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o7Here are a few items the council considered Tuesday.

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TRASH BIN

SCREENING

Council members expect the look of the city to improve with a new

rule that trash bins must have lids and be hidden with some type of

screening. A first reading of the rule had the council’s unanimous

support.

It was the first of a bevy of proposals intended to revitalize the

Westside, but it was broadened to include the rest of Costa Mesa. For

the first year, city officials will target the Westside for

enforcement of the new rule.

WHAT IT MEANS

Properties other than residences will have to screen their trash

bins from view.

EMPLOYEE SALARIES

The council agreed to change the way some employees’ annual salary

adjustments are figured.

Based on earlier negotiations with unions representing police and

most non-safety workers, the council voted to base yearly pay hikes

for those employees on either the average or median pay in

surrounding cities, or recent data on the local economy and

inflation, whichever is greater.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city will spend $3.4 million more on employee salaries over

the life of the contracts for police employees and most non-safety

personnel.

ROCK HARBOR

STORAGE

Fearing they’d set a precedent for other property owners, council

members decided not to allow Rock Harbor church to keep four storage

containers in its Fischer Avenue parking lot.

Church officials said they keep instruction materials and items

for church displays in the containers, and they offered to put a wall

around them so they can’t be seen.

But council members pointed out that because the church leases the

property, a permit for the containers could be used by future

occupants of the building.

They overturned the planning commission’s approval of the

containers in a 4-1 vote with Councilwoman Katrina Foley dissenting.

WHAT IT MEANS

Rock Harbor church must remove four storage containers from its

parking lot.

SHOPPING CARTS

Since 2003 the council has addressed the problem of abandoned

shopping carts by hiring a firm to collect them and return them to

stores.

After a heated debate over other ways to rid the city of stray

carts, the council voted to spend $40,000 to renew a contract with

Hernandez Cart Services Inc. for the rest of the fiscal year.

WHAT IT MEANS

The contractor will continue to collect errant shopping carts

around town, but council members asked for information on other ways

to handle the problem.

RESIDENTIAL CANOPIES

Shade canopies, such as those used for outdoor events, are freely

allowed on some types of commercial properties -- anywhere else, they

require a permit.

The council agreed to change the city code so residents can use

canopies if they are shielded from public view by a building or wall.

A first reading of the code changes passed unanimously. The

council will hold a second reading at a future meeting.

WHAT IT MEANS

Residents will be allowed to put up canopies in their yards

without special permits, as long as the canopies can’t be seen from

the public right-of-way.

o7-- Compiled by Alicia

Robinson

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