The No-Growth Issue in Costa Mesa

The comments made by Councilman Donn Hall following the March 17 Costa Mesa City Council meeting and the apparent rejection of the Segerstrom Home Ranch project and its 500-foot office building were another example of his callous disregard of his own constituents in favor of developers. His request to the developer to withdraw the project was to allow the developer to, in Hall’s words, “leave with some dignity.”

It’s really interesting that Councilman Hall felt an obligation to preserve the dignity of a wealthy and powerful developer, and yet in the 10 years we’ve been observing the council we’ve never seen Hall cast a vote to preserve the dignity of his constituents, the residents of Costa Mesa.

What’s also interesting is the comment from another longtime council member that “I have never had this type of situation before.” Actually it has happened many times before. There have been plenty of other times the council chambers have been overflowing with residents against a project, and yet the council ignored them and voted in favor of the project. What the longtime council members are perceiving as a change among the residents is in actuality the residents becoming better organized in making their wishes known.

It has always been easy to find out how they feel. And it’s even easier now.

TOM and SUE GRAHAM

Costa Mesa