o7Here are some items the council will...

o7Here are some items the council will consider Tuesday:

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EMPLOYEE SALARIES

After a review of salaries and negotiations with city employee

unions, staff members are recommending a change in the way annual

salary adjustments are figured. If the council approves, employees

including police and most non-safety personnel will get yearly pay

hikes based on either the average or median pay in surrounding

cities, or recent data on the local economy and inflation, whichever

is greater.

The contract changes would cost the city $3.4 million over the

life of the contracts involved. The city would have to use $2.6

million from carry-over funds for this year’s costs because only $1.5

million was budgeted for employee contract changes, and much of that

was eaten up by a similar change to firefighter salaries.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Council members approved a similar adjustment to firefighters’

contracts in August, so they’re likely to agree to the salary change.

CONTAINER PERMIT APPEAL

Councilwoman Linda Dixon appealed a planning commission decision

to allow Rock Harbor church to place four storage containers in the

parking lot on the south end of its Fischer Avenue location. The city

zoning administrator initially denied the church’s request, but the

planning commission reversed that decision.

The containers take up seven parking spaces, but the church is

allowed to use parking at nearby Mariner’s Christian School.

Dixon’s appeal reiterates the zoning administrator’s concerns that

the storage containers don’t fit with improvements on surrounding

properties and that there’s no justification for reducing parking.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The church planned to screen the containers, but it’s unclear

whether that will convince council members to allow them.

INCREASED TRAFFIC FEES

The city could raise traffic fees charged to developers from $177

to $181 per trip when a development will result in more than 100 car

trips per day, if the council agrees.

Traffic impact fees have been charged since 1993. Developers pay

the city when their projects will increase traffic, and the money is

used to offset the cost of road improvements.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The city has not hiked its traffic impact fees since 2002, so the

council is likely to approve the increase.

TRASH-BIN SCREENING

The council will decide whether property owners citywide should be

required to put lids on their trash bins and screen them from view.

The measure, aimed at improving the look of the city, was

initially suggested for the Westside only, but the planning

commission suggested expanding it.

The Westside would get top priority for enforcement in the first

year. The screening requirement would apply only to larger bins such

as those used by apartment buildings and businesses.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council is likely to approve the trash bin screening measure.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Costa Mesa City Council meeting

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: City Council chambers, City Hall, 77 Fair Drive

FYI: Call (714) 754-5221 or visit o7www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.usf7

online for agendas and staff reports

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-- Compiled by Alicia Robinson

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