Public Comments — Costa Mesa City Council, June 4, 2024

From: Jason Choulochas
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: City Council 6/4/24 Public Comment
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 1:24:42 PM
Regarding Public Hearing Item 2. - One Metro West
I am a resident of the Mesa Verde neighborhood in Costa Mesa and support the City Staff’s recommendations to the City Council with respect to the various matters to be presented on June 4, 2024 regarding the One Metro West project. I believe the modifications with respect to the Development Agreement to be reasonable.

John Jason Choulochas
Lido Place
Costa Mesa, CA
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Laurie Martinez
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West project
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024 3:27:07 PM
Dear Costa Mesa City Council members,
I reside in Mesa Verde North. I do not want a 108 foot tall building placed in the vicinity & view of our neighborhood. The structure will create more traffic, noise, light, and sight pollution. It will make our homes harder to sell & decrease property values a lot.

It appears One Metro West (OMW) is usurping Measure Y which gives voters the use of the ballot box to decide by majority vote to pass a project of this magnitude.

Through narrowly passed Measure K OMW is pushing this project through & changing the commitment to the vertical landscape set by Measure Y (which was passed by a landslide).

I request all Costa Mesa City Council members to deny this One Metro West project from moving forward.

Respectfully,
Laurie Martinez
3339 Nevada Ave
Costa Mesa CA 92626

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From: Brooke Grey
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West project
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024 4:14:27 PM
Dear Costa Mesa City Council members,
I reside in Mesa Verde North. I do not want a 108 foot tall building placed in the vicinity & view of our neighborhood. The structure will create more traffic, noise, light, and sight pollution. It will make our homes harder to sell & decrease property values a lot.

It appears One Metro West (OMW) is usurping Measure Y which gives voters the use of the ballot box to decide by majority vote to pass a project of this magnitude.

Through narrowly passed Measure K OMW is pushing this project through & changing the commitment to the vertical landscape set by Measure Y (which was passed by a landslide).

I request all Costa Mesa City Council members to deny this One Metro West project from moving forward.

Respectfully,
Brooke Grey
3339 Nevada Ave
Costa Mesa CA 92626

From: Corby Sullivan
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Measure Y - OMW
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024 4:58:57 PM
Dear Council Members,
I am a proud Costa Mesa homeowner on New Hampshire Dr. I am STRONGLY opposed to the proposed building of the 7-story complex that One Metro West is trying to push through.

The freeway noise and light pollution is already at unhealthy levels. The addition of this complex would be disastrous for my family that includes 2 young daughters.

Please don't turn Costa Mesa into Los Angeles! Costa Mesa is a wonderful place to live, don't allow that to be ruined by overcrowding, noise, light, and Beverly Hills developers coming in trying to steal the beauty and wonder that Costa Mesa presents.

Again I urge you to vote against allowing this monstrosity of building to tower over our lovely neighborhood!
Sincerely,
Shaun Corby Sullivan
562-659-1286
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From: [email protected]
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West Project objection
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024 8:42:01 PM
Dear City Councilpersons and Planning Commissioner:

I would like to exercise my right to vote on new planning and specifically new planning/zoning approval for high density projects as per Measure Y.

I would like to state and would like to object to the building of the One Metro West Project that does not first begin with the application of Measure Y assurances and guidelines (voters' approval on high density projects). This means councils voting/choosing to modify and change without a public vote, to retroactively, apply Measure K guidelines to a project that was approved under Measure Y.

I am most concerned with the impact this will have on my home nearby in the "state" streets, and the influence on, an already backed up Harbor/Gisler Exit.

I am 88 years old with a mobility challenge that does not allow for me to attend the meeting Tuesday night in person. Please allow this email message to speak for me.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Rodney Coleman
Maryland Circle, Costa Mesa
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From: Kayono
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Re: Urgent: Opposition to One Metro West Project and Measure Y Amendments Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 11:38:46 AM
Dear Costa Mesa City Council,
I just wanted to let you know that I oppose the proposed changes to Measure Y and the One Metro West (OMW) project. As a resident deeply invested in the quality of life and property values in our community, I have significant concerns regarding the impact of these developments.

The OMW project, which includes a towering 7-story structure, poses numerous issues: Increased Traffic and Noise: The project is estimated to generate 680 trips per day at Harbor & Gisler, traffic congestion, and noise in our neighborhood. This will severely disrupt the peaceful environment we currently enjoy.

1. Visual Pollution: The height and size of the proposed structure will lead to substantial sight pollution, affecting the aesthetic value of our community. The visual intrusion from such a tall building will extend far into the Mesa Verde North neighborhood.

2. Construction Impact: The extended construction period of 5-10 years will cause continuous disruption, making our homes less enjoyable and potentially lowering property values.

3. Changes to Vertical Landscape Commitments: The proposal to bypass Planning Commission input and allow only the Art Council to approve what goes on the vertical landscape wall is concerning. This change could lead to the installation of blinking lights and advertisements, further degrading the visual quality of our neighborhood.

4. Retroactive Application of Measure K: Applying Measure K retroactively undermines the democratic process and the clear mandate given by the voters through Measure Y, which was designed to ensure that high-density projects like this require broad community support.

Our community’s voice must be heard and respected. I strongly encourage the Council to consider these concerns and act in the best interest of the residents of Costa Mesa.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,
Kayono Okabe
1755 New Hampshire Dr. Costa Mesa, CA 92626
[email protected]
714-833-1305
From: Cynthia Stearn
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: STOP the building of One Metro West apartments Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:06:12 AM
This construction of One Metro West needs to stop!
This is UNFAIR to residents and homeowners in the area where they aren't even aware of these plans and get the right to vote on it.

This will only create high pollution both physically and visually - making the area UNSAFE and also driving the housing market down.

STOP this NOW!
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From: Sandy Worrel
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Stop Proposed 7 Story Structure
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 10:53:43 PM
The One Metro West project to build a 7-story 108' tall building will add additional traffic congestion, noise and lights that will affect the existing Mesa Verde neighborhoods. When voters passed Measure Y, we clearly let you know that we wanted a voice in what was allowed to be built. You clearly are not listening to your constituents. The One Metro West project should fall under Measure Y, and you need to get voter approval before passing this proposal.

In addition, all the money should be paid up front as was the agreement when the council first passed the OMW Project. I also ask that you do not bypass the Planning Commission input and approval before submitting plans on what will go on the wall. As a resident of Mesa Verde, I do not want to see an unsightly towering building near me tat is going to add so much more traffic and congestion on Harbor Blvd. It's already bad enough now. I urge you to rethink your proposal.

Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sandy Worrel
3261 Idaho Ln
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
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From: Mary Ann Denney
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Public Comment for RE One Metro West project
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:03:31 PM
To the City Council and to whom it may concern:

Measure Y was in effect when the City Council Approved the OMW project in ’21 which meant a Condition of Approval was for it to be on the Ballot allowing the Voters to be able to Vote on it.

Along came measure K in the last election. Measure K was designed almost specifically it seems for this OMW project to go through & to skirt around Measure Y. It was going down in defeat until they 'cured' the votes. Measure K passed by only 22 votes. This is in stark contrast to Measure Y which passed in a landslide ensuring we are able to vote on each high density project & requiring a majority vote to pass a project of this magnitude (7 stories and a number of bldgs!)

OMW is requesting 3 Changes:

1. That they make their project be under measure K even though it was under Measure Y when it passed with the council. (Retroactive!!) I noticed even the Planning Commissioners at the Planning Commissoner mtg were asking has this been passed through legal? There is a reason for the questions.

2. Rather than pay all the money upfront to the city of CM as was the agreement when the council passed the OMW project, RE now wants to pay half upfront and half at the end. This could an essence drag out for 5-10 years. They're only going to give us 3% interest on the money when government bonds are paying even 5%. How are you being good stewards of the people with Costa Mesa’s money when you accept less than the Gov even pays and inflation is not even considered. Would you accept such a little return on your own personal money?

3. They are changing the commitment to the vertical landscape. They want to bypass the Planning Commission input & approval before submitting plans on what will go on the wall - wanting only the Art Council to approve what goes on the wall even though there isn’t just art involved, but lighting as well. As the PC Chair said, we are being asked to forfeit our ability to provide approval on what goes on the wall w/o knowing what we are waiving yet? His inclination was to not waive those rights particularly with not even having any plans submitted yet as to what will go on the wall, but in the all or nothing vote required as to accepting RE’s requested changes, the PC votes to recommend the Council pass it.

Removing vertical landscape takes away what is aesthetically pleasing to most, a potential buffer to sound, which is very important and allows for more wall space to put beaming light on in the future impacting the state streets with the potential to sell Ad space down the road with blinking &/or neon lights. Art is subjective. You could have 3 different art councils have different opinions on what is the best art for the wall. In the end, with such a towering structure specifically the parking structure that many people that will have to look at in the state streets & on the fwy, we’ll be forced to see whatever colorful art the art council chooses & approves. In the end, the landscape is the least controversial and the best option like the original agreement provided for.

A TOWERING 7 STORY STRUCTURE WILL SEND NOISE, LIGHT & SIGHT POLLUTION FAR INTO THE MESA VERDE NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT MEANS MORE TRAFFIC (680 Trips a Day at Harbor & Gisler) & MORE CONSTRUCTION FOR 5-10 YRS. As a Realtor of 38 Yrs, I can tell you it can take our property values down A LOT, making our homes hard to sell that are desirable now to those same Buyers. Buyers that would be willing to purchase those same homes now will be unwilling to do so in the future.

After canvassing the neighborhood for hours alongside others, 99% knew nothing of the project.

Imagine who they’ll feel when their rights under Measure Y are taken away and it passes without the majority even knowing about it or being able to vote on the project as required under Measure Y. Imagine with the almost 400 people we reached with flyers not knowing about the OMW project, how many more in the Mesa Verde North neighborhood and the city don’t know about this project and how they will feel if these changes are passed through the city council.

The few that knew thought that we’d be able to still vote on it under Measure Y.

If this is so good for the city and for the people, than why isn’t Rose Equities willing and able to make their case to the voters? Why isn’t the city council allowing us to vote on this? If indeed this is what our city needs, a majority will vote yes allowing the project to move forward in a way that does not subvert the will of the people.

The city council is voted in to carry out the will of the people, to be good stewards with the city’s money and agreements that are struck, to do what is good and best for the community. It is very important to care about what the majority of the people want for their city. They pay taxes and have a right to not have those resources burdened or have decisision is made that bring in density and traffic. This is a decision that effects out quality of life and our property values.

Honor Measure Y.

Best regards,

Mary Ann Denney

From: Cynthia McDonald
To: REYNOLDS, ARLIS; CHAVEZ, MANUEL; Andrea Marr; HARPER, DON; STEPHENS, JOHN; HARLAN, JEFFREY;

GAMEROS, LOREN
Cc: CITY CLERK
Subject: Public Hearing Item 2 - One Metro West project changes Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:08:21 PM
Dear City Council Members and Mayor:

I oppose all the proposed changes to the One Metro West project and request that you do not adopt the proposed amendments.

Measure K was not retroactive. Section 7 of Measure K specifically provides “This ordinance shall take effect according to law ten days after certification of the election at which it is adopted.” Further, nowhere in Measure K does it say that the ordinance modifies any prior entitlements granted to property owners, nor does it say that any Condition of Approval of any entitlement granted prior to the effective date would be changed to eliminate the need for voter approval of the project.

With respect to the other amendments, do not
give the applicant a sweetheart deal on
paying for its impact fees. We have no idea when construction will begin and locking in a 3% interest rate now may prove to be a detriment to the City later. The change to the landscaping and artwork is also unacceptable as it needs to be reviewed as many times as possible in order to gather input by residents as this will be a very public display.

The applicant agreed to the Conditions of Approval and has not provided any reasonable explanation as to why the City should grant them these changes. On the other hand, the City will benefit if the applicant sticks to the current payment schedule. Please do what is best for the City and its residents and do not
adopt the proposed amendments.

Thank you for your attention.

Cynthia McDonald
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From: Clark Keppel
To: CITY CLERK
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: One Metro West project requested changes
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:12:17 PM
To whom this may concern:

This is Clark Keppel at 3268 Nebraska Ln. Cindy Archer and I have lived here since 2005. We love our community and neighbors and Costa Mesa. I would be attending the meeting this evening, but I'm 5 days post major surgery and must take it easy.

Anyhow, I'm writing in to say that we were against this project initially and continue to be.

Having said that, we understand that it's moving forward under a plan that was initially submitted by the developer. NOW, the developer is requesting changes to be made, a standard tactic.

I STRONGLY urge the council to reject ALL of the requested changes. 1) - No Retroactive Measure K
2) - No 50% funds now and 50% at the end of the project. PAY 100 PERCENT OF COST UPFRONT, AS AGREED INITIALLY.
3) - VERTICAL LANDSCAPE REQUIRES PLANNING COMMISSION INPUT AND APPROVAL before plans are submitted and to include all elements: including signage and lighting.

We have property rights and a city council who should be working with the city taxpayers/ property owners to preserve the quality of living. If I wanted to live around tall buildings, I'd move to Los Angeles.

Please FULLY REJECT THE DEVELOPER'S REQUESTS.

Sincerely
Clark Keppel and Cindy Archer
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From: Marilyn Wright
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 8:25:11 PM
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
The 7 story structure directly across the freeway from the Mesa Verde North neighborhood will create major quality of life issues for the residents there. Construction noise, lighting from the structure, the size and ugliness of the building will disturb the residents indefinitely. The additional traffic in the area will create hazards and slow the movement of cars on an already impacted Harbor Boulevard. This project is too big for the area.

It seems that OMW is requesting changes to the existing agreement which would create even more problems for the residents in Mesa Verde North. Do not allow it.

Measure K only passed by 22 votes. It is obvious that this was an unpopular project before it was built. It will be even more unpopular once under construction. Rethink this, please.

Sincerely,
Marilyn Wright
3279 Arizona Lane
CM
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From: Jeff Wright
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West Project
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 9:34:20 AM
This is potential a tragic situation that dozens or even hundreds of homes will be severely impacted.

The constant noise and unending lights would make living about 1/2 of Mesa Verde North miserable Not to mention everyone of those homes being devalued totaling 10s or even hundreds of million dollars just an instant loss for hard working people!

MAKE THEM KEEP TO THE VERTICAL LANDSCAPING THAT WAS AGREED TO UPON

CONSTRUCTION APPROVAL
Jeff Wright
1804 Alaska Ave
Costa Mesa
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From: Shannon Going
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: One Metro West Project Objection
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 9:00:30 AM
Hello,
I am a homeowner and Costa Mesa resident in Mesa Verde North. I was born and raised in Costa Mesa and now live here with my husband and 2 young children.The proposed project, One Metro West, is just on the other side of the 405 from our house and neighborhood.

We love living in Costa Mesa but this project changes the makeup of our city and our neighborhood for good. It threatens our views, adds a large amount of light pollution and just general overcrowding in our neighborhood. The 7-story building is obtrusive a nuisance to our community. Seven stories will be seen far into our neighborhood, as it will tower over anything nearby and create a lot of added light pollution and noise, esp without any restrictions on it.

We just finished dealing with years of the 405 freeway construction, and now this development will add more nuisance, noise and pollution to our neighborhood.

Also, the added traffic and congestion from that many multi-family units and workspaces in the neighborhood changes the flow and personality of our city. Costa Mesa is amazing! Please don't let Costa Mesa turn into LA by allowing large buildings and overcrowding. We beg you to stop or restrict this project.

Thank you,
Shannon Going Sullivan
310-409-7393
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From: Priscilla Rocco
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Neville Chamberlain and the Green Wall
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:53:08 AM
City Council,
Several months ago, Rose Equities met with you in a closed session. Last month, they came to the Planning Commission requesting three massive changes to their agreement with the City. Tonight you will vote on these changes, leading me to believe "the fix is in" on this "sweetheart deal." When we voted you into office, you promised to listen to and represent the residents - your constituents - and work on our behalf, be our champions - unlike the previous administration. Instead, in every encounter with billionaire equity firms, developers and landowners you take on the mantle of Neville Chamberlain, bending over backwards to appease them and beg for crumbs.

Allowing Rose Equities to split their fee payments to $8 million in year 1, and delay the rest until year 5 with only 3% interest is bad business - my savings account gives me 5%. Anything can happen in five years! Why should we trust a private equity firm in the first place! And why set a precedent by rewriting the date of the agreement for One Metro West to bring it under Measure K?! This will only result in more lawsuits. Every cannabis shop and sober living home will be suing to have laws and agreements rewritten to their advantage.

Lastly, allowing the removal of the pollution-mitigating vegetation wall from the 5-story parking structure abutting the freeway is an affront. A living wall will clean the air, muffle sound, and provide a respite from the concrete and billboards. I would rather Costa Mesa's calling card on this massive canvas be more Tree City U.S.A., than a questionable mural that won't stand the test of time and ends up mocking the City of the Arts.

Priscilla Rocco
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From: Susan Lewis
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Metro one west issue
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:37:48 AM
To whom it may concern,
I am opposed to the development of this project. It is directly across the freeway from my home and it will be in view of my property. This will decrease my home value from such an eyesore from the structure and the lights from it. In addition, the traffic in the area will increase significantly. It is already an issue on Harbor right next to the freeways. I thought that we voted on this issue previously and we, the people who are living close to this building, opposed it. We still do and a tall structure would definitely impact my life. Vote NO on this moving forward. If it was on a ballot that would be my vote.

Sincerely,
Susan Lewis
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Michael Bantel
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: June 4th Council Meeting concerning One Metro West Public Hearings #2 Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 11:57:49 PM
Council Members
The One Metro West project should be voted on by the residents of Costa Mesa. The planned high density residential complex is said to have a max height of 98 ft and is located about 110 yards from single family homes in a residential neighborhood. Separated by the 405 freeway, there should be clear agreement concerning the parking structure facing the neighborhood with respect to how it looks and how freeway noise reflects off this structure and into the neighborhood. For Costa Mesa and Orange County as a whole, the structure should not be distracting to drivers. Large LED billboards have been called “visual pollution” and are part of the advertising bombardment that includes telemarketers, spam email, etcetera, that citizens are subjected to daily. It takes a toll and reduces our quality of life; we don’t want our 405- freeway to look like that seen in Los Angeles. This trend of high-density housing will ultimately forever change the suburbia landscape of Costa Mesa for better or worse. Such a choice should be decided by the residents of Costa Mesa.

Thank you
Michael Bantel
1812 Alaska Ave
Costa Mesa CA 92626
949-292-5880
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From: Charles Purcell
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Fwd: One Metro West
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024 10:37:34 PM
Begin forwarded message:

From: Charles Purcell <[email protected]>
Subject: One Metro West
Date: June 3, 2024 at 8:57:08 PM PDT
To: [email protected]
Council Members:

My name is Rus Purcell. I live at 3344 California St and have resided in Costa Mesa since 1975. I’m a retired Professional Geologist. During my career I prepared and reviewed many Environmental Impact Reports for State, Federal, and private entities.

I reviewed the One Metro West Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) in detail when it was submitted to the City. I was so amazed by the submittal that I had three of my colleagues, more knowledgeable than me, review the document, and we all agreed the DEIR was rife with inaccuracies, inefficiencies and major conflict of interests. In most cases the DEIR would be considered professionally unacceptable and unethical.

These issues were all spelled out in my submittal to the Planning Commission during the review period. The most egregious included the Unavoidable Adverse Impacts, (Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Transportation), the multiple General Plan Amendments, and the total disregard to certain requests for information from the Department of Toxic Substance Control.

Next, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a presentation of "Project Alternatives.” Rose Equities really exposes what they think of Costa Mesa in their submittal. Their Reduced Development Intensity Plan (reduce the number of retail units from 1057 to 845) removes many improvements from the full project, such as open space/park areas, street and bicycle path upgrades, telling you “If you don’t give me everything I want, I’m going to make you pay”.

IS THIS REALLY THE KIND OF PARTNER THE CITY WANTS??
Following the completion of the DEIR review process and ignoring the multitude of professional comments, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission basically rubber stamped the DEIR with only minor changes. The One Metro West project went to the City Council with the recommendation to approve the project. The City Council, with all their plethora of knowledge approved the project in a 6-1 vote (thank you Don Harper!).

Now we find out that Rose Equities is requesting changes to their original submittal. Changes that have no benefit whatsoever to the City of Costa Mesa.

What audacity!
In conclusion, this project should never have been approved in the first place, secondly, none of the requests currently being considered should be approved, and finally, the project should go to the voters of Costa Mesa for approval or rejection before any further action is taken.

Thank You
Rus Purcell
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From: Cynthia Stearn
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: DO NOT ALLOW ONE METRO WEST APARTMENTS
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:13:43 AM
Please do not allow the construction of the One Metro West project in Costa Mesa.

This isn't right to do the homeowners who have to hear and see the monstrosity of this structure looming over streets of quiet neighborhoods. The community doesn't even get to vote on this and most aren't even aware, sneaking in a "pass".

This construction will not only drive the value of the homes down, but create a very unsafe environment with traffic, noise, not to mention crime.

Please do NOT allow this construction to go through.

Warm Regards,
Cynthia - a very concerned resident
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From: City of Costa Mesa <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 9:38 AM
To: AZAD, ARZO <[email protected]>
Subject: Feedback for City of Costa Mesa

You have received this feedback from Maurice Mamo < [email protected] > for the following page:
https://www.costamesaca.gov/government/departments-and-divisions/economic-and- development-services/planning/one-metro-west
We are against The One Metro West project and trying to make Measure K Retroactive. Amy & Moe Mamo
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To the City Council and to whom it may concern:

Measure Y was in effect when the City Council Approved the OMW project in ’21 which meant a Condition of Approval was for it to be on the Ballot allowing the Voters to be able to Vote on it.

Measure K passed by only 22 votes. This is in stark contrast to Measure Y which passed in a landslide ensuring we are able to vote on each high density project & requiring a majority vote to pass a project of this magnitude (7 stories and a number of bldgs!)

OMW is requesting 3 Changes:

A TOWERING 7 STORY STRUCTURE WILL SEND NOISE, LIGHT & SIGHT POLLUTION FAR INTO THE MESA VERDE NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT MEANS MORE TRAFFIC (680 Trips a Day at Harbor & Gisler) & MORE CONSTRUCTION FOR 5-10 YRS. Being a Realtor of 35 Yrs & a Broker 25 of those years it can take our property values down A LOT, making our homes hard to sell that are desirable now to those same Buyers. I have been a Realtor selling Real Estate for 35 years now and a Broker 25 years of that time.

Buyers that would be willing to purchase those same homes now will be unwilling to do so in the future.

I have owned my home for over 21 years now in the state streets after canvassing the neighborhood for hours alongside others, 99% knew nothing of the project. Imagine who they’ll feel when their rights under Measure Y are taken away and it passes without the majority even knowing about it or being able to vote on the project as required under Measure Y. Imagine with the almost 400 people we reached with flyers not knowing about the OMW project, how many more in the Mesa Verde North neighborhood and the city don’t know about this project and how they will feel if these changes are passed through the city council. The few that knew thought that we’d be able to still vote on it under Measure Y.

Best regards,

Diana Denney

From: Patti Ferguson
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: 108 ft. Bldg.

Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:34:36 AM
I have lived here for 40 years. Please do not allow a bldg. that high in our neighborhood.

Patti Ferguson
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From: Trevor Leeds
To: Trevor Leeds
Cc: Brenda Leeds; CITY CLERK; STEPHENS, JOHN; HARLAN, JEFFREY; MARR, ANDREA; CHAVEZ, MANUEL; GAMEROS, LOREN; HARPER, DON; REYNOLDS, ARLIS
Subject: One Metro West Comments
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 10:52:12 AM
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
I am writing to express some feedback related to the One Metro West project. We live in the State Streets, literally a stone’s throw away from where this project will be developed and while we are in general support of a need for Costa Mesa to provide some additional housing and we generally agree this project could bring value to our city and that area in particular, we are concerned about a few things that I hope City Council will take into serious consideration. 1) A seven story project height seems a bit excessive and could tower over the State Street homes that abut the freeway. These folks have already been impacted by a recent freeway widening and wall buildout. I would strongly encourage the City Council to look at options to reduce this height slightly and limit it to potentially 5 stories so as not to be as intrusive? 2) We do not want any excess lights or sound emanating into the State Streets. Please ensure no lit billboards, signage, or excessive sound impacts our community across the way. 3) I see that the developer is required to improve certain aspects of the street coming into the development. Can they also require a clean up and improvement of a portion of the Santa Ana River trail on that side of the freeway and a greenbelt walking path and bike trail bringing Moon Park together with OMW and SOCO? We have been having significant problems at Moon Park with drug sales and use and homeless living under the newly expanded 405 freeway. This is just under the freeway pass from OMW and there is a fairly under utilized bike trail that drops into the street right where OMW will be built. Tying the community and two sides of the freeway together could bring value to our community and collectively tie Moon Park and OMW/SOCO area together through bike, golf cart and foot traffic without bringing added vehicles into the neighborhood. This also could open up retail opportunity without further congesting roads along Harbor.
4) I understand that the developer was required to pay their development fees upfront, but is now requesting to pay only 50%? The city, if approving this development MUST receive the full and intended benefit of this project out the gate and must remain in control and oversight of the project. No bypassing Planning Commissions input and approval and no circumventing the Measure Y which the residents of Costa Mesa unanimously voted in. If the project has real value and is bringing real partnership to our community, then it should be able to stand up openly in front of all our residents and gain approval with a vote.

While in general, I am in favor of a concept of this project, it should be open, transparent, approved by the residents, tied fully into the community from all directions and not overburden or strain the resources of the surrounding roads and pathways.

Thank you for the time and considerations.

Regards,
Trevor and Brenda Leeds
Mesa Verde North - State Street Residents
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From: Ken Rhea
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: OMW
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:26:38 PM
Please stop this horrible project that only benefits the developer.

With hope,
Kenneth J. Rhea, LMFT License MFC 14233
(714-775-0777
16152 Beach Blvd. Suite 179
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
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From: Christina Fabian
To: TERAN, STACY; CITY CLERK
Cc: HARLAN, JEFFREY
Subject: Updating Brentwood Park
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 1:12:24 PM
Hello,
As a local resident living near Brentwood Park I want to express my continued support to update the park playground equipment as it’s very outdated and an important asset to the community.

I also feel the overall park could include additional benches and more seating to serve the residents.

This park is heavily utilized by the community and a gem that the local residents rely on. It truly is in need of some attention and updating as it’s one of not many green spaces that serve Eastside community and the broader Costa Mesa residents.

I appreciate your time and consideration and hope Brentwood Park could be discussed as an agenda item during tonight’s council budget meeting with the focus on timing and next steps to utilize the $650k that has already been approved and set aside for Brentwood Park under the CIP budget.

All the best,
Christina F.

From: Brentwood Park Alliance
To: CITY CLERK
Cc: HARLAN, JEFFREY
Subject: Updating Brentwood Park
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:25:46 PM
To Whom It May Concern -
As a Costa Mesa resident living near Brentwood Park, I and many of my neighbors would appreciate making Brentwood Park an agenda item at tonight’s council budget meeting, with the focus on timing and next steps to utilize the $650k that has already been approved and set aside for Brentwood Park under the CIP budget.

Sincerely,
Amy Manzenger
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From: Melinda Hovee-Harlan
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Brentwood Park
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:10:21 PM
Hello,
As a local resident living near Brentwood Park I want to express my continued support to update the park playground equipment as it’s very outdated and an important asset to the community.

I also feel the overall park could include additional benches and more seating to serve the residents.

All the best,
Melinda Hovee-Harlan
Stylist. Closet editing
949.375.2039
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From: Emily M
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Budget meeting tonight
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:13:39 AM
Good morning,
I am writing concerning the council budget planning meeting tonight: I encourage the council to please consider Brentwood Park.

I have lived near the park for 11 years. When we moved here, I had two young children and frequently used the playground, which was rundown even then. Please consider updating the playground and adding shaded seating.

I was happy to see that trees were planted several years ago, but the tiny trees that were planted are still tiny many years later. Many are not a species that will ever create significant shade or habitat value. Although Oaks take a while to grow, if a medium size had been planted, we would have a significant amount of shade and native habitat by now.

Imagine a beautiful oak grove for future generations to enjoy.

Lastly, if I am not mistaken, there are many mature eucalyptus trees which pose a danger of falling. This is a great opportunity to expand the playground and/or plant new trees.

Thank you for considering my concerns.

Sincerely,
Emily Miller
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From: Jennifer Tanaka
To: CITY COUNCIL
Cc: CITY CLERK
Subject: Public Comment re: Public Hearing Item #3 (Operating Budget and CIP) Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 9:02:20 AM
Dear Members of the City Council -
I wanted to highlight a few matters regarding your consideration of the 2024/2025 budget. In no particular order:

Bus Shelters
In the discussion of revenue, I do not see a revenue line for our bus shelter contract. There was a discussion earlier this year that some (perhaps all) of the revenue generated by this contract, which I believe is still under negotiation, would be dedicated to shelter maintenance and improvements. I would expect this would result in the formation of a new dedicated fund for this purpose, which I do not believe has been done. Getting a general update on where we stand with that contract would also be appreciated.

Parks Planning
I was encouraged by the discussion at the PACS Commission regarding the need to better plan and fund our neighborhood parks projects. I would encourage the City Council to consider the approach taken by Lake Forest in recent years to set aside significant capital to fund many park updates planned together (for economies of scale) but then executed over a 4-5 year time frame. This would provide for both a more efficient and more predictable park update schedule. At the very least the City should publish a list of each park and the last date it received a comprehensive update.

As it stands, however, we aren't doing predictable advanced planning but ad hoc "as needed" repairs, where "need" is defined on a risk basis. In other words, if a neighborhood park project does not address an open hazard to public safety, it doesn't get addressed. This isn't any way to build long term value in our scarce park assets. Yes, we should be looking for every opportunity to expand our open space portfolio. But we should also be burnishing the assets we do have to get the most community value out of them as possible.

I'd like to specifically draw your attention to Harper Park (of course). I am very concerned that, even if you do not budget for CIP spending at this park now, you will be spending significant budget on this park in the future. The conflicts between the nearby school campus (both NMUSD personnel and the ISSAC charter school and its families) and public users of the park are ongoing and addressing those conflicts with a full time park ranger is cost prohibitive and unpopular. While these conflicts may subside over the summer they will no doubt reemerge in the fall. Please budget to address this issue now, during the summer, before the city is forced to apply more ad hoc, bandaid solutions later.

Rejected Bids and Construction Costs
I was very disappointed to see that the city only received one bid for the Tewinkle Lakes project and that the sole bid received was almost double what staff had budgeted for the project. It comes on the heels of another rejected bid for Tewinkle's bridges, which also came in wildly overbudget. While I completely support rejecting such a bid, I was curious to see that one response to the high bid was the staff's plan to remove the project from the Community Workforce Agreement, presumably because the CWA is driving high labor costs or a limited pool of qualified bidders or both.

Setting aside whether the CWA even permits the substitution of projects, I am very concerned that, in this environment, CWA projects may be substantially more expensive than anticipated.

This calls into question whether our budgeting for projects subject to the CWA is realistic. For example, the Brentwood Park improvements are subject to the CWA. Have we budgeted a buffer into that project to account for potentially high labor costs or few qualified bidders? Equally, have we considered the full cost of the two fire station projects (Fire Station 2 reconstruction and Fire Station 4 living quarters reconstruction) that are proposed to be funded by bond issuances? For example, Fire Station 2 -- which requires a full reconstruction -- has $10 million budgeted for design (which seems exorbitant) but only $2.275 million for construction with a $125k contingency. That construction budget seems very low given Fire Station 2's inclusion in the CWA. As an aside, although Fire Station 4 has a much healthier construction budget for what seems (to me) to be a smaller project ($8 millon), it has zero dollars budget for design. Given that this is a project to remake the living quarters of the station, does that make sense?
Our recent pattern of repeatedly rejecting bids due to bids coming in too high begins to look like we are systematically underestimating the true costs of the projects. And rejecting and re- bidding projects adds months of delay to our already significant backlog of CIP projects.

Finally, on the revenue side: parking meters
I'm certain this has come up before, but I am always curious to see that we are still generating a small amount of revenue from parking districts 1 and 2 (funds 409 and 410). These appear to be pre-incorporation parking districts that have been around since 1943(!). How we are generating revenue from these districts isn't clear, but it does highlight the fact that the city, to my knowledge, does not have any true parking meter revenue. So is it time to start considering parking meters at some of our most popular commercial destinations? I think so. In particular, I wonder if Randolph Street, where street parking is very difficult, might be a good candidate, along with W. 19th Street, E. 17th Street and Newport Boulevard. If meters were implemented in these areas, it would be extremely smart to plow revenue from those meters back into the streets that generate them. I've noticed that many tree wells and city landscaping areas could use some love, and many areas could use new trash enclosures or refreshed red curb paint. By making the meters work for the streets they serve (and making that fact clear through education, outreach and marketing), they are much more likely to be broadly supported.

On the same topic, it would be great if we had some disclosure regarding the revenue generated by the residential parking permit program. Is it offsetting the cost of implementation? To what extent is the general fund subsidizing the program? And most importantly, is it working? It would be great if we could get some feedback on whether residents have been satisfied with the program so far.

Thank you,
Jenn Tanaka
321 Broadway, Costa Mesa
From: Suzanne Gil
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: We Oppose Large 7 Story Structure Please Do NOT Pass This ! Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 3:57:07 PM
Hello City of Costa Mesa Commitee -
We are concerned residents of Costa Mesa-Mesa Verde Area And oppose and do not want this large 7 story structure ruining our neighborhood ! Please do not approve this construction and building !
Several residents are worried and concerned about this
It will cause even more congestion and traffic Noise Pollution Poor air quality , crime and bring down property values There is already too much congestion traffic and problems in this area Building a large 7 story structure and parking structure will cause more concerns and problems
Please Do NOT Pass this !
Please help concerned residents in Costa Mesa.

Help us
Thank You
Suzanne Gil - We live in Mesa Verde near Iowa and Minnesota State Streets CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Report any suspicious activities to the Information Technology Department.

From: ROBERT LEWIS
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Metro One West project
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 3:00:50 PM
To who it may concern,
I would like to voice my opinion regarding the Metro One West that is being considered for development near my home of over 29 years. I am not at all pleased that a 7 story structure to be built in an area that I will be able to see from my home. This will become an eye sore and will devalue the property value of the home that I have worked hard to maintain the value. We already have high congestion on the streets surrounding the area and extremely high volume on Harbor near the 405 in both directions! I am highly opposed and request that you consider the opinions of the people that this will affect and vote no on this issue.

Sincerely,
Robert Lewis
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Daniel McMahan
To: CITY CLERK
Subject: Building construction
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:28:07 PM
Hello City of Costa Mesa Commitee -
We are concerned residents of Costa Mesa-Mesa Verde Area And oppose and do not want this large 7 story structure ruining our neighborhood ! Please do not approve this construction and building !
Several residents are worried and concerned about this
It will cause even more congestion and traffic Noise Pollution Poor air quality , crime and bring down property values There is already too much congestion traffic and problems in this area Building a large 7 story structure and parking structure will cause more concerns and problems
Please Do NOT Pass this !
Please help concerned residents in Costa Mesa.

Help us
Thank You
Daniel McMahan We live in Mesa Verde near Iowa and Minnesota State Streets CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Report any suspicious activities to the Information Technology Department.

Costa Mesa City CouncilJune 4, 2024

Costa Mesa City Council
June 4, 2024