Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jul 2005
Source: Daily Pilot (CA)
Copyright: 2005 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.dailypilot.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/578
Author: Alicia Robinson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

Here Are A Few Items The Council Considered Tuesday:

HOME REMODELING

The city stands to lose an estimated $58,000 in fees but could gain 
millions in real estate values under a proposed incentive program to 
encourage homeowners to remodel or add on. The council agreed to pursue the 
pilot program, suggested by Councilman Eric Bever.

The council will vote later on creating a remodeling incentive program that 
would run from September through December. The program would waive 
construction permit fees and speed up approval of remodeling plans for 
homeowners.

WHAT IT MEANS

Homeowners could save money on city fees by starting remodeling projects 
this fall. If the trial program works, the council might consider a longer 
construction fee waiver program in the future.

SKATE PARK CHANGES

The city's neskateboard park will get improvements for safety and 
convenience of skaters and spectators, the council decided. Instead of 
building a shade shelter as planned, the council will spend $150,000 on 
other additions, including bleachers outside the skating area for safe 
viewing, a place for skaters to keep their backpacks and gear, and screens 
to keep skaters' limbs from tangling with fence posts.

Because the skate park has been so well received, council members also said 
they'd like to start looking for another skate park site, possibly at Lions 
Park.

WHAT IT MEANS

Improvements at the skate park could be finished later this summer or early 
in 2006.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The council chose, in a split vote (Dixon and Foley dissenting) to ban 
dispensaries that offer marijuana for medical use, an issue many cities 
have been wrestling with because of a conflict between state and federal 
laws. State law permits medical use of marijuana, but federal drug law 
still makes any marijuana use a crime.

The city's Planning Commission had recommended a moratorium on marijuana 
dispensaries while officials worked out how they should be regulated, but 
the council in June voted, 3-2, to ban the facilities outright. But a 
second reading of the ban July 5 received a tie vote -- Councilman Gary 
Monahan was absent -- and had to be revisited Tuesday.

WHAT IT MEANS

No medical marijuana dispensaries will be opened in Costa Mesa.

- -- Compiled by Alicia Robinson
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom