INSIDE CITY HALL Here are a few...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are a few of the items the council discussed Monday:

DOG EXERCISE AREA

The council debated whether staff members should spend any more

time researching and developing options for a dog exercise area at

Balearic Community Center in Estancia Park.

Residents from the Mesa Verde West area requested a portion of the

Balearic Community Center turf area be set aside for use as an

off-leash dog area for their use only.

Councilman Allan Mansoor said he was receptive to meeting with the

residents to come up with some solutions and asked for a maximum of

four hours of staff time to bring back a proposal to the council. But

not enough other council members supported his idea.

A majority did support Councilwoman Libby Cowan’s motion for

Mansoor to meet with the residents, but not to use any staff time to

follow up.

WHAT IT MEANS

No staff time will be spent on this issue at this time.

WHAT WAS SAID

“I don’t think off-leash dogs are safe. Period. End of

discussion,” Cowan said. “I’m a dog owner. I don’t think it’s safe in

a public park.”

VOTE

3-2 with Mansoor and Councilman Chris Steel dissenting.

HOTEL ASSESSMENT

Council members approved the annual report for the Business

Improvement Area for the 2004-05 fiscal year.

They also reauthorized the boundaries for the assessment district,

approved the Business Improvement Area’s budget and set a public

hearing for June 7 for the owners of the seven hotels and motels that

participate in the area to comment on the renewal of the assessment.

For these seven hotels and motels, a 2% assessment is charged on

overnight guests. The money is then used by the Costa Mesa Conference

and Visitor Bureau to promote tourism in the city.

Staff members will also give notice to the hotels and motels that

aren’t currently part of the area to give them the opportunity to be

included.

WHAT IT MEANS

The next discussion of this issue will be in June.