TITLE:
title
APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND VARIOUS CITY COMMITTEES
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DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE/CITY CLERK DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: BRENDA GREEN, CITY CLERK
CONTACT INFORMATION: BRENDA GREEN, CITY CLERK, (714) 754-5221
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council make appointments as follows:
1. Planning Commisssion - Make one (1) member appointment to fill vacancy with term expiration of January 2027. Appointment by Council Member Reynolds.
2. Animal Services Committee - Make four (4) member appointments with a term expiration of April 2026. One nomination by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper, Council Member Gameros, and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan. A Council Member may defer their nomination to the Council Liaison (Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper).
3. Active Transportation Committee - Make six (6) member appointments with a term expiration of April 2026. One nomination by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper, Council Member Gameros, and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan, and two at-large appointments. The two at-large members should ensure broad representation of different mobility options and experiences (e.g., walk, bike, bus, and age ability). A Council Member may defer their nomination to the Council Liaison (Council Member Reynolds).
4. Finance and Pension Advisory Committee - Make four (4) member appointments with a term expiration of April 2028. One nomination by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper, Council Member Gameros, and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan. A Council Member may defer their nomination to the Council Liaison (Mayor Stephens, Alternate Council Member Marr, and Council Member Harper).
5. Housing and Public Service Grants Committee - Make four (4) regular member appointments with a term expiration of April 2026. One nomination by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper, Council Member Gameros, and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan. A Council Member may defer their nomination to the Council Liaison (Council Member Chavez, Alternate Council Member Harper).
6. Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee - Make one (1) Park Owner or Representative appointment, two (2) Mobile Home Park Resident appointments, and one (1) Independent Citizen At-large appointment, all with a term expiration of April 2028. One nomination by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper, Council Member Gameros, and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan. A Council Member may defer their nomination to the Council Liaison (Council Member Reynolds, Alternate Council Member Chavez).
7. Approve the recommendation from the Historical Preservation Committee to formally dissolve, and appropriate an estimated total of $13,000 from uncommitted Costa Mesa Community Foundation Fund and authorize a transfer from the Costa Mesa Historical Preservation Committee to the Costa Mesa Historical Society.
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BACKGROUND:
At the City Council meeting of September 5, 2023, the City Council approved that each Council Member shall have the opportunity to either nominate a member or to defer his or her nomination to the City Council liaison. City Council also requested staff to meet with the Costa Mesa Historical Society on a potential merger of the Society and the Historical Preservation Committee.
At the City Council meeting of October 17, 2023, Council Member Marr (District 3), Council Member Chavez (District 4), and Council Member Reynolds (District 5) made their appointments. Nominations for this round will be made by Mayor Stephens, Council Member Harper (District 1), Council Member Gameros (District 2), and Mayor Pro Tem Harlan (District 6). In addition, on February 17, 2024, the Historical Preservation Committee held a special meeting and unanimously voted to dissolve the committee and to not merge with the Costa Mesa Historical Society.
On February 27, 2024, Jimmy Vivar informed the City that he was stepping down as Planning Commissioner and his last Commission meeting would be April 8, 2024. The City posted the vacancy notice on March 20, 2024 and began the recruitment. The recruitment period ran from March 20, 2024 to April 5, 2024.
Planning Commission (1 Appointment)
1 Commissioner/Term Expiration of January 2027
The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month and functions as an advisory body to the City Council on issues related to the long-term growth and development of the community, on requests for general plan amendments, rezones, specific plans, environmental impact reports and amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
Staff received eleven (11) applications for the vacancy to be filled (applications attached). The one appointment will be made by Council Member Reynolds, who may appoint any applicant, as it is not a requirement to appoint within a Council Member’s district.
1. David Jordan Smith - District 2
2. Syed Zia Hussain - District 2
3. Christopher R. Ganiere - District 3
4. Valerie M. Hass - District 3
5. Robert Lee Dickson Jr. - District 5
6. Diana Gardiner - District 5
7. Sarah Roughan Laurie Martinez - District 5
8. David Martinez - District 5
9. Andrew Barnes - District 5
10. Eric Vu - District 6
11. Garrett Scott Whitfield - District 6
Animal Services Committee - 7 Members
4 Appointments/2-year terms (Term Expiration April 2026)
Liaisons - Mayor Stephens, Alternate Council Member Harper
The Animal Services Committee meets monthly and provides advice and recommendations to the City Council on animal services issues, promotes pet licensing, and assists with planning and execution of animal-related community events. Staff received eight (8) applications (attached) for four vacancies to be filled.
1. Sean Healey - District 1
2. Syed Zia Hussain - District 2
3. Caley Turner - District 2
4. Cara R. Stewart - District 2
5. Danielle Mills - District 3
6. Paul Lancaster - District 4
7. Angela Minjares - District 5 (Incumbent)
8. Debra Lee - District 5
Active Transportation Committee - 9 Members
6 Appointments/2-year terms (Term Expiration of April 2026)
Liaison - Council Member Reynolds
The Active Transportation Committee meets monthly and helps plan and implement an Active Transportation network for the City by improving bicycle and pedestrian connectivity throughout the City. The committee also assists with the review, update and implementation of the city’s Active Transportation Plan, and evaluates the bikeability and walkability for the City in order to make recommendations to the City Council. Staff received ten (10) applications (attached) for six vacancies to be filled.
1. Syed Zia Hussain - District 2
2. Florence Nedeff Martin - District 3 (Incumbent)
3. Arthur Alderete - District 3
4. Michael Moses Nolf - District 4
5. Paul Lancaster - District 4
6. Andrew Barnes - District 5 (Incumbent)
7. Jay C. McGlinchey - District 5
8. Alex Campoli - District 6
9. Robert Morse - District 6
10. Farhad Edward Khrosravi - District 6
Finance and Pension Advisory Committee - 7 Members
4 Appointments/4-year terms (Term Expiration of April 2028)
Liaisons - Mayor Stephens, Alternate Council Member Marr, and Council Member Harper
The Finance and Pension Advisory Committee meets monthly and provides advice to the City Council on issues related to significant financial matters. The committee advises annually on the adoption of the City’s budget, the allocation of any budget surpluses, the City’s investment performance and policies, multi-year forecasts presented by City staff to the City Council, and adjustments under consideration at the time of the mid-year budget report. Staff received five (5) applications (attached) for four vacancies to be filled.
1. Quinn Callanan - District 1
2. Sean Healey - District 1
3. Syed Zia Hussain - District 2
4. James Andrews - District 3
5. Kathryn Grant - District 6
Housing and Public Service Grants Committee - 7 Members
4 Appointments/2-year terms (Term Expiration of April 2026)
Liaisons - Council Member Chavez, Alternate Council Member Harper
The Housing and Public Service Committee meets twice a year and helps to promote understanding of the community development process and activities funded by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). Additionally, the committee rates and ranks applications for CDBG public service grants, ultimately developing funding recommendations for City Council recommendations. Staff received seven (7) applications (attached) for four vacancies to be filled.
1. Gloria A. Fallon - District 1
2. Syed Zia Hussain - District 2
3. Ricardo Ramirez - District 3
4. Arthur Alderete - District 3
5. Paul Lancaster - District 4
6. Michael Tou - District 4 (Incumbent)
7. Kathryn Grant - District 6
Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee
4 Appointments/4-year terms (Term Expiration of April 2028)
1 Costa Mesa Park Owners or Representative
2 Mobile Home Park Residents
1 Independent Resident Citizen At-large
Liaisons - Council Member Reynolds, Alternate Council Member Chavez
The Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee meets quarterly and addresses issues that will help improve the quality of life in mobile home parks and review matters concerning mobile home parks in the City. Staff received eleven (11) applications (attached) for four vacancies to be filled.
1. Paul Lancaster - District 4 (Independent Citizen At-Large)
2. Gregory Harold - District 4 (Mobile Home Park Resident)
3. Leslie E Chaney-Eames - District 5 (Mobile Home Park Resident - Incumbent)
4. Georgette M. Quinn - District 5 (Costa Mesa Park Owner or Rep. OR Mobile Home Park Resident)
5. Michael Dougher - District 5 (Mobile Home Park Resident - Incumbent)
6. Mary Lamas - District 5 (Mobile Home Park Resident)
7. Wyatt Lin - District 5 (Costa Mesa Park Owner or Rep.)
8. Lucia Salinas Holt - District 5 (Mobile Home Park Resident)
9. Debra Lee - District 5 (Mobile Home Park Resident)
10. Laurie Beverage - Non-Resident
11. Vickie M. Talley - Non-Resident (Costa Mesa Park Owner or Rep. - Incumbent)
ANALYSIS:
The City opened the recruitment for five City Committees on February 9, 2024 and press releases were sent on February 9, 2024, February 15, 2024, February 19, 2024, February 26, 2024, February 29, 2024, March 4, 2024, March 6, 2024, and March 8, 2024. The recruitment was also featured on the City Hall Snapshot on February 16, 2024, February 23, 2024, March 1, 2024, and March 8, 2024.
On March 8, 2024, the City extended the Committee recruitment deadline to March 18, 2024. Additional press releases were sent on March 8, 2024, March 12, 2024, March 15, 2024, and March 18, 2024. The extended recruitment was also featured on the City Hall Snapshot on March 15, 2024. A total of 31 applications were received in response to the City’s outreach efforts.
To fill the Planning Commission vacancy, the Commissioner recruitment opened on March 20, 2024, and press releases were sent on the following dates: March 20, 2024, March 23, 2024, March 26, 2024, March 29, 2024, April 2, 2024, and April 5, 2024. The recruitment was also featured on the City Hall Snapshot on March 22, 2024 and March 29, 2024. In response to the City’s outreach efforts, a total of 11 applications were received.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may choose not to make appointments to the Committees or to extend the recruitment period.
FISCAL REVIEW:
Planning Commissioners receive a stipend of $400.00 per month. The stipend for Commissioners is included in the FY 2023-24 Budget. Committee members do not receive a stipend.
Appropriate an estimated total of $13,000 from uncommitted Costa Mesa Community Foundation Fund and authorize a transfer from the Costa Mesa Historical Preservation Committee to the Costa Mesa Historical Society.
LEGAL REVIEW:
City Attorney has reviewed this report and has approved it as to form.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
This item is administrative in nature.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council make appointments to the Planning Commission and various City Committees, approve the recommendation from the Historical Preservation Committee to formally dissolve and transfer the Committee’s funds to the Costa Mesa Historical Society.