City Council meeting canceled due to inclement weather

The Feb. 6, 2024 City Council meeting has been canceled due to the continuing severe weather conditions in the region that have a formal Emergency Declaration by the governor for nine counties including Orange County. Further, the National Weather Service extended its Flash Flood Advisory through Wednesday and issued warnings for the public to avoid all travel unless absolutely essential.
 
All items on the agenda will be moved to the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting on February 20, 2024.
 
City employees are attending to emergency operations and response as needed and our public safety and Public Works teams are monitoring the situation and working to respond to road incidents, clear downed trees and debris and to assist those in need. #CostaMesaNews
 
For emergencies, please call 911. Here are important safety tips and resources:
✔ Don’t drive or travel during heavy rain or flooding, if possible.
✔ Stay away from streams, rivers and flood channels and do not walk, bike or drive through high water.
✔ If you must drive, please drive safely and slowly, don’t tailgate, and don’t drive into high water.
✔ Be prepared for possible power outages.
✔ Stay informed by following the City’s social media and signing up for emergency alerts including warnings and evacuation notices at CalAlerts.org.
✔ Sandbags are available for residents and businesses at the Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.



Governor declares state of emergency for Orange County and seven other counties

Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency for eight counties in Southern California as a series of winter storms began impacting much of the state with high winds, damaging rain and heavy snowfall.
 
The proclamation covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The emergency proclamation includes provisions authorizing a California National Guard response if tasked, facilitating unemployment benefits for impacted residents, and making it easier for out-of-state contractors and utilities to repair storm damage.
 
5 things you can to do stay safer:
 
☎️ Stay connected. Dial 311 to get help or ask questions. If you have a critical emergency, call 911. Stay informed by signing up for emergency alerts including warnings and evacuation notices at org.
👨‍🚒 Get your information from trusted sources. Check state and local government or emergency management websites and social media accounts for trusted information specific to your area. Local news outlets and meteorologists are also a good source of information. Be wary of posts from unknown sources on social platforms or from online ‘experts’ without credentials.
💨 Prepare for high winds. Before a high wind event: remove any dead trees or overhanging branches near structures, remove loose roofing material, bring in unsecured objects from patios and balconies, secure outdoor objects that could blow away, shutter windows securely and brace outside doors. During a high wind event: take cover next to a building or under shelter, stay away from windows, stay clear of roadways and train tracks, avoid elevated areas such as roofs, watch for flying debris.
🚙 Travel safely. Avoid non-essential travel during the peak of the storm expected Sunday and Monday. If you must drive, download the QuickMap app or visit QuickMap (ca.gov) to learn up-to-the-minute information on road conditions, traffic, closures, and more. Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
🔦 Be ready in case of power outages. Take inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity. Keep your devices charged. Plan for batteries and other alternative power sources to meet your needs if the power goes out such as a portable charger or power bank. Have flashlights for every household member.
 
Click here for more information.
 



New ‘Mariposa Garden’ to be unveiled in Westside Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa will unveil its new “Mariposa Garden,” the City’s first butterfly garden featuring the first City-funded public art project on Tuesday Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. on a hillside adjacent to Marina View Park located at 1035 W. 19th St.

The City’s Public Works crews planted eight different varieties of drought tolerant plants that are a mixture of naturalized and native plants. The flora is designed to attract a variety of butterflies, including the famous monarch butterfly that migrates 3,000 miles south for the winter from the western United States to the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico.

Mariposa Garden is part of a larger Westside Restoration Project and West 19th Street corridor enhancements for the District 4 and District 5 neighborhoods. The project was launched to enhance neighborhoods, improve pedestrian and bicycle accessibility, repair aging infrastructure, and enhance lighting and safety. 

“The restoration of the Westside is an important goal for the community,” said City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison. “We are undertaking an overall revitalization of Costa Mesa’s Westside, promoting active transportation, providing an enriching environment, and creating more open space. Mariposa Garden will be a beautiful addition to that.”

The revitalization efforts address sidewalk and curb painting maintenance, an increase of visible trash receptacles, installation of artistic bike racks, maintaining the corridors’ light poles, and reducing speeds on 19th Street to make it bike and pedestrian friendly. Additionally, the City is investing in promoting the arts through place-making, murals and utility box art.

The Mariposa Garden will include a City-funded public art project that features four large butterfly sculptures and several smaller butterflies created by renowned artist Marisabel Bazan. The artist titled the sculptures “La Magia de Colleta.”

Bazan is known for her colorful organic artwork and public commissions such as the Dance of the Butterflies commissioned by the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission of West Hollywood and the Dream Big Collection at Times Square in New York City.

Work is underway to create additional butterfly gardens throughout the City in the coming months and years. Each garden will feature the word butterfly in different languages to embrace the diversity that exists in Costa Mesa.

 




Case is built for Carpenter to get City Manager Leadership Award

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison has presented the City Manager Leadership Award for January to the Police Department’s Property and Evidence Supervisor Barbara Carpenter.

“This is a critical job in the department when it comes to prosecuting those who commit crimes in our City. Her commitment to excellence, proactive approach to challenges, and dedication she has shown for our organization and those she has served before us, is one to be commended.  I very much appreciate her expertise in this area, and I am happy to present her with this award.”

Carpenter has been in this role for the past 13 years. Her career in Property and Evidence has spanned over 25 years, where she has made lasting impacts on the multiple agencies she has served. 

Carpenter is an active member of the California Association for Property & Evidence and has served as the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Carpenter initially began her near career as a Cadet with Westminster Police Department before serving as a Community Services Officer with the Newport Beach Police Department for 10 years.

She then transitioned into the world of Property and Evidence where she worked as a P&E Technician for the Tustin Police Department before being hired as a P&E Supervisor in 2010 with the Costa Mesa Police Department.

Carpenter has excelled in maintaining a well-organized and secure property and evidence facility. Her in-depth understanding of chain of custody protocols, ensures the integrity of evidence throughout the entire process and aids in the successful prosecution of some of the most violent offenders.

Most recently, Carpenter successfully managed a large-scale project to reconfigure the agency’s offsite P&E rooms as a result of grant funds awarded to our agency through Proposition 69. She and her amazing team successfully navigated the complicated logistics of remodeling a 2,000 square foot location.

That is no easy task to safely secure and move thousands of items of evidence that are critical to the mission’s success.  In addition, Carpenter has championed to procure new P&E software for the agency which was successfully adopted and will be implemented this coming year.

Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in family development and family studies from Cal State Long Beach




Costa Mesa Economic and Development Services Director Jennifer Le Accepts New Job with The Irvine Company

 
COSTA MESA — Economic and Development Services Director Jennifer Le has accepted a new role as the Senior Director of Entitlements for the Orange County-based development firm, The Irvine Company, City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison announced on Friday Jan. 5.
 
“Jennifer is an exceedingly competent and experienced development services professional who has led multiple major projects for the City. Her outstanding legacy of accomplishments will be remembered here for years to come,” Farrell Harrison said. “She has been a highly valued member of our team, and I also consider her a close friend. While I’m very happy that she was selected for this vital position at The Irvine Company, her talents will be missed immensely by all of us at the City and community we serve.”
 
Since becoming the Director of the City’s Economic and Development Services Department in December of 2020, Le has led the City’s planning and development staff through major initiatives, including the recent launch of TESSA, the City’s new online permitting system, master planning of the State-owned Fairview Developmental Center, and the adoption of retail cannabis regulations following voter approval of Measure Q.
 
She helped navigate implementation of the City’s landmark sober living ordinances and the planning and visioning for future housing opportunities in Costa Mesa through the City’s Housing Element. 
 
She also assisted local businesses as they maneuvered through multiple challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, including the administration of a $2 million small business grants program that provided $5,000 to $10,000 in grants to small businesses during the pandemic.
 
Prior to Le’s appointment as Director, she served for three years as the second in command of the Department. Before her arrival in Costa Mesa as the Assistant Director of Development Services in November 2017, she spent 16 years with the City of Orange. 
 
Her focus on creative solutions and leadership qualities have made her a valued member of the Costa Mesa leadership team. 
Her expertise includes both development services and long-range planning, as well as historic preservation, subdivision, CEQA/NEPA compliance and community engagement.
 
“It has been my honor to serve the Costa Mesa community for the last six years” Le said. “I was fortunate to be able to lead such a talented team and I’m grateful to the City Manager and the City Council for their leadership and support during my tenure. It was not an easy decision, but I know I am leaving the Department in capable hands.”
 
Le’s last day with the City will be Jan. 22. After Le’s departure, Assistant City Manager Cecilia Gallardo-Daly will serve as the interim Director of Economic and Development Services.
 
The City will hire an executive search firm to conduct a national search for a new Director to fill this essential position. In the meantime, Gallardo-Daly, who is a development services expert with over 27 years of experience in planning and development, will oversee the Department’s operations and special projects.
 
MEDIA CONTACT 
Tony Dodero
(714) 754-5288
tony.dodero@costamesaca.gov 



Street Sweeping is cancelled for Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25

Due to the observation of Christmas Holiday, there will be no residential street sweeping on Monday Dec. 25.

No citations should be written on that day.

Street sweeping will resume back to normal schedule, starting on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

Have a great holiday!




Sandbags available for residents only at City Hall

A large and cold Pacific storm is scheduled to arrive in Costa Mesa and the OC Region  today through Friday Dec. 22. Rainfall totals are anticipated to be 1 to 3 inches along the coastal regions, 1 to 2 inches in the valleys and 1 to 3 inches in foothills. This storm could bring strong winds and heavy rainfall. Thunderstorms and heavier rainfall rates are possible. Additional storms are possible through the Holiday week.

To assist residents, the city’s maintenance service crews have made sandbags available for free to Costa Mesa residents in the southeast corner of the City Hall parking lot at 77 Fair Drive. The location is self-service and bringing your own shovel is suggested as supplies could be limited. The number of sandbags is limited to 15 sandbags per household.

No commercial use please.

Click here for instructions.

City crews will patrol potential flooding spots to make sure catch basins are clear of debris and operational. Crews are also ready to respond to other weather-related incidents.

Please report flooding issues to 714-754-5252.




City Manager Leadership Award goes to IT’s Senior Programming Analyst Brandon Nguyen

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison presented this month’s City Manager’s Leadership Award to Brandon Nguyen, a Senior Programming Analyst in IT.

“I really appreciate Brandon’s positive attitude,” Farrell Harrison said. “He always treats everyone with respect and genuinely loves helping his co-workers. It was his dedication that helped ensure that our new Land Management System TESSA was successfully launched. I am happy to present him with this award.”

Nguyen started at the City of Costa Mesa IT department in October 2022 as a Senior Programmer Analyst. He was assigned to the LMS project, also known as TESSA, right away, and quickly became the key person with a deep understanding of LMS Data Conversion.

Since then, he had worked on a variety of tasks under the LMS Project. His projects include migrating legacy data to TESSA, building new reporting servers, and implementing and troubleshooting the LMS system. Nguyen’s onboarding and hard work with the other LMS team staff secured a successful implementation,

Nguyen came to Costa Mesa from the City of Westminster where he worked as a Senior Application Specialist. He successfully implemented and launched LMS for City of Westminster in 2020 and utilized his LMS experience in implementing Costa Mesa’s LMS project. 

He also implemented a variety of projects for the Westminster Police Department in 2021, including WPD Audit System, Follow-up System, and Homeless Outreach.

He is a hardworking and accountable person who is always ready to learn. He works well with the team to complete tasks on time. When a team project encounters a roadblock, he is excellent at proposing work-around solutions so his team has more time to work on issues and workflow is not impeded.

Nguyen is originally from Vietnam and moved to the United States in 2010. He earned an Associate of Science degree in Computer Science from Orange Coast College in 2012 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from UCI (University of California, Irvine) in 2014.

 




Development services executive named as Costa Mesa’s new Assistant City Manager

Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced government executive and development services professional Cecilia Gallardo-Daly to be Costa Mesa’s next Assistant City Manager.

After a nationwide search, Gallardo-Daly, who was formerly the Assistant City Manager for the City of San Clemente, quickly became a top candidate for the position. Her years of experience in Planning, Economic Development, Building, Code Enforcement, Park Ranger Services and Homeless Outreach make her an outstanding fit for this role.

“Cecilia impressed us with her extensive record of accomplishments and nine years of executive management experience,” City Manager Farrell Harrison said. “She is results-driven and puts a premium on customer service, which is an important function of our work here. Her 28 years of experience in successfully managing complex and controversial issues and projects will make her a valuable asset to the City and the entire Costa Mesa community. I’m thrilled to have her join our team.”

Gallardo-Daly most recently served the City of San Clemente as the Assistant City Manager, and prior to that as the Community Development Director, where she was responsible for implementation of San Clemente’s vision and policy as it relates to land use, economic development, environmental and historic preservation and coastal resiliency.

She is also experienced in land-use planning, development project facilitation, architectural review, historic and environmental preservation, General Plan implementation, social service and housing programs and climate and adaptation planning.

“I’m pleased that Cecilia will be our new Assistant City Manager,” Mayor John Stephens said.  “Her years of experience in economic development, land-use planning and housing will enhance our talented City team. I look forward to working with Cecilia as we continue to improve the great City of Costa Mesa.” 

 Prior to joining the City of San Clemente in 2015, Gallardo-Daly worked as a Planning and Environmental Permitting Consultant for local agencies from 2001 to 2013.

Before that, she served in several capacities with the City of San Diego, holding the titles of Deputy and Assistant Director of the Development Services Department, Program Manager for the City Planning and Community Investment Department and Senior Planner.

She has also held planning roles for the cities of Austin, Texas and Rancho Cucamonga, Rosemead and Sierra Madre in California.

“I am very much looking forward to this great opportunity as I thrive in environments that embrace innovation, public service and customer service. I am eager to bring my creative skills, technical expertise and new ways of providing continued economic, cultural and social vitality to the City of Costa Mesa.”

Gallardo-Daly has a Master of Arts Degree in Urban Planning and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from UCLA.




Veteran government affairs and business leader named Costa Mesa’s new Community Relations Manager

Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison announced that veteran government and business leader Lawrence “Broc” Coward has been named the City’s new Community Relations Manager.

In this role, he will assist with constituent services, collaborate with City Council and City staff to strengthen community relations and engagement efforts to foster greater partnership opportunities with the City’s residents, business community, faith-based organizations and government partners.

“Broc is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in the public and business sectors who will further our connections and enhance our community engagement and customer service efforts,” Farrell Harrison said. “I’m so excited that he is now part of our team.”

Coward comes to the City of Costa Mesa from the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA), which manages two of the City’s 12 business improvement districts, where he held the title of Chief Operating Officer for seven years. He is experienced in both public and private sector management and has a broad understanding of finance, business advocacy/improvement, crime prevention strategies, special events, and public policy. 

Costa Mesa is a dynamic city with an engaged resident population, very supportive Council, and dedicated City staff,” Coward said. “I’m humbled by the opportunity to serve this community and motivated to build on the good work that’s already taking place.”

During his tenure at DLBA, Coward helped lead the community-based business improvement district with its $5 million budget, committed to improving and promoting local businesses through a wide range of programs and services provided above the basic services offered by the city. His responsibilities included oversight of “clean and safe services,” capital improvement projects, development of special promotions and events, marketing and outreach campaigns. 

Previously, Coward worked as the Chief of Staff for then Long Beach Vice Mayor and Council Member Suja Lowenthal; as well as, Chief of Staff for the L.A. Unified School District Board of Education, District 7 and Field Representative for then Assembly Member Alan Lowenthal, Assembly District 54. His experience working directly with elected officials at both the City and State levels, as well as for a Board Member of the second largest school district in the nation, will bode well for Costa Mesa.

Coward is also experienced in constituent services and public policy, drafting legislation, parking strategies, bikeway and mobility, water conservation and economic development.  

Coward holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Cal State Fullerton and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara.




City and School District partner to provide access to fields adjacent to Harper Park

Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) officials have partnered with the City of Costa Mesa to open the school’s fields adjacent to Harper Park, located at 1768 Tustin Ave, Costa Mesa. Public access to the fields is available after school hours, which is 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and weekends for families to recreate and enjoy the outdoors.

NMUSD and the City of Costa Mesa are committed to providing the community with access to open space at Harper Park while ensuring student safety during school hours. The District and the City have been working collaboratively to better serve students and the community.

The City hired a park ranger to monitor the field and park during school hours and educate community members about the open space opportunities beyond Harper Park on weekdays after school hours and weekends from 8 a.m. to dusk.

The District and City are pleased to provide access to the larger school fields adjacent to Harper Park during non-school hours for recreational opportunities for students and residents, while the fields will continue to host school and city-sponsored programs and youth sports organizations permitted by the City.

The District and City will work closely in the coordination of activities and field use permits at Harper Park and adjacent fields. Please contact the City’s Parks & Community Services Department at (714) 754-5300 to learn more about the use of facilities after school hours or visit the NMUSD Use of School Facilities Webpage.

NMUSD and the City of Costa Mesa will continue to prioritize school and city programming while offering open space opportunities to residents. For the safety of students and residents visiting Harper Park, it is important that everyone uses this space responsibly to help ensure continued access to the school fields during non-school hours.

Community members and organizations play an important role in ensuring the safety, cleanliness, and enjoyment of the park and adjacent fields by keeping pets on a leash and using City-supplied waste bags and trash receptacles at the park to remove pet waste and litter. 

NMUSD and the City of Costa Mesa thank you for your support in our commitment to balance and better serve the needs of students and the community.




Street sweeping to be cancelled during Thanksgiving Holiday

Due to the observation of the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will be no residential street sweeping Thursday Nov. 23 and Friday Nov. 24.

No citations should be written on those days.

Street sweeping will resume back to normal schedule, starting the week of Nov. 27.