our specialized crew assisted with several technical skills such as smoke removal, bottle filling for air packs, and securing the building at the conclusion of extinguishment.

Six members from Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue participated in the annual 9/11 San Diego stair climb.

They climbed 110 floors in honor of the 343 firefighters who gave their lives while battling the fires during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Sept. 1 marked the first day of the city’s new ambulance transportation system. 

Fire crews are now operating the department's own ambulance transports with assistance from Care Ambulance staff.

This could not have been possible without the support of the City Council, city team, community, and the entire Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue team.

Air Operations training led by Orange County Fire Authority and Orange County Sheriff’s Department in Fairview Park has concluded.

The collaborative training, attended by every fire and rescue agency in Orange County has improved communications and interoperability amongst the agencies.

Special thanks to Parks & Community Services Director Justin Martin and Fairview Park Administrator Cynthia D’Agosta for their assistance in scheduling the training.

Bruce Lindemann, a longtime city employee, was recently promoted to the vacant Maintenance Services Manager position. 

For the past two years, Lindemann managed the Maintenance Services Division in a move-up capacity and provided crucial leadership and oversight of all sections. Lindemann brings a unique combination of education and institutional knowledge that make him the ideal candidate for the position.

Lindemann has been an employee with the City of Costa Mesa for more than 27 years and has an extensive background in Public Services infrastructure and maintenance that will continue to aid the Department and organization. 

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is in the final phase of developing the 2018 Long Range Transportation Plan, which is OCTA’s plan in addressing travel needs for the next 20 years as the county grows in population, infrastructure, and employment.

For this final phase of the 2018 plan, OCTA is seeking input from Orange County residents and stakeholders. 

To provide input on the 2018 LRTP, please visit the OCTA's website here. 

Phase 2 of the current city’s Street Rehabilitation Project will commence on Tuesday, September 11. The focus of this work will be the grinding of the streets and laying of a fresh asphalt layer on the following five street segments:

• Dale Way – Harbor Boulevard to College Street

• College Street – Village Way to Baker Street

• Village Way - Harbor Boulevard to College Street

• Pinecreek Drive – Adams Avenue to Village Way

• Monterey Avenue – Salvador Street to El Camino Drive

Construction notices will be distributed by the contractor to residences and businesses on the affected streets and “No Parking” signs will be posted 72-hours prior to the start of the work.  

The city requests that residents pay close attention to the dates and times posted, as any cars parked in the construction zone will be towed.  In addition to the “No Parking” restrictions, there will be lane closures and detours due to the nature of the work. 

These restrictions are for both the public, and the construction workers’, safety.

The city and the contractor are working together to expedite the construction to minimize the impact to residents and businesses.  

Public Services Maintenance staff recently initiated the renovation of approximately 17,000-square-feet of turf in a portion of the large dog of area of Bark Park. The area will be closed for the next four to six weeks. 

Since the closure, weeds and undesirable grasses have been removed, organic materials were added to the soil and the entire area was tilled. Additionally, Kikuyu grass sod was installed once the soil was properly prepped. 

The project utilized kikuyu grass sod instead of the over-seeding technique that has historically been used. This type of turf should provide greater wear resistance meet the increased use demands of this park.

The city recently contracted with Organics Alive, LLC to apply organic materials to the soil to provide a healthy soil, improve root growth, and improve the overall health and vitality of the turf within the project area.

The program will rely solely on organic materials, including brewed, beneficial microbial rich solutions, humic acids and worm castings.

On Nov. 8, 2016, Costa Mesa voters approved Measure X, also known as the City of Costa Mesa Marijuana Measure, which allows the following marijuana-related businesses in the northwest area of the city: Distribution, manufacturing, processing, research and development laboratories, and testing laboratories.

As of this date, 12 conditional use permits (CUP’s) have been approved by the Planning Commission for these uses; several of these businesses are in the process of obtaining building permits and one is currently in operation.

Measure X imposes a 6 percent annual gross receipts tax on any allowed marijuana businesses. Marijuana sales (dispensaries) and cultivation (except as permitted by state law) are prohibited in Costa Mesa.

 

Measure X was originally limited to medical marijuana only. However, in April 2018, the City Council adopted an ordinance allowing for the distribution, manufacturing, processing, research and development laboratories, and testing laboratories of non-medical (adult use) marijuana in addition to medical marijuana. This action was in keeping with the State’s Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act.

 

The City Zoning Administrator is currently amending the prior-approved CUP’s to allow for adult use marijuana as well as medical marijuana. These revisions do not affect the fact that Marijuana sales (dispensaries) and cultivation (except as permitted by state law) are prohibited in the City.

 

Additional information about Measure X, including a map showing the area where it is allowed and the applications currently in process, can be found on the city’s website here. 

Happy Feet Running Club experienced the positive outcome to running, through fun agility exercises and relay races amongst other participants and staff.

The participants were on the receiving end of a “kind” gesture this past week.

The KIND Bar Ambassadors delivered protein bars for the kids, which were very delicious.

On Monday, Aug. 27, Ambassador Lead Staff conducted a training in preparation for the fall 2018 season.

Staff discussed various topics ranging from public perception, customer service and even had the opportunity to train on how to properly operate a temporary light unit and build a safety cage for the units.

The fall season is an important time of year for field use and the ambassador staff transport a total of 22 light units that will be providing lit fields for groups to play into the late evening hours. 

The annual Costa Mesa Community Run is returning to beautiful Fairview Park on Sunday, Sept. 23. With a 5K and 10K option, this run is unlike any other in Orange County as it features a cross country style course through the trails of Fairview Park.

Sign up today and use the discount code “CMREC“ for a savings. Support your local youth as all proceeds are donated to Costa Mesa schools.

Contact Karen Barloon at 949-515-6544 for more information.

Teen Camp participants ended summer on a high note with a party at the TeWinkle Teen Center.

Teens enjoyed lunch as they shared memories of their favorite camp moments and watched a slide show of all nine weeks of their adventures. 

The Senior Center and the Downtown Aquatic Center hosted 22 Seniors for the second annual Sip and Paint event. 

Participants enjoyed light refreshments and an evening painting poolside. 

Senior Lifeguard and talented artist, Chad McDow provided step-by-step instruction on how to paint a colorful ocean scene. 

The City Mobile Recreation program has now begun the new fall season hours as school is back in session.

The program will be visiting various sites from Monday – Saturday from 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. during the month of September.

Two new sites will have the opportunity to enjoy recreation in their neighborhood at: Woodland Place and Tanager Park.

This past week, participants had the opportunity to play some street hockey and learned how to make lanyards with staff. 

Recreation in the Park is scheduled for Sept. 15.

B.E.S.T. Sports will be at Wakeham Park to provide a free demo of their multi-sport classes. The sports include soccer, baseball/softball, and track. They will hold three separate sessions for varying ages. 

Click here to sign up for Recreation in the Park.

On Tuesday Aug. 28, the Senior Center kicked off its Active Adventure program for the season.

For this season the program is doing a walking/hiking tour of some of our local beaches and wetlands. The program has been completely full for all four dates since mid-August.

For the first trip seniors got to enjoy a walking tour of Balboa Pier and take in the sun while enjoying light exercise. 

Congratulations to Jazzy the Miniature Pincher Mix as she enters into her new home.  

The adoption was coordinated hand in hand with Animal Control, City Staff and contracted animal adoption services provider Priceless Pet Rescue to make Jazzy’s forever dream come true. 

To learn about the city's animal adoption program and other pet services click here.

The City of Costa Mesa and Gatehouse Properties wrapped up the 2018 Movies in the Park series on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at TeWinkle Park.

Several hundred people gathered to participate in lawn games with the Mobile Recreation van, play trivia for the chance to win a raffle prize and watch “Despicable Me 3” while enjoying fare from nearby food trucks.

Planning Commission recommends end to overlay zones.

OCC to offer first-year students free tuition.

Costa Mesa City Council votes to extend needle exchange moratorium.

Council makes changes to small lot ordinance.

It's back to school time in Newport-Mesa.

Child abuse suspect may have ties to Costa Mesa case.

Former OCC student sentenced to six months in jail.

New restaurant Toast gets rave reviews.

Last week, city outreach workers assisted 55 people and helped five get housing, two temporary and two in emergency housing.

Each week, the city compiles a report on the efforts of our outreach team to help provide assistance to homeless persons in need.

Our team reconnects homeless with their families, locates housing opportunities and helps individuals get into recovery programs and even employment.

To see past reports click on  this link.

Animal Control officers compile a report each week detailing encounters with wild animals and pets in the city.

To keep the public informed about what is happening with the city's Animal Control division, we are going to publish a weekly report on our website.

Click here to read past reports.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 –  Chamber 101  , 9 a.m. Chamber administration office, 1700 Adams Ave. Suite 101. Learn about chamber membership opportunities, networking events and the many resources the chamber can provide you. For more information, please visit:  www.costamesachamber.com

Thursday, September 20, 2018 – Pet Preparedness Day, 5:30- 7:30 p.m., Bark Park, 890 Arlington Dr. Join the Costa Mesa pet team for this free emergency preparedness information and resources event including low-cost dog vaccine clinic. For more information, please call: 714-754-4918.

Friday, September 21 through Sunday, September 23, 2018 – Costa Mesa Fish Fry , Fairview Park. One of Costa Mesa’s oldest traditions, the Fish Fry is filled with three days of live bands, carnival rides, beer garden and fish. For more information, please visit: www.cmnhlions.com

Friday, September 21, 2018 – Photo Contest Submission Deadline . Share your creativity by participating in the first Parks and Community Services photo contest. For rules and submission information, please call 714-754-5300 or visit  http://www.costamesaca.gov/photocontest .

Saturday, September 22, 2018 – Cruisen For A Cure , 6 a.m. – 4 p.m., OC Fair and Event Center, 88 Fair Dr. One-day charity car show with over 3,500 vehicles on display and over 200 vendors and exhibitors. For more information, please visit: www.ocfair.com

Sunday, September 23, 2018 – Costa Mesa Community Run , 6:30 a.m. – noon. Free parking at Estancia High School, 2323 Placentia Ave. Packet pick up begins at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K and 10K begins at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy a cross country and trail run event through Fairview Park.

Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 – Fire Station No. 1 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony , 10 a.m. Costa Mesa Fire Station No. 1, 1570 Adams Ave., Costa Mesa. The City of Costa Mesa invites residents to celebrate the opening of the new Fire Station No. 1 with a ribbon cutting, station tours, lite bites and beverages and fire apparatus displays.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 – On PAR Social (On programs, activities, and resources.)   5-6:30 p.m., Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19 ^th St., Costa Mesa. Join the Senior Center staff outside on the new front patio for a celebration of this addition and learn about the resources and activities offered by the Senior Center. Guided tours and light refreshment provided. For more information, please call: 714-327-7550.

Saturday, October 20, 2018 – Fall in Love with the Westside , 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Estancia High School parking lot, 2323 Placentia Ave. Local artisans market, community art collaboration, pumpkin patch, kids activities and more.

Thursday, October 25, 2018 – Hoag Flu Shot Clinic , 10 a.m.- 12 p.m., Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19 ^th St., Costa Mesa. Hoag hospital will provide flu shots to adult ages 50 and older. Shots are limited, so registration is required. Please contact the Senior Center: 714-327-7550.