Costa Mesa City Council Wrap-up

Here are some of the decisions that were made at the Costa Mesa City

Council meeting on Monday.

Community Development Block Grants

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council allocated community development block grants.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Families Costa Mesa, Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and Save Our Youth are

some of the local charities that will benefit from the city’s community

development block grants during the next fiscal year.

The city has received about $1.4 million in grant funding from the

federal housing authorities. On Monday, council members decided, based on

recommendations from the Redevelopment and Residential Rehabilitation

Committee, how a portion of that would be distributed to various

community programs.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is scheduled to

give the city $1.4 million in community development block grant funds, of

which 15% can be used for public service programs for low- and

moderate-income residents.

Twenty-four programs asked for a total of $406,000 in funding, but the

city has $210,750 to give. Costa Mesa also limits public service grant

funding to 20 programs per year.

VOTE: 5-0

Newport Boulevard improvements

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council authorized the design of a seven-lane roadway on

Newport Boulevard between 17th and 19th streets and a fourth southbound

lane between 19th Street and Broadway. It also decided to keep and use

$700,000 in design funding from the Orange County Transportation

Authority.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The intersections of Newport Boulevard at 17th and 19th streets have

been identified as some of the worst in the county. Heavy congestion

through that area has caused drivers to cut through the Eastside

residential area instead.

City traffic engineers worked with transportation authorities on a

plan that called for an additional lane for sections of Newport Boulevard

traveling northbound from 17th Street to 19th Street and a southbound

portion from Broadway to 17th.

In August, the City Council approved the recommendation and formed a

committee to review options for improvements to Newport Boulevard. Costa

Mesa officials also secured $700,000 from the Orange County

Transportation Authority for the design of the widening project.

The committee -- made up of mostly Eastside residents and downtown

business owners -- reviewed data for the past six months and recommended

postponing the proposed project.

VOTE: 4-1, with Councilwoman Linda Dixon dissenting

Two-story addition

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council sent a two-story addition for a Westside home back to

the Planning Commission for review.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Councilman Chris Steel wanted the City Council to review a previous

city decision to allow a Westside homeowner to build a second story,

saying the addition could compromise the “integrity” of the neighborhood.

In March, the city zoning administrator approved the addition of a

second story to a home on Aviemore Terrace, as well as the expansion of

the ground floor. A staff report said the proposed change required a

review because it called for a 1,154-square-foot master bedroom suite on

the top floor and the city needed to ensure the “remodel [was] compatible

with its neighborhood.”

The city found the addition to be harmonious with the surrounding

homes because many other homes have added second floors, the report

stated.

VOTE: 4-1, with Councilman Chris Steel dissenting, to send the matter

to the Planning Commission for review.

* Compiled by Deepa Bharath

NEXT MEETING

WHAT: Costa Mesa City Council regular meeting

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. April 15

WHERE: Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive