Roadway construction began on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, along Maple Street from Wilson Street to Victoria Street.

This work involves grinding of existing pavement, replacing damaged localized pavement sections, and paving new asphalt layer. Other work includes utilities adjustment, street striping etc.

During the project, access to portions of the road might be temporarily restricted. However, on Sept. 24, the placement of asphalt will take place which will require very limited access to residential properties.

Working days and hours will be during Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Residents should expect increased construction activity, equipment, and noise during work hours, as well as temporary traffic and parking restrictions.

Please assist us by not allowing water to run on the roadway and by not placing any trash cans or other debris in the roadway.

“NO PARKING” signs will be posted 72 hours in advance of the actual start of construction, indicating the dates and times in which vehicles may not park in the work areas. Parking restrictions will be posted only when required.

Should you have questions, please contact the City of Costa Mesa for this project at (714)-754-5029. 

Did you know, Costa Mesa-based big box stores and large retailers currently pay the same rate as much smaller businesses? Learn more about efforts to reform this: CostaMesaCA.gov/MeasureC.

Measure C highlights include:

• Protects small businesses: Businesses with $500,000 or less in annual gross receipts — approximately 72% of Costa Mesa businesses — would not receive an increase.

• Updates a 41-year-old system: The measure would modernize the City’s business license structure so larger businesses contribute more proportionately based on their gross receipts. Businesses with more than $500,000 in annual gross receipts would pay 50 cents per $1,000, with an annual cap of $15,000 for businesses with $30 million or more in gross receipts.

• Does not increase taxes on residents: The measure applies to business licenses and would not increase taxes on Costa Mesa residents.

• Supports locally controlled City services: Measure C is estimated to generate approximately $4.6 million annually for general City services, including maintaining 911, police and fire response; preventing and responding to crime; addressing homelessness; keeping public areas safe and clean; and maintaining roads and infrastructure.

• Keeps funds local: All revenue generated by the measure would remain under local control for the benefit of the Costa Mesa community.

• Requires accountability: The measure includes annual independent financial audits and public disclosure of spending.

Costa Mesa voters will decide Measure C in the Nov. 3, 2026, election.

To learn more about the measure, including how it would affect businesses and how funds could be used, visit CostaMesaCA.gov/MeasureC.

City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly presented the City Manager Leadership Award for September to Assistant Fire Marshal Nikki Johnson.

“Every day, Nikki brings compassion, a strong spirit of service, and a genuine commitment to her team and community,” Gallardo-Daly said. “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. I am happy to present her with this award.”

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, she 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, Johnson 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, Johnson 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 received some extra support during the holidays.

She volunteers with Pawsative Approach Animal Rescue and has spent years rescuing, fostering, and finding homes for cats and kittens in need.

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Arizona and an Associate of Arts degree in Fire Science from Santa Ana College.

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.

City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly presented the City Manager Leadership Award winner for the month of August to IT Programmer Analyst Hoon Jo.

“Since his arrival in Costa Mesa in 2020, Hoon has supported and collaborated with nearly every City department providing them with his GIS expertise,” Gallardo-Daly said. “His efforts have not gone unnoticed, and I greatly appreciate his technical abilities and map-making skills. I am thankful he is part of our team and happy to present him with this award.”

Jo’s work includes creating maps and applications for Police, Fire, Dispatch, Planning, Transportation, Engineering, Maintenance Services, the City Manager’s Office, Parks & Communities, and others.

His effort includes responding to various map requests, maintaining data such as address and street layers, supporting mapping applications, administering the City’s GIS enterprise environment, and coordinating with outside agencies, including neighboring cities, the Orange County Fire Authority, Orange County Public Works, CAL FIRE, and sometimes even the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Jo has enjoyed maps since childhood. He majored in Geography and Environmental Studies at UCLA and completed a Master of Science in Geographic Information Studies at CSULB. Before Costa Mesa, he worked for the City of El Segundo, the Orange County Fire Authority, and Riverside County Flood Control on various GIS projects.

He is a certified GIS Professional, a credential that reflects years of professional experience, dedication, and study outside of work. He also holds an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate for drone operations. He looks forward to creating more maps and applications for the city to support better decision-making.

After months of collaboration with residents, businesses, community organizations, stakeholders, and City staff, we’re excited to announce that the Draft Costa Mesa Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is now available for public review.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in workshops, surveys, community events, and meetings throughout the planning process.

Your ideas, feedback, and passion have helped shape Costa Mesa’s first comprehensive Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.Review the Draft CAAP here: www.costamesaca.gov/CAAP.

Public Review Period:

Now through Aug. 4, 2026

We encourage everyone to read the draft and share your thoughts. Your feedback will help refine the plan before it is considered for adoption.

As a reminder, the draft Safety Element and Environmental Justice policies are still out for public review. Those drafts can be reviewed here: www.costamesaca.gov/sustainability.

Please submit comments on any or all drafts (CAAP, Safety Element and Environmental Justice Policies) to: sustainability@costamesaca.gov.

The public is also invited to join us at upcoming meetings where we will discuss the CAAP, Safety Element Update, and the Environmental Justice Policies Update.  

Meeting Dates:

Planning Commission Study Session

July 27, 2026

Planning Commission Public Hearing

August 10, 2026

Together, we’re building a more sustainable, resilient, and climate-ready Costa Mesa. We look forward to hearing your comments and continuing this important community conversation. 

Assistant City Manager Alma Reyes presented the City Manager Leadership Award for the month of July to Finance Department Payroll Coordinator Lindsey King.

“Lindsey always goes above and beyond and is ready to assist coworkers, share her knowledge, and tackle even the most challenging payroll issues with patience and professionalism,” Reyes said. “Her positive attitude, reliability, and calm demeanor have earned the trust and respect of her colleagues, making her a valued resource within the Finance Department and a trusted partner to departments throughout the city. I’m thrilled to honor her with this award.”

She joined the City of Costa Mesa in May 2021, bringing seven years of municipal payroll experience from the City of Fullerton.

From the moment she joined the Payroll Division, she demonstrated an exceptional ability to learn and adapt, quickly mastering the City’s payroll processes, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), payroll policies, and long-standing practices.

Her strong work ethic, commitment to excellence, and dedication to serving others quickly established her as an indispensable member of the Finance Department.

King plays a critical role in ensuring the City’s bi-weekly payroll is processed accurately, on time, and in compliance with City policies and applicable MOUs.

She is responsible for every aspect of the payroll process, including auditing personnel action forms, reviewing and correcting employee timecards, processing bi-weekly payroll and so much more. She also prepares payroll data and finance reports that individual departments rely on for billing, budgeting, and financial analysis.

In addition to her daily responsibilities, she is an active contributor to the City’s HR and Payroll system implementation, where her payroll expertise has been instrumental in helping shape a successful transition to the new system.

Payroll is one of the Finance Department’s critical functions, and she approaches every payroll cycle with professionalism, precision, and an unwavering commitment to accuracy.

She consistently meets demanding deadlines while skillfully managing last-minute payroll changes without compromising quality or service.

Whether responding to CalPERS inquiries, assisting employees with payroll questions, supporting electronic timesheet issues, or researching complex payroll matters, she provides exceptional customer service and dependable support to employees throughout the organization.

King is a graduate of Katella High School in Anaheim.

The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD) this week confirmed mosquito samples infected with West Nile Virus (WNV) in the cities of Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove and Westminster.

Orange County now has eight cities with WNV-positive mosquitoes, with OCMVCD reporting last week mosquito samples infected with WNV in the cities of Buena Park, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and Seal Beach.

Inspectors will be out in the areas to check known sources of mosquito breeding and to try to identify any unknown sources. If we have continued positive mosquito samples, adult mosquito control may be conducted in the future.

At this time, OC Vector advises residents to take action and follow these tips:

• Wear repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants while outside at dawn and dusk
• Dump and drain containers holding standing water at least once a week
• Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls
• Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space
• Repair broken or damaged screens

More information about mosquito prevention is available here.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Tony Dodero
(714) 754-5288
tony.dodero@costamesaca.gov 

Fireworks season is here and we want to remind everyone that in Costa Mesa selling illegal fireworks is a felony, and possession/use of illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 fine and/or jail time.

Please be a good neighbor and don’t set off illegal fireworks. If it can leave the ground and explodes in the air, it’s illegal.

The Costa Mesa Municipal Code authorizes the sale of safe and sane fireworks:
June 30 – July 3 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
July 4 from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

The Municipal Code authorizes the discharge of safe and sane fireworks:
July 2 -July 4 between the hours of 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. only.

The Costa Mesa Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and Community Policing Unit is already focused on taking illegal fireworks off the streets. Two recent investigations resulted in the seizure of approximately 710 pounds of illegal fireworks and two arrests.

Loud and unsafe illegal fireworks continue to be a frequent complaint from our community this time of year.

Let’s celebrate Independence Day with the right fireworks, labeled Safe and Sane, that will be sold in stands around the city starting June 30.

To report illegal fireworks, call the Police Department’s non-emergency line 714-754-5252

Restoration work at TeWinkle Park upper lake is at the final stage.

The lake liner has been installed with the final phase underway as the upper lake has been refilled along with the transfer of aquatic wildlife from the lower lake back to the upper lake.

The next phase will involve a similar rehabilitation of the lower lake.

The Public Works Department appreciates the public’s continued support throughout this restoration project of TeWinkle Park lakes

Assistant City Manager Alma Reyes presented the City Manager Leadership Award for the month of June to Management Aide Ivis Torres.

“For Ivis, public service is more than a profession” Reyes said. “It is an opportunity to give back to the community that helped shape who she is today. Through her compassion, creativity, and unwavering commitment to service, she continues to make a meaningful impact on the community she is proud to call home. It is an honor to present this award to her.”

Torres joined the City in 2019, as part of the then newly established City Council Aide team or as we know it now, the Constituent Services Team in the City Manager’s Office.

As a member of the inaugural team, she supported the Mayor and City Council in their efforts to increase responsiveness to resident concerns and to have a pulse on the community’s needs.

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, Torres became an integral member of the City Manager’s Office response efforts due to her background working in the medical industry.

She played a key role in communicating critical public health information to residents while helping City staff understand and address evolving community needs.

In 2021, Torres was promoted to a full-time Management Aide, continuing her work as a liaison to the Mayor and City Council. In this role, she coordinates responses to constituent concerns, facilitates Council requests, and works closely with departments to ensure residents receive timely and effective service.

Her multilingual efforts contributed to successful public engagement initiatives for major City projects and community improvements, including Ketchum-Libolt Park, Shalimar Park, and various housing initiatives.

In 2023, as Costa Mesa experienced an unprecedented number of evictions, Torres played an important role by providing housing navigation services and helping affected families connect with temporary housing resources.

Through her direct engagement with residents, she gained firsthand insight into the challenges facing tenants and relayed community concerns and feedback to City leadership. Her work helped inform the City’s response to the housing crisis and contributed to the development and eventual adoption of the City’s Tenant Protection Ordinance.

Recently, Torres assumed expanded responsibilities supporting the Mayor and City Council. In addition to her constituent services responsibilities, she is supporting the Council in an executive assistant capacity.

Torres has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Orange Coast College and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University.

The Costa Mesa City Council has agreed to a contract with WAGS Pet Adoption in Westminster to provide interim animal shelter services and veterinary care, concluding a previous agreement with Priceless Pets Rescue to provide shelter and adoption services for Costa Mesa pets.

The WAGS contract with the city is a temporary agreement and city officials will issue a formal request for proposal (RFP) to secure a permanent shelter provider.

“I am very grateful for how Priceless Pets has cared for our pets in Costa Mesa since 2018,” Mayor John Stephens said. “I look forward to starting a new chapter with WAGS. I personally visited their facility and was very impressed. They have an outdoor play area for dogs, a large kennel capacity, another play area for cats and veterinary services onsite. They are going to be a great partner going forward.”

In addition to Costa Mesa, WAGS provides animal shelter services for the cities of Westminster, Stanton and Seal Beach. As it pertains to Costa Mesa, WAGS will provide shelter services and assistance with lost and found pets, pet reclaims, and animal adoptions. The City of Costa Mesa will still provide the services of dog licensing, license renewals, rabies verifications, and licensing questions. 

WAGS is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been in business for 15 years. WAGS promotes adoptions and follows a high-save standard. Their priority is to find forever homes for pets, and they do not euthanize due to time or space. Euthanasia is used only when there are no humane alternatives, and only after a careful determination that, medically and behaviorally, every safe option has been exhausted, and the animal cannot be returned to an adoption pathway.

“On behalf of the Costa Mesa Police Department, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Priceless Pets for their commitment to serving our community and the animals entrusted in their care,” said Police Chief Joyce LaPointe. “Their dedication to providing compassionate care, finding loving homes for animals in need, and improving the lives of both pets and families has made a lasting impact throughout Costa Mesa. As we transition to WAGS, we remain appreciative of the partnership we had and look forward to working with another organization that shares the same commitment to animal welfare.”

Dr. Michelle Russillo, the President and CEO of WAGS Pet Adoption said she looks forward to the partnership with Costa Mesa.

“WAGS Pet Adoption is grateful for the opportunity to serve the City of Costa Mesa and will focus on a smooth, community-first transition that prioritizes pets’ safety and care,” Dr. Russillo said.

WAGS is located at 6621 Westminster Blvd. in Westminster, and for more information, please visit the website wagspetadoption.org.

Residents who find injured or deceased animals should continue to call the city’s Animal Control dispatch at (714) 754- 5674. For missing/lost pets, found pets, and general questions regarding animal control or to report wildlife related issues please call the Animal Control hotline at (714) 754-5311.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Roxi Fyad
(714) 754-5282
rfyad@costamesaca.gov

Tony Dodero
(714) 754-5288
tony.dodero@costamesaca.gov