PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS MONDAY
The two new commissioners haven't even been seated yet, and we're seeing comments from some folks who are bemoaning what they believe will be the Irvineization of Costa Mesa because the two new commissioners have development backgrounds.
Rest easy, you well-meaning (we think) but paranoid souls. Do you think the improvement majority on the City Council will let Costa Mesa become a new Irvine? It's not in their genes.
Also, the Improvers, from the very start of the movement in 2000, have been very specific that they do not want Costa Mesa to become a new Irvine. They have even named that city as what they don't want in Costa Mesa.
They will be watching everything the Planning Commission does and will work to make sure that Costa Mesa does not become overly, ah, manicured and antiseptic but will retain the vibes that so many citizens like about our city.
Improvers have repeatedly said, however, that they believe that the Westside needs to be improved and that
one of the most important things that can be done to achieve this is to have a proper balance of industrial and residential uses on the Westside Bluffs.
one of the most important things that can be done to achieve this is to have a proper balance of industrial and residential uses on the Westside Bluffs. To this end, they encourage developers to come forward with housing plans for the Bluffs that will be a good fit for the area and the philosophy.
Most Improvers applaud eclectic and architecturally interesting industrial style housing on the Bluffs that does not look like housing tracts from Irvine or similar overly planned cities.
And, if you're still a little paranoid, you might want to know that Improvers go through the plans and agendas before each Planning Commission meeting and City Council meeting to see if anything is being slipped in that will take our city--and especially the Westside--in the wrong direction.
If something is spotted that doesn't ring true, the Improvers work to get things fixed.
For example
Recently, Improvers noted a few words hidden away in a many page document, that was to go before the Planning Commission for a rubber stamp approval, that would have required all development on the Westside to be at least an acre in size.
Had this been passed, it would have essentially stopped much development on the Westside because most of the lots there are very small.
To get to an acre in size, someone would have to try to buy up small adjacent lots from many owners, which is often impossible. And, those who want to improve smaller parcels according to individual tastes--which tends to help create a visually interesting and non-conformist look--would be out of luck.
Thus, if this had been passed, there would be no real changes on the Westside and the area would continue to stagnate.
After the Improvers complained about this item, it was pulled from the agenda and will presumably be rewritten to remove the onerous anti-improvement language before going before the Planning Commission again.
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GOOD BLOG BY ALAN BLANK OVER AT THE DP
About two weeks ago, the CM PRESS was going to write about how Costa Mesa's Director of Public Services, Peter Naghavi, never seems to sleep because we run into him all the time from early in the morning to late at night. The guy is everywhere, and whenever we see him he's doing City work. For space reasons, we didn't run our piece and then forgot about it.
So, we were pleased to see that Blank at the DP has also noticed the job Naghavi is doing and also that City Manager Alan Roeder and Assistant City Manager Thomas Hatch also seem to be on the job all the time and doing whatever it takes to keep the City running smoothly.
And, speaking of Mr. Roeder, the CM PRESS has been to enough City Council meetings and watched Roeder enough to say that this guy should be teaching new City Managers all across the nation how to do that tough job. His ability to get things done, while still being as polite and diplomatic as anyone you'll ever meet, even in the face of the many types of problems, personalities and egos he deals with on a daily basis, is remarkable.
LINK to Blank's blog.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.
