William Perkins on the issues

William Perkins on:

NEW CODE REGULATIONS

The Costa Mesa City Council earlier this year approved a number of

code revisions in response to residents’ complaints about property

maintenance. Last month, the city distributed a flier detailing the

changes, which include prohibitions for dead or dying landscaping, and is

enforcing the new rules.

Perkins said they are a quick solution to a big problem.

“I think they are a solution, but they need to be more outlined,” he

said, adding the city should have programs to help people who can’t

afford to make improvements to comply with the new rules.

“I have friends who got letters from the city saying they need to

repaint their house because the paint is chipped,” Perkins said. “They

just moved in, they just had a baby, they are paying off school loans,

and they just can’t afford those solutions. We do have a surplus in the

budget, which is great, but we should use it to do more city cleanups

instead of just issuing citations.”

Just telling residents they have to do something without helping them

do it “is kind of Big Brother,” he said.

WEST SIDE SPECIFIC PLAN

Since 1998, city officials have targeted Costa Mesa’s West Side for an

intense revitalization effort. For years, the aging area has lacked

economic vitality and has become rundown.

The newly revised plan to improve the West Side includes making the

neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly, replacing some existing apartments

with townhomes or small-lot developments and cleaning up businesses.

Perkins said he supports using city money to help beautify the West

Side but said the plan “has to be something the community and city works

on together so there’s pride in the result.”

He said he would consider using eminent domain only as a last resort.

17TH STREET IMPROVEMENTS

City officials have proposed widening 17th Street to six lanes and

making roadway improvements to reduce traffic, but residents and

merchants say adding lanes would be detrimental to the street’s “mom and

pop” feel.

Perkins said he is against widening the street.

“Widening 17th Street is just like building a bridge on 19th Street,”

he said. “It’s going to knock out buildings, businesses and affect

homeowners greatly, and it’s not completely necessary. We live in

Southern California, and there’s going to be traffic. Widening the street

won’t make it go away.”

Perkins said he is in favor of building traffic islands and

beautifying the street by adding trees and grass.

CITY BUDGET

Perkins said he thinks some of the city’s surplus money should be used

to beautify 17th Street and clean up the West Side.

“We’ve got a lot of money saved for a rainy day, but when is the rainy

day going to come?” he asked. “But I am glad we have a surplus. The

budget is fiscally sound. We’re running the city very well, fiscally, but

I think the surplus is too much. It can be developed and put into

different areas.”

TRAFFIC PROBLEMS

Traffic in Southern California is inevitable, Perkins said.

“Our population alone creates a traffic problem,” he said.

Perkins said he is in favor of better road maintenance and more

traffic enforcement, however, and that he would be happy to listen to

anyone else’s ideas on improving traffic.

“Baker Street near Fairview [Avenue] could use some cleanup,” he said.

“It feels like a roller coaster when you drive down it because it has so

many potholes.”