Costa Mesa Planning Commission accepting applications

The city of Costa Mesa is seeking applicants for the Planning Commission.

The five-member commission is hoping to fill the spot left vacant when Jim Fitzpatrick resigned from his seat last month so that he could continue to serve on the Costa Mesa Sanitary District’s board.

Fitzpatrick’s peers at the Sanitary District felt his service to the Planning Commission was a conflict — a concern Fitzpatrick denied but to which he acquiesced by leaving the commission. The board’s directors, however, are still seeking his removal.

The Planning Commission opening will run from August to January, according to city spokesman Bill Lobdell.

Marshall Krupp, a candidate for City Council, has also tossed his hat into the ring for the Planning Commission. He said his degree in urban and region planning, his work with the cities of Cerritos and Fullerton, and his company’s experience in redevelopment and environmental impact reviews make him an ideal candidate.

“The glove fits well when you consider the need of the city and what I can bring to the needs of the city,” he said.

Although Krupp’s campaigning for both city positions, he feels that because the commission seat is temporary, not an elected post like the council, there’s no conflict in trying for both.

The commission is expected to cull the applicant pool by July 9, and ultimately the council will choose Fitzpatrick’s replacement, Lobdell said.

Interested parties can complete an application from the City Clerk’s Office or from the city’s website, https://www.costamesaca.gov.

Applications for the commission position must be received by 5 p.m. June 29.

lauren.williams@latimes.com

Twitter: @lawilliams30