We are Costa Mesa

We are Costa Mesa A network of residents and business owners who care about our city. The page is dedicated to community news, pictures and events that highlight improvement.

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09/03/2026

Getting our housing element in compliance is how Costa Mesa stops getting sued by Sacramento. But all it takes is 2,300 units at Fairview, not 4,000.

At last night’s meeting, city planning staff said it plainly: the state sued Costa Mesa over its housing element, and getting that element certified is what ends the lawsuit. The number required to get there is 2,300 units at Fairview.

So why is the Planning Commission pushing for nearly double that? Commissioners voted to raise Fairview’s maximum from 3,800 units to 4,000. On August 10, the Commissioners voted to recommend the plan to city council.

City Council will consider the plan on September 15.

BIG HOUSING CHANGES ARE BACK BEFORE THE COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT.Facing a lawsuit from the State of California, t...
09/01/2026

BIG HOUSING CHANGES ARE BACK BEFORE THE COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT.

Facing a lawsuit from the State of California, the City Council will consider major revisions to Costa Mesa’s Housing Element (The plan identifying where the city could accommodate 11,760 new housing units by the end of the decade)

The proposed update would:

• Add 94 new housing opportunity sites with capacity for roughly 6,978 homes

• Remove more than two dozen previously identified sites that the city says no longer meet redevelopment criteria

• Require 40% of Costa Mesa’s 11,760-unit allocation to be planned for low,or very-low-income households

• Incorporate new environmental justice policies into the General Plan

The state has indicated the revised Housing Element can be certified, but Costa Mesa must still complete required rezoning, including at the Fairview Developmental Center.

And Fairview is next.

The City Council is expected to consider the final land-use plan for the Fairview site on September 15.

Newport-Mesa Unified has officially banned e-bikes, electric scooters and electric boards from all K-8 campuses, becomin...
08/20/2026

Newport-Mesa Unified has officially banned e-bikes, electric scooters and electric boards from all K-8 campuses, becoming the first school district in California to implement such a restriction.

The new policy took effect on the first day of school and comes amid concerns over a growing number of e-bike accidents and injuries involving young riders.

High school students can still bring e-bikes and similar vehicles to campus, but they must complete a California Highway Patrol safety course and display a permit sticker.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions from local parents. Supporters say stronger restrictions are needed to address safety concerns, while opponents argue the ban punishes responsible riders and could increase school drop off traffic.

What do you think? Is Newport-Mesa Unified’s new e-bike policy the right approach?

Two Arrested After Shooting in Costa Mesa Grocery Store Parking LotA man and his mother were arrested Tuesday following ...
08/20/2026

Two Arrested After Shooting in Costa Mesa Grocery Store Parking Lot

A man and his mother were arrested Tuesday following a shooting in the Stater Bros. parking lot on Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa.

Costa Mesa Police responded around 7:35 a.m. and found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition, though police said his injuries were not life-threatening.

Detectives identified Rodney Otis Rich, 37, and Tammie Walker, 63, both Costa Mesa residents, as suspects. The two were located and arrested later that afternoon at a nearby apartment complex.

Police said the shooting does not appear to be gang-related. A motive has not been released, and the investigation remains ongoing.

08/12/2026

Costa Mesa’s Planning Commission voted 4-2 Monday night to recommend the 4,000-unit Fairview Developmental Center plan to City Council, despite the vast majority of public speakers asking them to slow down or send it back for revisions.

Voting yes: Chair Jeffrey Harlan, Angely Andrade Vallarta, David Martinez, Karen Klepack�

Voting no: Vice Chair Jon Zich, Robert Dickson

For over three hours, residents raised the same concerns: traffic funneling onto Harbor Boulevard, a secondary access road cutting through the golf course, and open space that falls well short of the city’s own parkland standards. Most asked commissioners to send the plan back for more work.

The majority moved forward anyway. Chair Harlan acknowledged the tension directly: “We have these competing interests within our community. Layer on top of that our city council’s priorities, which are affordable housing and environmental sustainability and fiscal health. And this is very complicated.”

This now heads to City Council, tentatively Sept. 15.

08/12/2026

Costa Mesa's Planning Commission voted 4-2 Monday night to recommend the 4,000-unit Fairview Developmental Center plan to City Council, despite the vast majority of public speakers asking them to slow down or send it back for revisions.

Voting yes: Chair Jeffrey Harlan, Angely Andrade Vallarta, David Martinez, Karen Klepack�

Voting no: Vice Chair Jon Zich, Robert Dickson

For over three hours, residents raised the same concerns: traffic funneling onto Harbor Boulevard, a secondary access road cutting through the golf course, and open space that falls well short of the city's own parkland standards. Most asked commissioners to send the plan back for more work.

The majority moved forward anyway. Chair Harlan acknowledged the tension directly: "We have these competing interests within our community. Layer on top of that our city council's priorities, which are affordable housing and environmental sustainability and fiscal health. And this is very complicated."

This now heads to City Council, tentatively Sept. 15. If you want your voice heard before then, now's the time.

08/10/2026

For weeks, large amounts of neighbors have packed public comment pushing back on the 4,000 unit plan at the Fairview Development Center, raising the alarm on major traffic increases, strained police and fire response, and a serious shortage of open space among other things.

On the other hand, supporters of the high density version of the plan, argue that it would help solve the affordability problem.

Planning Commission meets at 6 PM at City Council Chambers (77 Fair Drive) to decide whether to recommend certifying the EIR and rezoning the site to move this plan forward. We encourage residents to attend the meeting and continue to make their voices heard.

The latest campaign finance reports are in, offering the first detailed look at how candidates are positioned financiall...
08/04/2026

The latest campaign finance reports are in, offering the first detailed look at how candidates are positioned financially heading into the November election.

Through June 30:
• Candidates have raised a combined $247,534.76
• They reported a combined $144,916.50 cash on hand

Current fundraising leaders:

Mayor: Mike Buley leads Loren Gameros in both total fundraising and cash on hand.

District 3: Daniel Morgan leads all candidates citywide with $70,654 raised and $44,449 cash on hand.

District 4: Angely Andrade Vallarta and Fisher Derderian have reported nearly identical fundraising totals, with Andrade Vallarta holding the cash-on-hand advantage.

District 5: Steve Smith leads Kelly Brown in both total funds raised and cash on hand.

Costa Mesa’s Flock license plate reader cameras are staying.After a lengthy City Council meeting, the council voted to c...
07/27/2026

Costa Mesa’s Flock license plate reader cameras are staying.

After a lengthy City Council meeting, the council voted to continue the city’s contract with Flock Safety while adding new privacy protections, including reducing data retention from one year to 45 days and requiring notification when law enforcement data is requested through subpoenas or court orders.

Supporters, including the Costa Mesa Police Department, argued the cameras have become an important crime fighting tool, helping recover $3 million in stolen property, assist in 160+ arrests, solve 10 sexual assault cases, and locate three missing people over the past year. Police also emphasized that the cameras do not use facial recognition and are not used for immigration or traffic enforcement.

Opponents raised concerns about privacy, government surveillance, and the potential for misuse of the technology, citing a former officer’s abuse of law enforcement databases and broader civil liberties issues.

The final vote keeps the cameras in place while tightening oversight of how the data is handled.

What do you think? Did the City Council strike the right balance between public safety and privacy? Let us know in the comments.

You’ve probably heard about the Fairview Developmental Center, but what actually is it? Up to 4,000 new units on one sit...
07/23/2026

You’ve probably heard about the Fairview Developmental Center, but what actually is it? Up to 4,000 new units on one site off of Harbor Blvd, and a lot still doesn’t add up.

Swipe through for more info 👉🏻

There will be a town hall tonight, July 23rd at Norma Hertzog Community Center at 6pm. We encourage residents to show up and make their voices heard!

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