City Council Meeting
July 8, 2025
REVIEW OF CITY COMMISSIONS
AND COMMITTEES
2 INTRODUCTION
• City Council requested staff to bring forth a report on the scope of work of Commissions and Committees, particularly as it pertains to Commissions and Committees providing recommendations to City Council for their consideration. • In September 2023, the City Council reviewed the City Committees, including their scope of work, membership, criteria for forming Ad Hoc committees, and the alternate positions. Based on the direction provided by the City Council; staff incorporated the recommended changes and revised Council Policy 000.2 (City Council Appointed Advisory Committees and Boards), as well as updated the Commission and Committee Handbook. • 3 Commissions
• 8 Committees
3 CITY COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE MAIN FUNCTION
Planning Commission Considers development projects and planning applications Parks and Community Services Commission Provides input relating to parks, parkways, recreation programs and community services
Arts Commission Focuses on investments in the arts
Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal Advises on matters pertaining to building construction Housing and Public Service Grants Committee Considers activities funded by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) and Community Development Block Grants Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee Reviews matters concerning mobile home parks Finance and Pension Advisory Committee Advises on significant financial matters, the budget, and impacts Animal Services Committee Advises on services for animals Fairview Park Steering Committee Evaluates the Fairview Park Master Plan and park enhancement opportunities
Active Transportation Committee Plans and implements an Active Transportation network Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee Advises on updating and the revision of traffic impact fees 4 • The Municipal Code delineates Planning Commission recommendations to the City Council. • The Municipal Code articulates that the Parks and Community Services Commission and the Arts Commission are to report its findings and recommendations to the City Council on various subject matter, however, it does not state how. The City Council may want to specify the pathway in which to receive recommendations from the City Commissions.
Staff suggests City Council opt for a similar approach as the one currently in place with the Finance and Pension Advisory Committee.
A memorandum from the Chair will be provided to the City Council as to their recommendations. A majority of the Commission must agree on the recommendation. • Currently, City Committees communicate and provide City Council with updates through a memo, an annual report, or they report out to the Council liaison, per the Commission and Committee Handbook.
DISCUSSION
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the City’s Commissions and Committees, along with the Commission and Committee Member Handbook, and provide specific feedback and direction on how Council prefers to receive updates or direction from their
Committees/Commissions.
Strengthening the City’s
Cultural Leadership
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Proposals to Empower the Arts Commission and
Advance Costa Mesa’s Civic Identity
Problem:
A Commission without a Voice
The Costa Mesa Arts Commission is tasked with advising
Council on the city's cultural future, but it lacks the tools to do so effectively. With no reporting process, no way to initiate recommendations, and no formal role in branding, capital projects, or funding discussions, the Commission cannot fully carry out its mandate. This undermines Costa Mesa’s identity as the “City of the Arts.”
No formal process for
memos, presentations,
or Council responses,
unlike other bodies.
Structure
No mechanism to
create or lead
subcommittees despite
clear authorization in
municipal code.
Voice
No budget authority or
branding role, despite
the Master Plan’s call to
“elevate the status of
arts and culture.”
Visibility
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Shepard Fairey, Welcome Home
Solution
To fulfill its mandate and help Costa Mesa live up to
its identity as the “City of the Arts,” the Arts
Commission needs clearer authority, strategic tools,
and formal pathways to contribute. These proposals
build on existing ordinance language and Master
Plan goals, and they’re ready to implement.
STRUCTURE
Create a formal reporting
process to City Council.
FUNDING
Establish a dedicated
Public Art Fund used
exclusively for visible,
community-facing public
art.
VOICE
Clarify and affirm the
Commission’s right to form
subcommittees and bring
forward recommendations.
IDENTITY
Involve the Commission in
civic identity efforts,
including signage and visual
design.
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Joshua Madrid, City of the Arts
Formal
Reporting
Pathway
Give the Commission
a Voice at the Table
• Establish a consistent process for the
Arts Commission to send memos,
recommendations, and presentations
to City Council.
• Aligns with FiPAC and Planning
Commission procedures.
• Empowers the Commission to
proactively shape cultural priorities.
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Subcommittee
Authority
Unleash the Commission’s
Capacity to Do the Work
• Reaffirm the Commission’s right to
form ad hoc committees per existing
ordinance §12-75 (b).
• Clarify implementation by aligning
handbook and municipal code.
• Empower the commission to lead on
civic identity, arts integration, and
master plan execution.
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Dedicated
Public Art
Fund
Build a Visible Legacy
Across the City
• Create a fund reserved solely for
permanent, community -facing public art
projects.
• Seed the fund with Cannabis Tax Revenue,
already authorized for public benefit under
the municipal ordinance.
• Explore a future policy allocating 1% of
eligible CIP budgets over $500,000 —and
potentially large private developments —to
public art.
• Empower the Arts Commission to
coordinate art integration in major City
projects.
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Civic
Identity &
Integration
Ensure the Arts Are Part
of the City’s Story
• Align with the Master Plan goal to
elevate the visibility and status of the
arts across departments.
• Invite the Arts Commission to support
visual identity efforts, including
signage, placemaking, and public -
facing materials.
• Involve the Commission in key city -led
projects that shape Costa Mesa’s
image as the “City of the Arts.”
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
The Moment to Lead
What does it mean to be the “City of the Arts?”
Costa Mesa City Council Study Session July 8, 2025
Costa Mesa’s Arts & Culture Master Plan ends this year. The Commission now takes the lead on shaping what comes next.
This is the right time to ask: what does it really mean to be the City of the Arts ? And how far are we willing to go to live up to that name? The Commission is ready to work, but they need Council’s direction. How bold should we be? What kind of impact do we want to make? This is our chance to help set the vision.
City Council Meeting
July 8, 2025
DISCUSS CODE OF
ETHICS AND CONDUCT
2 INTRODUCTION
• Currently, the City does not have a Code of Ethics and Conduct established. • The goal of the Code of Ethics and Conduct is to ensure public confidence in the integrity of local government elected and appointed officials.
• Establishing an ethics code promotes an honest, effective, and accountable city government, encouraging high standards of behavior by public officials, and assists with decision-making. • The intent of the Code of Ethics is to achieve fair, ethical, and accountable local government for the City of Costa Mesa.
• Staff conducted research and provided two Code of Ethics and Conduct examples for reference and consideration:
• City of Irvine (Attachments 2 and 3) and City of Gardena (Attachment 4) 3 The following key components are in the draft Code of Ethics and Conduct:
• Act in the Public’s Interest
• Comply with the Law
• Members Conduct
• Respect for Process
• Conduct of Public Meetings
• Merit Based Decisions
• Communication
• Conflict of Interest
• Gifts and Favors
• Confidential Information
• Use of Public Resources
• Representation of Private Interests
• Advocacy
• Policy role of Members
• Independence of Boards, Commissions, and Committees
• Positive Workplace Environment
• Implementation
• Compliance and Enforcement
• Statement of Commitment
PROPOSED CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the Code of Ethics and Conduct and provide feedback and direction for development of a policy.