Drill Exploration Activities for the I-405 Improvement Project will occur intermittently throughout the project area the week of Nov. 6 to Nov. 9 and the week of Nov. 13 to Nov. 17.

In an effort to make travel easier for motorists this Veterans Day holiday weekend, pre-construction activities will be suspended on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017 and will resume, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017.

Drilling exploration, nest avoidance and ADL sampling activities will be conducted at night, between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and during the day, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Drill exploration is performed to obtain information on the soil and rock around a site in order to design structures. Crews will be on the northbound (NB) and southbound (SB) shoulders, and on- and off-ramps of the I-405 freeway, as well as on local streets.

Nest avoidance is performed prior to the start of construction to prevent birds and bats from nesting inside structures. ADL sampling is performed to obtain information on soil on the NB and SB shoulders of the I-405 freeway. Samples are obtained to measure toxicity as a part of dust control measures.

Please be advised that this work may be loud, and dates are subject to change based on inclement weather and other operational factors.

In Costa Mesa, work is planned for the following times and place:

• NB I-405 HOV and #1 lane from MacArthur Boulevard to SR-73

The city has added a new link to a Long Beach Airport web page that monitors and tracks air traffic from multiple airports throughout the region.

A link to the web page is located on the Airport Noise and Concerns page on the city’s website.

The page, which is provided by Long Beach Airport, features a Google map with animation of the aircraft. Web visitors can hover a mouse over the aircraft and learn where it is arriving or departing from and its altitude. Complaints can also be filed using by clicking the Investigate tab at the top left.

Click here to see the page.

Public Services recently completed improvements at Paularino and Pinkley Parks previously approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission.

A new metal hexagonal shelter replaced the deteriorating wood shelter at Paularino Park. The shelter was also relocated farther from the nearby residences and to provide easier access.

Pinkley Park’s existing arbor that was in disrepair with broken concrete columns and wood beams was replaced with a new metal arbor. The new arbor is safer for the community and is an aesthetic upgrade to the park.

The City Manager’s Office has created a web page to allow residents to keep up with the progress on the Lions Park Projects.

Construction crews began work on replacing the old Neighborhood Community Center with a new Donald Dungan Library that will feature a children’s library and teen section.

Click here to visit the Project Update page.

Public Services recently expanded its graffiti removal and pressure washing program. Historically, the Maintenance Division has dedicated a one or two-person operation to manage the program.

Maintenance staff is very dedicated and takes pride in the program, resulting in high level of success in managing graffiti issues throughout the City. Staff attempts to remove graffiti within 24 hours of discovery or reporting.

The program’s current expansion includes additional resources and equipment to better serve Costa Mesa. The program is now staffed by two full-time employees and one part-time employee operating out of two fully equipped graffiti abatement trucks, one pickup truck and trailer, and the gator which is dedicated to Fairview Park and the Joann Bike Trail.

Staff works an overlapping schedule to provide coverage every day. With the additional staff and equipment, the program now has increased the frequency of services to include weekly pressure washing of park shelters and pressure washing high use bus stops in conjunction with the City’s bus stop maintenance contractor.

As part of this program, maintenance staff performs regular pressure washing of the Skate Park, Bark Park, all City owned park playgrounds, Davis field restroom and sidewalks, senior center walkways and City facilities. Staff is also quick to respond with pressure washing services to daily requests related to paint spills, utility markings and graffiti removal.

Following recently passed legislation and the corresponding closure of the Ramsay Rexall Pharmacy and Harbor Compounding pharmaceutical drop boxes, Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) installed a new pharmaceutical waste drop box at the district headquarters.

To dispose of medication in Costa Mesa, stop by the CMSD Headquarters located at 290 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa. Pharmaceutical waste will also be accepted at various Orange County drop sites on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

The list of drop sites, which are coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, are available at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.

Beador Construction Co., Inc. has started construction of the partially grant funded Placentia Avenue Median Improvement project, between Estancia High School and Adams Avenue, this week.

This project with the construction of a landscaped median on Placentia Avenue will improve the streetscape adjacent to Fairview Park and Estancia High School. The raised median will also improve the traffic operations on Placentia Avenue as it will provide an overall appearance of a narrower roadway, which consequently provides a traffic calming effect.

During the first three weeks, Placentia Avenue, from Estancia High School to Adams Avenue, will be restricted to one-lane in both directions. The electronic traffic information signs located at each end of the project limits on Placentia Avenue will provide up-to-date traffic conditions to the community.

The project is scheduled for completion by spring 2018.

The city’s website staff has created a number of new web pages and features to assist residents using the website and to better highlight city initiatives.

One addition has been a page dedicated to issues around group homes and sober living. On this page, residents can learn about city ordinances and rights of those who live in group homes. Click here to view that page.

Last Wednesday Oct. 4, Costa Mesa officially went on the bond market for the Lions Park Projects and the 2007 COPs refinancing. A total of $29.8 million in bonds were offered for both the project and refinancing of existing debt.

Orders were exceptionally strong. A diverse mix of investors including 33 investor accounts and many individual investors ordered six times the amount available. As a result, the City was able to obtain better pricing (lower interest rates) resulting in additional interest cost savings over the life of the bonds.

Final pricing results in a total of $29.7 million in bonds and compares to our Sept. 19, 2017 Council agenda report as follows:

• True interest cost is 2.76% vs. 3.11%.
• For the 2007 COPs, the new annual payment averages $1.76 million, which equals a savings of $514,000 vs. the prior estimated savings of $503,000 per year.
• Total savings from the refinancing increased to $4.625 million over the remaining nine years compared to $4.524 million previously reported.
• For the new money portion, the annual payment averages $1.084 million compared to $1.133 million previously estimated and compared to the former 2003 COPs payment of $1.24 million which was the original target not-to-exceed amount when staff took the first financing concept to Council nearly two years ago.

The success of this financing plan is credited to members of the City Finance department, Public Services and the City Manager’s office as well as outside advisors including Fieldman-Rolapp, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth and Stifel Nicolaus & Co.

Pictured above is the city’s bond financing team of Interim Finance Director Steve Dunivent, policy and legal analyst Michelle Manu with Chelsea Redmon and Anna Sarabian of Fieldman-Rolapp.

As part of the I-405 Improvement Project, OCTA announced that beginning Monday Oct. 9, construction work will take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. at the following locations:

• NB I-405 HOV inside lane from MacArthur Boulevard to SR-73
• NB I-405 merge lane from Bristol Street to South Coast Drive
• SB I-405 / SR-73 connector to Bear Street
• SB I-405 near Harbor Boulevard to Fairview Road
• Fairview Road bridge
• Harbor Boulevard bridge

OCTA in cooperation with The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is widening the San Diego Freeway (I-405) between State Route 73 (SR-73) and Interstate 605 (I-605). The project will improve 16 miles of I-405 between the SR-73 freeway in Costa Mesa and I-605 near the L.A. County line.

In conjunction with the 10-year Master Site Plan, OC Fair & Event Center will be launching a Strategic 5-Year Business Plan to develop our organizational goals.

Fair & Event Center officials will be seeking input at two open community discussions on how the OC Fair & Event Center can further support its mission of developing programs focused on community, education and agriculture.

If you’re an interested neighbor, educator, member of the agricultural community, non-profit leader or business associate, your input is appreciated.

Join OC Fair & Event Center officials on the following dates:

• Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. or Thursday, Oct. 19 from 7-9:30 p.m.

RSVPs are not required. If you’re unable to attend but would like to provide input, please email your thoughts and ideas to CommDept@ocfair.com.