COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP:

* ISSUE: Signs of Support program

* ACTION: Approved 5 to 0

* SUMMARY: The council unanimously approved the Signs of Support program,

which places advertising on non-public safety city vehicles to raise

money for designated causes. Under the program, city businesses may

purchase an advertisement with the city seal and a message of support

that would be placed on the back of a city vehicle. The city receives 50%

of the proceeds. It is estimated that by using 72 of the city’s vehicles

for advertising, the city will raise about $43,000 a year.

* ISSUE: Designate the proceeds from the Signs of Support program for the

arts

* ACTION: Approved 3 to 2, with Mayor Gary Monahan and Councilman Joe

Erickson voting no.

* SUMMARY: Staff recommended the council consider setting aside proceeds

from the Signs of Support program to youth recreation and/or the arts.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan advocated for the money to go solely to the

arts. She said that because $43,000 was such a small amount of money it

was better not to split it up between two causes. Also, Cowan argued,

there is no money set aside in the city’s budget for the arts despite the

fact that promoting the arts has been identified as a community

objective.

* ISSUE: Allow nighttime construction of South Coast Plaza bridge over

Bear Street for a maximum of 14 days

* ACTION: Approved 5 to 0.

* SUMMARY: When construction of the Bear Street bridge linking the two

halves of South Coast Plaza was approved in January, nighttime

construction was prohibited. But because of unforeseen delays and other

time constraints, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons has requested that nighttime

construction be allowed. The developer estimates that nighttime work will

be limited to about seven nights over the next seven months.

* ISSUE: Revision of landscape, streetscape and median development

standards.

* ACTION: Approved 5 to 0

* SUMMARY: An ad-hoc committee has worked for five months to clarify

landscape, streetscape and median development standards. The effort was

spearheaded by Councilwoman Libby Cowan, who saw the need to clarify the

standards. The changes include designated trees for streets and private

property. There is also a more defined statement of purpose, which places

emphasis on: the use of canopy trees; minimum tree sizes; landscape

maintenance; and landscape design based on zoning, land use and type of

building.

-- Elise Gee