Council race will feature 12 hopefuls

Deirdre Newman

Twelve candidates will vie for three open spots on the City Council

this fall.

The field in the race was fleshed out this week as incumbent Chris

Steel and resident Terry Shaw qualified for the Nov. 2 ballot.

Wednesday was the deadline for candidates to file their petitions.

It was extended from Friday because an incumbent, City Councilwoman

Libby Cowan is not running for reelection.

Shaw, who lives across from 1901 Newport Blvd. -- where the

controversial downtown condominium project will be developed -- was

an active participant in getting the project’s density reduced. Lower

density will be a major theme in his campaign, he said.

“I just want to contribute a different perspective to the City

Council from what I see up there and am looking for less dense

development,” Shaw said.

Fiscal responsibility and infrastructure improvements are also

priorities, he said.

Shaw and Steel join a crowded field that contains: incumbent Mike

Scheafer, who was appointed last year when former Mayor Karen

Robinson left to become an Orange County Superior Court judge;

Planning Commissioners Bruce Garlich, Katrina Foley and Eric Bever;

former Mayor Linda Dixon; Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mirna

Burciaga; and residents Sam Clark, Karl Ahlf, Michael Clifford and

Richard Carroll.

Mayor Gary Monahan said he was impressed with the amount of

contenders.

“I didn’t realize it was such an enviable job,” Monahan joked.

“Get a view for $800 a month. Sign me up.”

Monahan said the high number of candidates illustrates the strong

interest in Costa Mesa issues. But the candidate forums might not be

long enough to get a substantive debate going, he added.

“A lot of what comes out of those will be personality, and who do

you feel more comfortable with?” Monahan said.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers government. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.