Here are a few items the council...

Here are a few items the council considered Tuesday.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUBSCRIPTION

The council delayed final approval of a new program that would

charge a subscription fee for emergency medical services. Under the

program, Costa Mesa residents could pay an annual fee that would

cover them for any emergency medical service calls they make; those

who don’t subscribe would be billed at a much higher rate for getting

emergency medical assistance from the city.

The emergency medical subscription program was suggested as a way

to generate more revenue so the city can stop relying on carry-over

funds to balance the budget.

The council approved a first reading of the measure on March 15

but still has to formally adopt it and set the amount of fees.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council will discuss the emergency medical subscription

program again at its April 19 meeting.

HOME FURNISHINGS CENTER

The former State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance office building on

Hyland Avenue can be bulldozed to make way for a 312,540-square-foot

home furnishings complex with 860 parking spaces, if the council

approves a second reading of an ordinance to rezone the 21-acre

property. Council members agreed to a master plan for the South Coast

Home Furnishings Center, which will include a mix of home decor and

furniture stores as well as some fast food outlets and other retail

uses.

The proposal did raise some concerns Tuesday -- one resident

complained that bicyclists will have no way to trip the traffic

signal so they can cross streets that will be made busier by the home

furnishings plaza. Councilwoman Linda Dixon wanted to hear more

specifics of the proposal before voting on it.

WHAT IT MEANS

The home furnishings center’s master plan doesn’t require another

vote by the council, but the property rezoning needs a second

affirmative vote to become official.

The council will discuss the rezoning again April 19.

WHAT WAS SAID

“I think rezoning this area will set a precedent for the other

areas around it,” Dixon said. “We don’t know what stores are going in

there, we have questions about parking; we have questions about

traffic.”

WALNUT STREET PARKING RESTRICTIONS

Parking on Walnut Street between Orange and Westminster avenues

won’t be restricted to residents with permits. The council voted to

deny a request for resident-only parking after a number of homeowners

who initially asked for parking restrictions reversed their position.

At a Feb. 22 meeting the council heard about parking shortages

when visitors to St. Joachim Catholic Church fill up street parking

spaces. But some residents who signed a petition asking for permit

parking said on Tuesday they felt misled when they were encouraged to

sign and that they wanted to withdraw the request.

WHAT IT MEANS

No permit parking program will be put in place, and the church has

agreed to work with residents to solve complaints about Sunday

traffic.

SAFE SURRENDER SITES

The council voted to urge the Orange County supervisors to

designate Costa Mesa’s fire stations as part of the “safe surrender”

program, which allows people to drop off unwanted newborns without

fear of prosecution. The program, designed to prevent infants from

ending up in trash bins, is in place in Los Angeles County. In Orange

County infants can be left at hospital emergency rooms.

WHAT IT MEANS

If county supervisors approve fire stations as designated drop-off

sites, newborn babies could safely be left at fire stations around

the county.