Planning commission studies expedited rezoning and zoning‑code amendments to meet state housing requirements; commissioners press for outreach and consistency

At a lengthy Jan. 26 study session, Costa Mesa planning staff and consultants presented 'Neighborhoods Where We All Belong,' a two‑path strategy to implement the City’s housing element: Path 1 would expedite rezoning housing element sites to a Mixed‑Use Overlay District (MOOD) with base standards requiring at least 50% residential use and a minimum density of 20 units per acre; Path 2 would follow the original schedule with additional outreach, objective design standards and an environmental impact report (EIR) covering non‑housing element Measure K sites.

Staff said they are working closely with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), referenced SB131 as the CEQA exemption pathway for housing element rezonings and proposed streamlining incentives for projects that provide deeper affordability. The MOOD would, staff said, function as base zoning for housing element sites and include objective design standards, reduced parking requirements in line with state guidance, and options for ministerial ('streamlined') review for projects that provide at least 50% housing and at least 20% low‑income units.

Commissioners pressed staff on consistency between housing element sites and Measure K sites, timing and sequencing of outreach, baseline parking standards in areas already exempted by state law (AB2097/AB2097‑style rules), setbacks, open‑space calculations, and how density and unit counts were derived (staff explained rounding rules and realistic buildable‑area assumptions). Several commissioners urged flexible setbacks and more public open space where neighborhoods are park‑poor, and asked staff to consider 'unbundled' parking pricing for residents who opt out of owning a car.

Public commenters offered mixed views: a caller and others expressed support for adding housing and improved accessibility infrastructure such as bike lanes; a vocal critic, Cynthia McDonald, warned the changes could produce 'dramatic upzoning,' weaken Measure Y voter protections and add traffic and infrastructure burdens — alleging the City’s mapping lacked parcel addresses and urging more transparent outreach. Staff said they planned additional outreach in March and expected to return Feb. 9 with a revised staff report; they indicated a City Council hearing on the MOOD and map as early as March 17.

Commissioners voted 5–1 to receive and file the study session (Vice Chair Zick voted no). Staff said they will return with cleaned‑up materials, minor adjustments based on HCD guidance and commissioner requests, and a recommendation for the City Council in March. The commission emphasized the need for consistency between adjacent Measure K and housing element sites, strong objective design standards and clearer public notice.