At the Tuesday, Oct. 20 meeting, the City Council will issue a proclamation recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Council also has a busy agenda with four public hearings.

• Council members will hear a reconsideration of a request to operate a sober living home with up to 45 adults within five units operated by The Ohio House at 115 East Wilson Street, Units A Through E 26-451.
• Additionally, the council will need to hear a proposal to consider Revenue Bonds for the Fire Station No. 2 Reconstruction Project.
• Also, the council will consider the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and Environmental Justice Policy Review. 
• Finally, the council will discuss the Neighborhoods Where We All Belong Zoning updates and Housing Element implementation.

The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Members of the public can view the City Council meetings in person, or live on Costa Mesa TV (Spectrum Channel 3 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99), on the City’s YouTube Channel, via Zoom or on the City website www.costamesaca.gov. 

On the website, click the yellow Watch CMTV live button at the top of the page to view the meeting.

Costa Mesa City and Police leaders officially opened the newly imagined and expanded Ketchum-Libolt Park on Monday, Oct. 12, christening a coveted slice of open space that will meet the needs of the city’s Westside community for years to come.

The park’s name is a tribute to Costa Mesa Police Officers James “Dave” Ketchum and John “Mike” Libolt, who lost their lives in a March 10, 1987, helicopter crash.The park was built in August of 2005 to pay tribute to their many years of dedication to Costa Mesa and its residents.

“This project has been a labor of love from day one,” Mayor John Stephens said. “Our City team did a great job in creating a park that the community will be proud of while at the same time keeping the legacy of these brave police officers alive. Special thanks to Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris for her initial investment that made this park possible.”

Click here to read more.

The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory that is in effect for Costa Mesa and the surrounding coastal areas beginning Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. through Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. The area will experience dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. Nights will be very warm with low temperatures in the 70s.

In response, Parks & Community Services staff will be on-site to open a Cooling Center at the Costa Mesa Senior Center (695 W. 19th St.) Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. for any resident needing an air-conditioned space to escape the heat.

Click here to read more.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, Mayor John Stephens provided updates to the South Coast Metro Alliance Directors and Advisory Board regarding several City initiatives and developments, including the upcoming State of the City event, the City Council’s recent approval of the Costa Mesa Police Department’s purchase of drones and docking stations, and the recent grand opening of Ketchum-Libolt Park.

Mayor Stephens and Council Member Mike Buley attended the meeting and were joined by City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly, Costa Mesa Police Chief Joyce LaPointe, Community Development Director Carrie Tai and Battalion Chief Tim Vasin.

During the meeting, Mayor Stephens also recognized Battalion Chief Vasin for his years of service to Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue. Alliance members took the opportunity to express their appreciation to Mayor Stephens for his many years of leadership and dedication to the Costa Mesa community.

The South Coast Metro Alliance is a nonprofit economic development corporation made up of property owners and major businesses dedicated to marketing and promoting the South Coast Metro area as Orange County’s cultural and corporate center.

Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for Mayor John Stephens final State of the City luncheon.

The them is "Reflecting on Progress, Shaping Our Future," and the luncheon will take place at the Hilton Costa Mesa at 3050 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa.

Reserve your tickets now by clicking here.

Costa Mesa PD and the Public Works Active Transportation team were proud to escort the Eastside Bike Bus on its inaugural ride.

This Bike Bus initiative encourages students to bike to school safely in a group while promoting healthy habits and community connection. The Bike Bus will be operating once a week to encourage kids to continue and active way to get to school.

As part of Walktober, Costa Mesa encourages residents to walk, bike, or take public transportation throughout October to support a healthier, more sustainable community.

Public Works and Police Department staff were excited to share that this year’s Walk to School events were a huge success, with students, parents, and teachers joining the event.


In addition to Public Works and Code Enforcement personnel, elected officials, and members of the City’s Active Transportation Committee for a morning walk to school from Citywide meetup locations. 

The annual events occurred in coordination with the 14 elementary school campuses located throughout the City on Wednesday, Oct. 7 and 14, with nearly 1,300 people participating.  

Six Costa Mesa Elementary Schools participated: Adams, California, Davis Magnet School, Paularino, Whittier, and Wilson. CMPD Traffic officers happily helped escort students and families safely on their walk to school.

Walk to School Day is an excellent opportunity for the community to raise awareness of the positive impact of walking and rolling to school for children and promote active transportation opportunities for students and families. Costa Mesa has celebrated the national Walk to School Day event since 2007.

Similar events focusing on biking to school are planned for May 2027. Thank you to everyone who helped make these events successful for the students.

The City of Costa Mesa celebrated 34 makers, entrepreneurs, and innovators at the MADE graduation and business showcase on Oct. 8 at the Norma Hertzog Community Center.

Graduates shared their products and businesses after completing seven weeks of training.

MADE is an Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (OCIE SBDC) program, with partners Cal State Fullerton and Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, delivered in collaboration with the City, which hosts the graduation and showcase event.

Support continues beyond graduation through the Costa Mesa Business Assistance Collaborative (BAC) and its partners. Graduates who obtain a Costa Mesa business license can access BAC benefits and ongoing assistance to help launch and grow their businesses.

The City of Costa Mesa is taking an important step toward expanding housing opportunities.

On Oct. 20, the City Council will consider proposed amendments and documents for Neighborhoods Where We All Belong (NWWAB), a City initiative to implement numerous Housing Element programs, Measure K, and advance the City Council's goal to "diversify, stabilize, and increase housing to reflect community needs."

NWWAB proposes to create new, optional opportunities for housing and mixed-use development by applying a flexible overlay district to most commercial and industrial properties within the boundaries of Measure K.

The overlay would allow existing businesses and industrial uses to continue while giving property owners the option to develop housing or mixed-use projects. This approach would expand housing choices near jobs, shopping, and services without upzoning existing residential properties.

The initiative is designed to help meet current and future housing needs, encourage reinvestment along commercial corridors, and support the creation of more walkable, mixed-use areas.

The proposal includes amendments to the Zoning Code, Zoning Map, General Plan, and specific plans, incorporation of existing urban plan development opportunities into the Zoning Code, sunsetting the urban plans, and new Citywide Multifamily Residential and Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards to guide future development.

A Program Environmental Impact Report was prepared to evaluate the potential environmental effects through the year 2056.

Community members are encouraged to participate in the public hearing. The October 20 City Council agenda, including instructions for submitting public comments before or during the meeting, is available online here.

The Planning Commission reviewed NWWAB at a study session on Aug. 17 as well as at Planning Commission meetings on Sept. 14 and 28.

The agendas, reports, and attachments for those meetings are available through the link above. 


Additional information about the NWWAB effort can be found on the project website, www.costamesaneighborhoods.com. 

Costa Mesa’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is heading to City Council.

Shaped by extensive research, community outreach, and public input, the CAAP provides a roadmap for a more sustainable and resilient Costa Mesa. 

The plan identifies actions the City and community can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve resources, prepare for climate-related impacts and support a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come.

The City Council will consider the CAAP, along with the related Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Policy Update, at its Tuesday, Oct. 20 meeting.

The community is invited to attend, learn more, and participate in this important milestone.

Thank you to everyone who has shared ideas and feedback throughout the process.

Learn more at www.costamesaca.gov/sustainability.

The Costa Mesa Police Department, like many law enforcement agencies, is once again participating in the Pink Patch Project - a public awareness campaign to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support breast cancer research organizations.

To support this cause, you can purchase an embroidered 2026 pink patch, Velcro pink patch, pink t-shirt, and/or pink sticker!

There are two ways to purchase:

You can stop by the Police Department at 99 Fair Drive to pick up and pay with cash. The front desk hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. The front desk is closed on Sundays.

Venmo (on the flyer). Set payment to private, enter the correct amount for the item(s) being purchased, and add a note including your name, items, and shipping address. Domestic shipping is free. International shipping is an extra cost.

Thank you for your support!

Ballot drop boxes are a great way to deliver a ballot without having to stop into a Vote Center.

Click here to view a list of ballot drop boxes.

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue would like to thank everyone who visited us last weekend during our annual Open House event.

This yearly event welcomes everyone across our community to come visit our fire station to get a first-hand look at a few ways CMFR can serve the community.  

We had a great turnout with many families in attendance. Kids learned about a career in the fire service, tried on firefighting equipment and learned about fire safety from the CRR team. 

A big thank you to all the families, community members, visitors, city staff, elected officials, and our amazing community partners who were able to attend.

In honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, please join us next week as we come together to shine a light on domestic violence.

You are invited to the 5th annual walking vigil #ShineTheLight on Wednesday evening, October 21, at Lions Park. Human Options, the City of Costa Mesa, and the Costa Mesa Police Department are hosting this vigil in solidarity with victims and survivors of relationship violence.

Human Options is a non-profit organization that connects anyone who is threatened by domestic abuse to countywide services to help them.

This organization is a resource for shelter, intervention programs, counseling and referrals that officers hand out when responding to domestic violence calls.

There are other amazing organizations, like Human Options, that we work with including Share Our Selves and Laura's House and nearby hospitals.

All these organizations are there for the community in their time of need. We stand against domestic violence and we are here to help and connect those in need to valuable resources.

Recently CMFR crews participated in a multi-company training on electric vehicle fire in parking structures.

Training included the simulation of a vehicle on fire involving an electric truck, discussions of fire attack considerations, positioning of apparatus, protection from exposure and the unique hazards that present from EV batteries. 

Multi-company training is essential in maintaining operational readiness and enhances the ability of fire crews to work together as a seamless and cohesive team.

This enables CMFR to serve the community with a high degree of competence and professionalism.

Earlier this summer, restaurateur Carlos Perez Sr. and his "Shirley’s Bagels" team celebrated 40 years of success in serving up New York-style bagels to generations of hungry customers in Costa Mesa.

Originally emigrating from Guatemala and getting his early start in the LA donut industry, Perez and his partners eventually acquired the already popular local business and moved his family to Costa Mesa, where his son Carlos Jr. attended Costa Mesa High School.

After growing up working alongside his dad and learning the ins-and-outs of the bagel business Carlos Jr. decided to break out on his own, applying many of the traditional lessons he learned at Shirley’s to create his own brand of bagels and deli offerings with a modern twist.

His resulting brainchild business became "Boil & Bake,” which opened to great fanfare in Costa Mesa in 2022.

As the city's Hispanic Heritage Month celebration winds down we applaud the four decades of success this hard-working father and son has achieved and we thank them for the entrepreneurial spirit and longstanding commitment each continues to bring to the community.

Click here to check out CMTV’s recent “Costa Mesa EATS” profile of these local culinary heroes as they each share their “Bagel Story."

Participants enjoyed the last day of the Dance for Joy and Well-Being series at the Costa Mesa Senior Center! Participants enjoyed a special performance by professional dancers from Backhausdance, followed by a Q&A with the dancers.

This free, eight-week program provided older adults with an opportunity to experience the joy of movement while promoting connection, creativity, and healthy aging. 


The program was made possible in part through a grant from the City of Costa Mesa’s Arts Grant Program, supported by the Parks & Community Services Department. 


Learn more about Backhausdance at www.backhausdance.org.

To explore Backhausdance and other classes offered at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, visit www.costamesaca.gov/seniorcenter.

Join us on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Tewinkle Park on 970 Arlington Drive in Costa Mesa for Barktoberfest.

We’ll have pet adoptions, pet supply vendors, pet & owner costume contest, paw-rade, a mobile vaccine clinic, and Police K-9 Demonstrations on site!

Pet Costume Contest: Costume Categories

1)Spookiest

2)Funniest

3)Cutest

4)Best Pet & Owner

5)Best in Group

6)Best in Show

Registration will be free to all participants. Winners will be announced after pet parade, at 12:45 p.m.

Registration will be taken between 11 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. at the animal services booth.

We look forward to seeing all of your costumes and furry friends there!

Bring your friends and get ready for a frighteningly good time. Enjoy a Haunted Maze, food provided by Raising Cane’s, Treats, Pumpkin Decorating, Creepy Games & prizes, and a special showing of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.

Date: Friday, Oct. 23

Time: 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Where: Downtown Recreation Center (1860 Anaheim Ave)

Open to incoming 7th through 12th graders only.

Space is limited so sign up now! Registration is available online Here (Activity #22568) or in person at both Teen Center locations: the Downtown Recreation Center Teen Center and TeWinkle Middle School Teen Center.

Spooks & Spirits Dance Party on Friday, Oct. 23 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center (1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa).

This is a FREE, all-abilities-friendly event for ages 16 and up, and family is welcome! Grab your friends, dress up in your favorite costume, and come celebrate with us.

RSVP here: https://bit.ly/SpooksandSpirits2026.

RSVP is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there.

Calling all OC artists and organizations.

Have you ever wanted to display your artwork on one of the Utility Boxes around the City of Costa Mesa? Now is the time to apply.

Artists are allowed to submit up to two pieces of art to be considered for a box. The online application is now open, and the deadline to submit your art is Oct. 31.

Not sure which boxes are available? Check out the Utility Box Art Google Map on our website.

Visit www.costamesaca.gov/artsculture for more information and to find our online application.