Neighborhood News

Special “Small Cell Technology” Study Session

Posted on by Terry Wall in City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, Safety & Security

Small Cell Facilities Study Session/Open House with the City Council

On Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 5-7:30 p.m.

To everyone interested in how the City of Costa Mesa is going to manage the small cell technology, both in the present and in the future, this meeting is for You!

Due to the high public interest on this topic, on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 5-7:30 p.m. at City Hall, the City Council has scheduled a study session dedicated to discussing small cell facilities and Costa Mesa’s Municipal Code.  Residents are hoping the Council will adopt municipal code changes in the form of a wireless ordinance which will allow the City, and hence the residents, to have some control over how the federally mandated telecommunication system(s) are employed.  This means not just how they are approved and where, but the long range management of this technology and the new technologies yet to come, including 5G and beyond.  

Don’t you want to know what technology is coming into your neighborhood and around your local schools? Will there be dozens or hundreds of these Small Cell Facilities? How will they look?  Will it be an improvement to the look of our city or not? Who is paying for all of this and the maintenance of it? What is the maintenance? Who is responsible? How often is the equipment checked for staying within Federal requirements? And how is it checked, in person or remotely by computer? These are just some of the questions we hope the City’s Municipal Code will clearly state.  We strongly encourage interested residents to come and participate in this Study Session/Open House.

President’s Corner — July, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Candidate Forum, City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Family Fun, Home beautification, Mayor's Race, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership, Neighborhood Survey, Newport Mesa Unified School District, NMUSD, Parks & Recreation Commission, Parkway Trees, Retail Shopping, Safety & Security, School Board, School District, Tanager Park

 

Hello Mesa Verde, welcome to the dog days of summer. Every year about this time I wonder why we haven’t installed air conditioning in our home. Then, about the time I get ready to make the call, the beautiful Fall weather arrives, and another year goes by.

On occasion I am asked, “what exactly is Mesa  Verde?”  Our Board of Directors defines Mesa Verde as bounded by the River on the west, the 405 Freeway to the north, Harbor Blvd on the east, and the north edge of Fairview Park and the public golf course on the south, including Mesa Verde Collection, 27 Seventy Five, Longwood Greens, and Azulon. More importantly, it is our home, a wonderful community in which to enjoy our lives in comfort and harmony. A treasure to be protected and cherished. We hope you agree.

As I mentioned last month, Karla Stagman, has joined us as our Beautification Chair. Karla and her husband bought their home on Alabama Circle in 2000, and love life in our beautiful community. “I believe that with neighbors working together, Mesa Verde will continue to be one of the top neighborhoods in our area.”  Karla sees her role as an opportunity to collaborate with all of our members to bring a voice to all of Mesa Verde. As a local realtor, Karla sees the “power of true community to enhance the beauty and value of our properties.“ If we raise consciousness about community appearance, it will keep Mesa Verde economically viable and “Beautification will become a fun project.”

There is a new order of things in Costa Mesa. Last November brought a “sea change” to   how our city is governed. Our City Council increased from five to seven members. We changed from an “at large” to a six-district voting system, with an “at large” Mayor. We are finding that the costs of running a growing city are increasing faster that the revenue to pay for it, exacerbated  by the exploding unfunded pension liability, now close to $300,000,000. To quote from the 2019-2020 budget message, “The past six years have marked unparalleled prosperity for Costa Mesa and the recovery from the Great Recession has continued, becoming the longest period of economic growth in history. During that time, the City has also been faced with challenges such as addressing homeless issues and defending itself in lawsuits filed by sober living facilities.”  What this all means is that we need to be prepared for tougher times ahead and be patient.

5G technology is coming, and with it some new concerns. Our Board member and Treasurer, Carri Lang, has been “Bird dogging” this issue for us…click here to see her update and to see the actual letter sent to the City Council under my signature, click here.

Finally, as my term as President expires soon, this is my final President’s Corner. At our August Board meeting we will elect a new leader. Looking back over the past several years, the first thing that comes to mind is how fast time flies! What has our Board of Directors accomplished and how has our association grown? Let’s take a look:

~ We increased our Board from 9 to 11 members.
~ Established the position of Data Manager
~ Initiated videotaping of our annual meetings, viewable on our website HERE
~ Sponsored our traditional Candidate Forum in 2018
~ Initiated our Annual Neighborhood Picnic in 2018, continued in 2019
~ Held first public information meeting jointly with the Newport Mesa School Board and local school principals.
~ Replaced or reconditioned our Mesa Verde gateway signs
~ Advocated in support of the Tanager Drive neighbors to help arrive at an equitable solution to the proposed bike trail
~ Established a Mesa Verde Bulletin Board on our website for the use of our residents
~ Established a close working relationship with our police department to reduce speeding and traffic violations in Mesa Verde.
~ Completed several neighborhood surveys and reported results
~ Enhanced our website and broadened our social media coverage to include Facebook (check here) and Nextdoor (go here).
~ Published four newsletters, mailed to over 3000 Mesa Verde residents
~ Established our “Lifetime Membership.”
~ Initiated our Mesa Verde Volunteer Group (If you have a little extra time to devote, please consider volunteering)
~ Created our first self-guided “Water Wise Garden Tour”

Alas, my biggest disappointment is that we have not significantly increased our membership. We’ve added several new members, including seven lifetimes, but quite a few old members have not renewed. Why not? That’s a question we need to address. And, we will!

As I trust you can know, most of this costs money, and your membership dues and donations are our only source of revenue. Can you guess what I’m asking you to do? Click here and go directly to the membership app.

My thanks to our Board of Directors for  granting me the honor and privilege of serving as your President these two years, and to all of you for your support and encouraging words. A special “well done” to the tremendous help from our volunteer group.

I know that you will accord our new President your continued support.

Respectfully,
Bob

President’s Corner — June, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa Police Department, Holiday Wishes, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership, Neighborhood Survey, Retail Shopping, Volunteers

Hello Mesa Verde, welcome to the “long hot summer!” Hope you all have great plans for family fun and recreation.

We’re continuing to grow; three new members in the past month, and the addition of a new Beautification Chair. Karla Stagman, a resident of North Mesa Verde, has graciously volunteered to head up our beautification efforts. We’ll be hearing more from Karla a bit later.

Traffic Update. Our vice-president, Terry Wall, visited with Lt. Victor Bakkila to get an update on the traffic issues in and around Mesa Verde. “Lt. B” was gracious and generous with his time and very enthusiastic about what they’re able to do regarding the traffic throughout the city. He shared with Terry an incredible analytical computer program that can help pinpoint areas warranting increased law enforcement attention and encouraged us to give him input on specific areas that members of the community might spot. The department also has acquired two additional mobile traffic monitoring trailers and again, if we see an area needing a closer look, all we have to do is ask.

The “30,000-foot view” report lists the top 10 intersections with traffic incidents (collisions); note that a number of them involve locations that are either in or touch Mesa Verde. In order, they are:

  1. Newport Boulevard at 19th Street – 13
  2. Wilson Street at Harbor Boulevard – 13
  3. Victoria Street at Placentia Avenue – 11
  4. Harbor Boulevard at Gisler Avenue – 10
  5. South Coast Drive at Harbor Boulevard – 10
  6. Bristol Street at Baker Street – 9
  7. Fairview Road at Adams Avenue – 9
  8. Harbor Boulevard at Adams Avenue – 9
  9. Newport Boulevard at Harbor Boulevard – 9
  10. 17th Street at Superior Avenue – 7

Date range of this report: 4/1/18 – 4/20/19

Lt. B pointed out that the enhanced police presence contributed to the reduction in violations in the Mesa Verde community, but that it’s an ongoing activity. We are the eyes into the community and if we see something, we should say something, so let us know and we’ll pass your feedback along to CMPD.

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We recently conducted a survey of Mesa Verde, asking what you would like to see in our newsletter. So far we’ve heard from 52 residents; 50 actually responded. Click here to see the results so far. The survey is now closed, but if you intended to reply, please be on the lookout for our next one.

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Carmen Twork of C.J. Segerstrom and Sons, reports that several new restaurants will be coming to “The Shops at Mesa Verde” in the near future. SHABU SHABU, featuring a hot pot style of cooking at your table, is scheduled to open this fall. Slated for early 2020 is “KENWOOD KITCHEN AND TAP”, a full-service restaurant and bar, offering high quality salads, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, chicken, and sea food. Both will occupy spaces adjacent to DESCANSO. “MEDITERRANEAN”, a family owned, fast, casual cafe, famous for kebabs, falafels, and Mediterranean plates, is in the final stages of negotiation, and will round out the restaurant mix at “The Shops”.

Please forgive my “stuck needle”, but we need your membership. Please join, or renew, while you’re thinking of it. Click here to get to our membership application.

Finally, as we look forward to the Fourth of July and our BBQ ‘s and fireworks, let’s remember what we’re celebrating: Our independence from a tyrannical monarch and government.
Let us fly our flag proudly, and be ever thankful for our many freedoms.

Warmly,
Bob

President’s Corner — May, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Family Fun, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

We are pleased to welcome Charles “Rus” Purcell to our Board of Directors. Rus is a retired Geologist and has lived in Mesa Verde since 1975. Over the years he has been involved with City activities, including revamping the Mesa Verde Homeowners Association in the 1980’s. He was a participant in the TRIP Committee for Costa Mesa dealing with the Harbor Boulevard of Cars, and served on the Parks and Recreation Commission in the 90’s. Rus has been an active member of our MVCI Volunteer Group, and we look forward to putting his many talents to work for our Association.

As we approach Memorial Day, it is appropriate to remember how it all began. On May 30, 1868, General John Logan gave a Special Order to decorate the graves of their fallen comrades. Thus, Decoration Day was established, later re-named Memorial Day and declared a Federal holiday in 1971. I’m told that Harbor Lawn-Mt.Olive Memorial Park in conjunction with the Freedom Committee of Orange County always puts on a good show. This year it will be on May 27th, from 11:00-1:00. As we celebrate the day, let us thank the many service men and women who have given their lives to preserve our freedom.

Our MVCI second annual picnic is in the rearview mirror. Those who attended were treated to master BBQer Terry Wall’s burgers and dogs, the best in town. The kids were delighted when Captain Darren De Fruiter, CMFD, and his crew with their “Big Red” Fire Truck came by for a visit. With eyes big as saucers they listened to the fire fighters explain the equipment and will probably have some good stories to tell their friends who missed it. A huge thank you to Captain De Fruiter and his crew, to Brenda Emrick who arranged the visit, and to Chief Dan Stefano and the CMFD for their graciousness.

 

Those who define the seasons tell us that Summer begins on June 21st, astronomically, and June 1st, meteorologically. To me, Summer begins when the sun comes out in the morning and the days and evenings are warm. So, take your pick. Whatever, I’m ready. Ready for the beach, boating on Big Bear Lake, and maybe a little travel. How ‘bout you?

Bits and pieces from City Hall: Our newly hired City Manager, Lori Ann Farrell Harrison,
will report for duty o/a July 1st. Ms. Harrison is currently the Assistant City Manager of Huntington Beach. Also, the proposed budget for Costa Mesa for FY 2019-2020, can be viewed on the City’s website. Total budget is $173+ million, with the General fund budget at $149 million. We will be dipping into reserves for several mil next year, as unusually high costs for litigation and the new homeless shelter have strained our financial resources. Let’s hope we can get back to balancing revenues with expenses before the next downturn arrives!

I’ll wind it up here. Thank you to all our members who have paid your dues this year. We appreciate your support; it is our sole source of revenue. If you have not yet joined for this MVCI year, April 2019 – March 2020, please consider doing so now. (https://wp.me/P6Zz7F-1o)

Thanks for spending this time with us.

‘til June,
Bob.

President’s Corner — April, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Family Fun, Holiday Wishes, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

I hope you all had a Happy Easter and that the Bunny was good to you. Now, as we move on into Spring, let’s talk a bit about what’s going on in Mesa Verde.

First, at our Annual Meeting in March, we elected and welcomed our newest Board member, Geri Hidalgo, as our Data Manager. And, thanks again to Bill Burke for his exciting narrative and video of his mountain climbing exploits. We gained 31 new MVCI members last fiscal year ending March 31st; 15 regular, 12 platinum, and 4 lifetime.
Our membership dues are our lifeblood, our only source of revenue, so we again solicit your support in your own membership and recruiting your friends and neighbors.

Things are moving along at “The Shops at Mesa Verde”. Carmen Twork at C. J. Segerstrom and Sons reports that Dylan Blue Nail Spa has officially opened next to the Broken Yolk Cafe. Dylan Blue is offering 30% off all their services for a limited time according to Carmen, so check,’em out.

Descanso Mexican Restaurant was just named one of Orange Coast Magazine’s Best New Restaurants. I’ve been there- it’s nice.

Negotiations are underway for the space next to Descanso’s for a new restaurant, to be announced in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Donna Stapleton presented to the MVCI board an overview of a unique musical instrument project being installed at the Mesa Verde branch of the Public Library, under the auspices of the “Friends of the Costa Mesa Library.” “Freenotes” instruments were developed by Grammy winner musician Richard Cooke in 1995 to help people of all ages experience the freedom of playing music instinctively without worrying about wrong notes. Besides being aurally pleasing, the four instruments are visually pleasing. They will be available daily and year-round. Playing music in the library/park setting will be a community-building opportunity that encourages creativity, self-confidence, stress release, curiosity, and joy. The instruments are finely tuned with carefully chosen notes that invite easy improvisation with little musical skill. To get a short sample of what this will sound like, you can watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coukN9bWh2o

“Freenotes” are being subsidized by local public and private funding and anyone interested in supporting this endeavor should contact Donna at stapleton4@sbcglobal.net.

Our Costa Mesa Fire Department sponsors the Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.), designed to aid our first responders in emergencies, and also to serve our community in a variety of other ways. This team consists of citizen volunteers, and led by the exceptionally capable and effervescent Brenda Emrick, CMFD’s Fire Protection Specialist and Community Education expert.  I had the distinct honor of serving on this team for six years, under Brenda’s leadership, and it was an exceptional and educational experience. I encourage you to check out their website www.costamesacert.org. The next class is scheduled for May 17-19. C.E.R.T. will be a hosting “Preparedness in the Park” series in the Fall and are looking for neighbors to share preparedness skills and activities. Brenda can be reached at brendaemrick@costamesaca.gov.

One Metro West is a proposed mixed commercial/residential project destined for the NW section of Costa Mesa, north of the 405 freeway and east of Harbor Blvd. The City Council has approved going forward with further study and review, and because of the size of this project, would require approval of voters at an upcoming election. At this juncture, MVCI has taken no position, pro or con, but we urge you to become familiar with this proposed project, and the effects it could have on Mesa Verde, both positive and negative. You can see a digital brochure for the development here: http://onemetrowestcm.com/ and the synopsis presented to City Council here: http://ftp.costamesaca.gov/costamesaca/council/agenda/2019/2019-03-05/NB-1-Attach-1.pdf

**SAVE THE DATE** MVCI’s second annual neighborhood picnic has now been set! The date is Saturday, May 18th and will again be on the lawn in front of the Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Details will follow, so keep an eye on this website for more information.

You are always encouraged to communicate with us via our website

www.mesaverdecommunity.org, or e-mail me, bob@juneman.com.

Let us hear from you!

Best,
Bob

“The Wall That Heals” visits Mesa Verde

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde, Parks & Recreation Commission

“The Wall That Heals,” is a mobile 3/4 scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC. TWTH is visiting Costa Mesa from now through the 14th and is worth a visit — especially if you have family, friends or loved ones who served. The exhibit is at Balearic Park and is open 24/7, until it closes, at 3pm on the 14th.

ANNUAL MEETING REMINDER!!

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, Civic Activity, Community Action, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

Don’t miss Costa Mesa’s biggest event of the year: Our MVCI ANNUAL MEETING, March 26. Come cast your vote for the re-election of four of our Board members, plus a discussion of membership opportunities and our avenues of communication. Then sit back and listen to Mesa Verde’s own Bill Burke thrill you with his record setting mountain climbing exploits.

March 26th
Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
1701 W. Baker Street, Costa Mesa (Corner Baker and Mesa Verde Drive West)
6:30 Refreshments, meet and greet.  7:00 Meeting

President’s Corner — February, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Home beautification, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

Don’t miss Costa Mesa’s biggest event of the year: Our MVCI ANNUAL MEETING, March 26. Come cast your vote for the re-election of four of our Board members, plus a discussion of membership opportunities and our avenues of communication. Then sit back and listen to Mesa Verde’s own Bill Burke thrill you with his record setting mountain climbing exploits.

March 26th
Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
1701 W. Baker Street, Costa Mesa (Corner Baker and Mesa Verde Drive West)
6:30 Refreshments, meet and greet.  7:00 Meeting

Calendar it now! You won’t want to miss this one.

On February 5th, we held our first joint meeting with the Newport Mesa Unified School District, to inform Mesa Verde residents about what’s going on in our schools.  Board President Charlene Metoyer moderated a panel consisting of five of our school principals, discussing what their schools are offering our students. Thirty or so brave souls ventured out despite the rain, State of the Union address, City Council Meeting, and maybe even a hangover from the Rams’ Super Bowl loss.  Our first attempt; if demand calls, we’ll give it another go next year. Let us know.

We are still working with CMPD on slowing down the speeding in Mesa Verde. Please keep us informed of violations you observe, keeping in mind that the police need specifics to work with. All part of keeping Mesa Verde a safe place to live.

Last month we announced the creation of our new MESA VERDE BULLETIN BOARD, for your use in posting information of interest to MV residents. It will be up and running soon, so keep your eyes out for it. When it goes “live,” you will see a separate tab for it at the top of the page. In the meantime, if you’d like to share any upcoming activities of events, please forward them to admin@mesaverdecommunity.org.

We are looking for a volunteer Data Input Manager. Because of the privacy associated with handling these records, this incumbent will also be a Board member. The position requirements are detailed in the PDF that can be accessed by clicking this link: Membership Database Manager

Our membership count continues to grow, albeit slowly. Renewals are due by March 31st, so why not take care of it right now? You can download a membership application from this website (https://mesaverdecommunity.org/services/).  Also, please help us recruit your friends and neighbors residing in Mesa Verde. Our members are our assets, and the lifeblood of this association, and your dues our only source of revenue.

Finally, look for our March MVCI NEWSLETTER to hit your mailbox around mid-March. And thank you to our MVCI VOLUNTEERS who are joyfully preparing to help us with labeling and mailing. Would you like to serve your community as a MVCI VOLUNTEER? Please contact me at bob@juneman.com and I’ll be happy to explain what is involved.

See you at the Annual Meeting!

Cheers, Bob

President’s Corner — January, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, Newport Mesa Unified School District, NMUSD, School Board, School District

Happy New Year, Mesa Verde! Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday and are eager to tackle this new year with enthusiasm, energy, and hope for a better world ahead of us.

A preview of things to come from MVCI:  A Town Hall Forum with our school board (NMUSD) “School Days ….. what are our kids learning at school?”, to be held at the MESA VERDE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1701 Baker Street, Tuesday Feb 5th, at 7:00 PM, in Fellowship Hall. Doors open at 6:30 for light refreshments and Meet and Greet.
Then, next up, our Annual Meeting March 26th, same time and place. Details later on our website and March newsletter. May will bring our second annual picnic, with games and activities for the kids. Watch for postings.

In February, we’re starting a MESA VERDE BULLETIN BOARD, for our members use, to post activities you wish to announce. You may post anything reasonable, subject of course, to our right of rejection. Submit your request to admin@mesaverdecommunity.org

Among the “SHOPS AT MESA VERDE”, I’ve tried both the new restaurants, “The Broken Yoke” and “Descanso”. They’re quite popular; check ‘em out. We’ll have more on the progress at “THE SHOPS…” in our next newsletter, which you will find in your mail box mid-March.

We have reported to you previously on our police departments’ efforts to cut down on the speeding and stop sign running in Mesa Verde. What I can tell you is that there have been increased arrests (hope it wasn’t you) and the effort is ongoing. We will bring you year over year comparisons as we continue to work with CMPD. Please let us know about trends you are observing, and especially specific incidents with times and locations. All this info helps pinpoint our trouble spots.

Our membership continues to grow, and we thank you for your continued interest and support. And, a special welcome to all our newest members. The membership roster is posted on our website (link) for your reference. Are you on it?

Let’s make 2019 the best year ever for our community and MVCI!

Cheers,
Bob