Costa Mesa council to consider O.C. Humane Society contract and proposed new animal shelter

Costa Mesa City Council members on Tuesday will consider renewing the city’s contract with the Orange County Humane Society and whether to approve the organization’s plans to develop a local animal shelter.

Without action, the city’s existing pact with the Humane Society will expire Jan. 21. Staff recommends the council extend the contract for an additional six months, with two optional six-month continuations beyond that.

Each six-month extension would cost $75,000, according to the proposed contract.

Costa Mesa has contracted with the Humane Society for animal-care services since 2009. Under the agreement, the city’s stray animals are taken to the organization’s shelter in Huntington Beach, which also serves Garden Grove.

Some residents have blasted the city’s decision to continue contracting with the Humane Society, saying the organization isn’t transparent enough and too often euthanizes animals in its care.

Newport Beach, critics point out, terminated its agreement with the Humane Society in 2015 after its animal-control officers alleged they’d found unsanitary and inhumane conditions at the Huntington Beach shelter.

Though Costa Mesa officials at the time acknowledged the need to improve some aspects of the shelter’s operations, they said their observations didn’t match some of the issues Newport raised.

City staff members reviewed other animal shelter options in the county to see if they would fit Costa Mesa’s needs, but were unable to find a suitable alternative, according to a report in the council agenda.

Also Tuesday, the council will review a Humane Society proposal to open a new animal shelter at 642 Baker St.

As proposed, that shelter would use an existing one-story, 3,700-square-foot building and include separate housing areas for cats and dogs and an onsite outdoor exercise area.

The shelter would receive and hold animals for five to seven days in case their owners claim them. They would be made available for public viewing and adoption after that.

Humane Society staff would provide basic handling, minor medical treatment, cleaning and health evaluations onsite.

The city Planning Commission unanimously signed off on plans for the new facility in October. However, Mayor Sandy Genis and Councilman John Stephens asked to bring that decision to the council for review.

“The issue of how we care for our animals is important to the community,” Stephens wrote in his review application. “It should be considered and decided by the City Council after a full public hearing.”

Given that “issues have been raised about the operator and the location of the facility,” he wrote, “the council should consider all reasonable animal shelter and care options, not necessarily limited to the specific application.”

Genis wrote she is concerned about the adequacy of parking and access at the proposed shelter site, as well as how the operation could affect surrounding properties.

In a broader context, she added, she’s “concerned with how this will fit in with provision of decent, safe and sanitary animal-control services for Costa Mesa residents and their pets.”

As part of their discussion on potentially extending the Humane Society’s contract, council members also will consider a staff request to hire a new full-time management aide to provide administrative support for the Costa Mesa Police Department animal-control unit, the Humane Society and the city’s recently formed Animal Services Committee.

An additional four part-time positions are proposed to assist animal-control and Humane Society staff in accounting and caring for Costa Mesa animals.

Tuesday’s council meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

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