Ease traffic, hire more cops, Costa Mesa residents say

Too many palm trees. No electronic billboards. Too much development and traffic.

“Feelings of insecurity” on East 19th Street.

“Listen to the people.”

These were a few of the sentiments shared during Wednesday’s meeting regarding the updating of Costa Mesa’s general plan. The primary topics were supposed to be noise and public safety.

Residents also discussed community design preferences — more native plants and fewer palm trees, as one suggested — and the feeling that City Hall should do more to maintain neighborhood character and encourage the creation of public art.

About 30 people attended the evening meeting in the Neighborhood Community Center, among the lowest turnouts since the city began hosting general plan update meetings in May 2013. It was also the last scheduled general plan meeting — there have been about 15 total — though the City Council could approve more.

Costa Mesa’s general plan, a state-mandated document updated about once a decade, aims to act like a citywide blueprint for development decisions for the next 15 to 25 years.

Representatives from the fire and police departments attended the meeting. Fire Chief Dan Stefano discussed recent cost-saving and reorganization efforts aimed at better utilizing department resources.

Police Lt. Keith Davis talked about his department’s hiring efforts to bring staffing levels closer to the authorized force of about 135 officers.

Five officers recently graduated from the academy, Davis noted, though City Council critics have said staffing remains too low.

When asked why more experienced officers weren’t transferring to Costa Mesa, Davis said the department is receiving lateral applicants from other cities, though fewer than in the past.

“We’re still working on our mission to provide quality police services for the community,” he said.

Guests from the College Park and Eastside neighborhoods said they were dismayed by noise from John Wayne Airport; one person suggested the city do “much more” to stop airport growth.

Others were concerned about noise from the downtown bar scene.

Still others voiced worry about crime along Harbor Boulevard and in Fairview Park. Traffic problems at the terminus of the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway, Pacific Avenue and Fairview Road also were noted.

Before final adoption, the city’s general plan must undergo an environmental impact report and review by the Planning Commission and City Council.

That process could take as long as 12 months, said Laura Stetson, a paid consultant who is guiding Costa Mesa through its general plan update