In honor of Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, Mayor John Stephens extends his gratitude to the hardworking men and women of the Costa Mesa labor force in both the public and private sector.

Click here to watch Mayor Stephen’s special Labor Day Message.

Enjoy the day off.

At the Tuesday, Sept. 1 meeting the City Council recognized the Newport-Mesa Girls Softball 12U Silver All-Star Team for their winning season.

Accepting the proclamation on behalf of the team was coach Bobby Farrell.

Additionally, the Council issued a proclamation recognizing September as Hunger Action Month. Accepting the proclamation was Second Harvest Food Bank Government Director Malia Cary.

Click here to watch the entire meeting.

Council Member Mike Buley delivered welcoming remarks at the fifth annual North American Real Estate Investment Forum, welcoming real estate professionals, investors, and industry leaders to Costa Mesa.

In his remarks, Council Member Buley highlighted the City’s strong business community, ongoing investment and development opportunities, and encouraged attendees to explore Costa Mesa’s diverse neighborhoods, businesses, and destinations during their visit.

Council Member Reynolds joined fellow elected officials for an OCTA-led tour of the OC Streetcar project that runs through areas of Santa Ana.

The tour provided an opportunity to learn more about the project’s progress, key features, and projected timeline for completion and service.

Council Member Reynolds also learned how the Streetcar will enhance regional connectivity and transportation options throughout Orange County.

Assistant Fire Marshal Nikki Johnson was recognized and presented with September's City Manager Leadership Award by City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly. 

Johnson joined Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue in 2020. Over the past six years, she has progressed from Code Enforcement Officer to Fire Protection Specialist and ultimately Assistant Fire Marshal.

As her role has grown, so have the duties and responsibilities she has taken on. Most recently, during a period of transition for the department, Johnson served as the Acting Fire Marshal.

She embraced the added demands with grace, helped maintain continuity within the Community Risk Reduction Division, and kept the day-to-day work moving. At the same time, she provided guidance and mentorship to staff and helped others develop professionally.

Beyond the department, she currently serves as President of both the CMCEA and the Orange County Fire Prevention Officers Group.

Being elected by her peers to lead two very different 

organizations speaks volumes about how she is regarded by the employees she represents and by her colleagues in the fire prevention community.

That same spirit of service and compassion is evident in her work with the community.

For several years, she spearheaded Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s participation in the Spark of Love Toy Drive, coordinating the effort and helping make sure local children and families receive some extra support during the holidays.

Every day, she brings compassion, a strong spirit of service, and a genuine commitment to her team and community.

She takes pride in her work and approaches it with a high degree of professionalism and dedication to her craft, always mindful of how her actions and efforts contribute to the larger goals of Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue.

Those qualities make Nikki Johnson a deserving recipient of the City Manager’s Award.

Mayor John Stephens hosted the “Let’s Talk FDC” community discussion on Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Norma Hertzog Community Center.

About 50 residents attended to share their ideas, concerns, priorities, and questions regarding the Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan.

The Mayor listened to residents and responded to questions throughout the evening.

The discussion gave community members an opportunity to speak directly with the Mayor and have their voices heard as conversations about the future of the Fairview Developmental Center continue.

The Costa Mesa Police Department is hiring police officers. Anyone interested in becoming a police officer should submit their application by Sept. 21 to participate in the next test process. Visit CMPD’s website for more information and the application at cmpolice.org.

What does the physical agility test look like? Check out the PD’s social media for a short video recently posted. The test includes push-ups, sit-ups, 500-yard run, body drag, and weapons manipulation. If applicants pass, it’s on to oral interviews.

Last weekend, on Aug. 29, 27 applicants participated in the physical agility testing. Ten of the candidates passed the oral interview, with four of those moving forward in the hiring process.

Think you have what it takes? We’re ready to meet you. Apply today!

Due to the observation of the Labor Day holiday, there will be no residential street sweeping Sept. 7 – Sept. 11 2026.

This coincides with the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, which also observes this holiday by pushing trash collection back one day. This results in residential gutter lines being cluttered with trash cans making it impossible for street sweeper operators to do an efficient job. There should be no parking citations issued during this time.

Street sweeping will resume back to normal schedule the week of Sept. 14.

In lieu of street sweeping, the following is a list of tasks that clean streets operators will be conducting next week:

• Citywide alley street sweeping
• Sweeping of park parking lots and other city owned facilities
• Accident call outs and special request
• Night route sweeping on all arterial streets

For more information, residents can call the city’s street sweeping hotline at (714) 327-7471, which has been updated with this information.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District will begin construction on Sept. 8 to install critical sewer facilities at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Wilson Street.

These facilities will increase the reliability of the sewer system and help protect public health.

Construction will include overnight lane closures for approximately two weeks. Later work will require daytime lane closures through mid-October.


Motorists should plan for delays or consider alternate routes while this work is underway. Thank you for your patience while this important infrastructure is installed. 

For questions or additional information, please contact the Costa Mesa Sanitary District at 949‑645‑8400.

Sept. 1 was Building and Code Staff Appreciation Day.

This is a national observance day in the industry to acknowledge local building department staff and safety inspectors who enforce regulations, prevent hazards, and ensure structural safety. 

Building staff focuses on plan submittals, plan checks, permit issuance, and inspections of new construction and remodels. Code Enforcement staff focuses on existing property regulations, maintenance, nuisance complaints, and neighborhood standards.

Thank you Building and Code Enforcement staff for all you do!

Mayor John Stephens and Council Member Arlis Reynolds joined the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the grand opening of BEXBLOOMZ.

The new local business brings a creative floral experience to the community, offering thoughtfully designed arrangements and floral creations for a variety of occasions.

Mayor Stephens and Council Member Reynolds welcomed BEXBLOOMZ to the Costa Mesa business community and presented a certificate of recognition.

WildWater Express Car Wash celebrated its grand opening and official ribbon-cutting on Monday, Aug. 31, at its new location at 1195 Baker Street.

Representatives from the City of Costa Mesa, the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, and local and state offices joined the celebration to congratulate the WildWater Express team and welcome the business to the community.

WildWater Express offers quick drive-through car washes, free self-service vacuums, and complimentary towels.

Maintenance Services staff recently completed the installation of two new walkways made of paving stones at the Norma Hertzog Community Center.

The improved routes support smoother, more convenient pedestrian flow around the facility and strengthen connections between parking areas and the Community Center.

In the coming week, new plants will be added to fill bare areas in the planters and along the walkways. These plantings will help restore landscaping, improve the overall appearance of the grounds, and contribute to a more welcoming environment at the Community Center.

The Maintenance team’s work on this project reflects ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance City facilities that serve the community every day.

Probationary firefighters trained on ground monitor use this week as they continue to prepare for upcoming manipulative testing. 

Ground monitors are used to apply large volumes of water at a greater distance than traditional hose lines and can be deployed when conditions or the environment become too hazardous for our personnel. 

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Division is expanding its in-house fire plan review capabilities.

Fire Protection Specialist Arnold Antonio is expanding his role within CRR to include fire plan review responsibilities. Assistant Fire Marshal Nikki Johnson has been working alongside Arnold as the division transitions additional fire plan reviews in-house.

This expansion allows CRR to utilize the knowledge and expertise of our own personnel while reducing reliance on third-party plan review services.

Bringing more of this work in-house will strengthen continuity within the plan review process, improve coordination with applicants and City staff, and continue building the capabilities of the CRR Division.

This is another step toward creating a more efficient, knowledgeable, and well-rounded Community Risk Reduction team.

Construction continues, and significant progress is being made on the renovation and expansion of Shalimar Park.

Installation of the new playground equipment, concrete surfacing, interior walkways, swings, improved lighting, and other site amenities has been completed. The handball wall and mini-pitch concrete have also been poured and will soon be painted.

The contractor is continuing work on the installation of decorative fencing, irrigation, landscaping, and the bulb-out expansion onto Shalimar Drive.

Lines of poetry will be stamped onto concrete pathways, as has been done at Brentwood Park and Ketchum-Libolt Park, establishing Costa Mesa’s identity as the “City of the Arts.”

This vital community park serves residents in an area that has historically been lacking in open space and will contribute aesthetically to the surrounding area.

A major portion of funding for this project was made possible by the funding earmark from the office of then-State Senator, now Congressman David Min.

The Public Works Department is grateful for the public’s continued support throughout this Shalimar Park reconstruction project.

The Costa Mesa Network for Homeless Solutions continues to help those less fortunate as it has now housed 516 people as of August of 2026.

The team took 151 calls for service in August and has assisted 1,183 callers year to date.

To reach our Network For Homeless Solutions staff please visit our website here.

ARTventure returns to the "City Of The Arts" Saturday,

 Sept. 12, 2026 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m with an opening reception and awards ceremony at the Norma Hertzog Community Center.

Following the kick-off event, the Juried Art Exhibition will remain on public display at the Norma Hertzog Community Center from September 12 through 26: Weekends 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Weekdays 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Come support local artists and enjoy all of the

#CostaMazing entries in this year's show!

For additional opening event and exhibit details visit 

costamesaca.gov/artventure.

Check out this short promo for ARTventure featuring highlights from last year’s show.

Labor Day honors the achievements and contributions of American workers, and here in Costa Mesa we are proud of all the hard-working people who contribute to our community.

Recently, CMTV visited the city's Corporation Yard to take a peek under the hood and get a video tour of some the CostaMazing work being done by our own dedicated team members that help keep the city running like a well-oiled machine.

Want to learn more about city services, project updates and upcoming events throughout the city? Visit costamesaca.gov.

Enjoy a well-deserved Labor Day weekend everyone!

Click here to check out the Corporation Yard Video Tour.