Costa Mesa council continues draft ethics code to March 17 after detailed review and public input

Costa Mesa — The City Council continued consideration Tuesday of a proposed code of ethics and conduct after an extended council discussion and public comment that identified several areas needing clarification.

City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow presented a draft code that drew language from other municipal models (Irvine, Gardena) and added civility, conflict‑of‑interest and enforcement provisions. The draft would prohibit compensated lobbying before local agencies in Orange and Los Angeles counties, bar covered officials from financial interest in city contracts, require civility in public proceedings, and establish reporting and enforcement mechanisms.

Councilmembers pressed staff on multiple points: whether the lobbying prohibition would bar compensated employment with another public agency, how post‑service restrictions would apply to former councilmembers, whether the document properly distinguishes lobbying from employment, and how the code should treat commissions and covered positions. Public speakers asked for additional clauses (a nepotism bar, mandatory reporting of misconduct, broader disclosure of ex‑parte communications) and suggested annual reaffirmation of the code.

Councilmember Andrea Marr moved — and a majority agreed — to continue the item so councilmembers could submit edits and staff could clean up definitions, examples and scope. The council set the continuation for the second meeting in March (March 17), asked staff to place the item earlier on the agenda and requested that council members provide comments to staff within two weeks to allow meaningful revisions.

What’s next: Staff will circulate a word version of the draft to council, compile member suggested edits, clean up definitional inconsistencies (scope of 'covered positions,' lobbying definitions and post‑service restrictions) and return the revised draft for council consideration on March 17, 2026.