Inside CITY HALL - Los Angeles Times
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Inside CITY HALL

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-- Compiled by Jennifer Kho

WHAT HAPPENED: The City Council on Monday approved the $94.57-million

preliminary budget mostly intact.

One item removed from the list of expenditures was City Hall

workstations for council members other than the mayor.

Traditionally the mayor is the only council member who has a desk at

City Hall. Mayor Libby Cowan, who voted in favor of the workstations,

said she thinks the other council members should have space too and was

willing to share her office to make room for the other desks.

Council members Linda Dixon and Gary Monahan said the workstations are

unnecessary.

The council members also debated the amount of money set aside for

Fairview Park improvements and a naturalist for the park.

WHAT IT MEANS: The amount set aside, $550,000 for the park and about

$90,000 for salary and benefits for a naturalist, is the maximum amount

that can be spent.

Approving the budget does not mean the council is agreeing to use the

money, approve the proposed park improvements or hire a naturalist.

The council will discuss those issues at future meetings.

VOTE: 5-0 to approve

WHAT HAPPENED: The council accepted a $194,000 California Coastal

Conservancy grant for Fairview Park improvements.

In approving the grant, the council also agreed to spend $194,000 of

city money for the improvements.

A final work plan for the grant has not yet been negotiated, but

Morris said accepting the grant does not bind them to the entire project.

After listening to residents’ concerns about the proposed trails and

habitat restoration, the council directed staff to recommend a process to

determine if residents still support the Fairview Park plans, approved in

September after years of work.

WHAT TO EXPECT: According to the master plan that was used in the

grant application, the money could be used for a 60-car parking lot,

pedestrian and multipurpose trails, a picnic area, erosion control,

irrigation and landscaping, grading and vernal pool restoration.

On Sept. 5, the council decided that one of its goals is to eliminate

the need for the lower parking lot. Eliminating the lot is not expected

to jeopardize the grant, Morris said.

The planned width and makeup of the trails were also changed at the

September meeting after dozens of residents expressed concerns about how

wide the paved trails would be.

Pedestrian trails will be 3 and 4 feet wide and constructed of native

materials. The multipurpose trails will be made of asphalt rather than

concrete.

VOTE: 4-1 to approve, with Councilwoman Karen Robinson dissenting

WHAT HAPPENED: The council gave final approval to residential

development standards.

WHAT IT MEANS: The standards, which received preliminary approval June

4, will require minimum lot sizes of 3,000 square feet and average lot

sizes of 3,500 square feet.

The council voted for the requirements after initially approving

standards a month earlier that would have required minimum lot sizes of

4,000 square feet, with average lot sizes of 4,500 square feet throughout

any development.

Councilman Chris Steel changed his vote to the smaller lot-size

requirement after the owners of the El Camino Shopping Center said the

new requirements would kill their plans to convert the center into

houses.

In addition to the lot sizes, the standards also will require larger

driveways, more off-street parking, more landscaping and a more extensive

review process for new developments and major remodels.

VOTE: 4-1 to approve, with Dixon dissenting

NEXT MEETING

WHAT: Costa Mesa City Council

WHERE: 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. July 2

CALL: (714) 754-5223

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