On Monday, September 14, 2026, the Planning Commission will consider making a recommendation to the City Council regarding Neighborhoods Where We All Belong (NWWAB). This effort would implement 23 Housing Element programs, including applying a mixed-use overlay to Measure K sites. The proposal includes amendments to the Zoning Code, as well as amendments to the General Plan and three Specific Plans for consistency and compliance with State law. Additionally, the Zoning Code amendments would incorporate the development capacity from the Urban Plans into the Zoning Code, allowing the City to sunset the Urban Plans. New multifamily and mixed-use objective design standards are also proposed. A Draft and Final Program Environmental Impact Report was prepared for this effort.

Planning Commission Meeting

Monday, September 14, 2026, 6 p.m.

City Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

The Planning Commission agenda and staff report for Neighborhoods Where We All Belong is available online: https://costamesa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Instructions on how to provide public comments before noon on September 14 and during the meeting are provided in the agenda.  

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Costa Mesa City Council at its regular meeting at City Hall Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 7:00 P.M., or as soon as possible thereafter as the matter shall be heard, to consider:

Application No.: PCTY-26-0003 Applicant/Agent: City of Costa Mesa Site Address: Multiple addresses Zone: Multiple zoning districts

Description: The City Council will consider a resolution to approve a General Plan Amendment to amend the City of Costa Mesa Sixth Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element of the City’s General Plan to add additional Housing Element Opportunity Sites, associated revisions (including Environmental Justice Policies) and determine the amendments exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Planning Commission recommended the City Council adopt a Resolution to approve a General Plan Amendment to amend the City of Costa Mesa Sixth Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element of the City’s General Plan at its August 17, 2026, meeting on a 5-2 vote. Environmental Determination: The proposed amendments implement a schedule of actions contained in the approved Housing Element pursuant to Government Code Section 65583 and do not allow the construction of a distribution center, or oil and gas infrastructure. Therefore, the proposed amendments are statutorily exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.085 (adopted by Senate Bill 131). However, a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report was prepared to analyze potential impacts of rezoning Housing Element and Measure K sites (an effort also known as Neighborhoods Where We All Belong), and identify measures to mitigate environmental effects. The Draft Program Environmental Impact Report is available on the City’s website as of Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

https://www.costamesaca.gov/government/departments-and-divisions/community-development/planning/environmental-notices-and-reports

Public Comments: Members of the public wishing to participate in the meeting may find instructions to participate on the agenda. For further assistance, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (714) 754-5225. The City Council agenda and related documents may also be viewed on the City’s website at http://costamesaca.gov, 72 hours prior to the public hearing date. If the aforementioned action is challenged in court, the challenge may be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing described in the notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.

For more information about all upcoming events, click HERE.

NOTICE AND CALL OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COSTA MESA PLANNING COMMISSION

AUGUST 17, 2026

6:00 PM

 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of the Costa Mesa Planning Commission will be held on Monday, August 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA; and virtual locations. The purpose of the Special Meeting is:

PUBLIC HEARING

 1. A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO AMEND THE SIXTH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT (2021-2029) OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA’S GENERAL PLAN (PCTY-26-0030) TO ADD ADDITIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT SITES TO THE SITES INVENTORY, AND ASSOCIATED REVISIONS

NEW BUSINESS

 1. STUDY SESSION TO INTRODUCE PROPOSED NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE ALL BELONG (NWWAB) ZONING CODE AMENDMENTS, CITYWIDE MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS, AND PROPOSED REPEALING OF URBAN PLANS (PCTY-26-0004), AMENDMENTS TO THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS OF THE COSTA MESA GENERAL PLAN: CIRCULATION, COMMUNITY DESIGN, LAND USE, NOISE, AND OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION (PGPA-26-0002), AMENDMENTS TO THE NEWPORT BOULEVARD SPECIFIC PLAN (PSPA-26-0003), NORTH COSTA MESA SPECIFIC PLAN (PSPA-26-0004), AND ONE METRO WEST SPECIFIC PLAN (PSPA-26-0005)

‍ ‍

For more information about all upcoming events, click HERE.

‍ ‍

Round 3 Community Open House

The City of Costa Mesa invites the community to review and comment on draft Zoning Updates and participate in a Community Open House as part of the third and final round of Neighborhoods Where We All Belong.

Between 2025 and 2026, the City engaged the community to envision and shape the future of housing in Costa Mesa. This input has informed proposed Zoning Updates to better facilitate new housing and mixed-use development and establish a more straightforward development process. The proposed updates to the City’s Zoning Code, Specific Plans, and some General Plan Elements, as well as new Objective Design Standards are now available for review. The community is invited to review and comment on the draft Zoning Updates between May 18 and June 15.

Two options are available for reviewing and commenting on the draft Zoning Updates:

1. Access the draft Zoning Updates at HERE. Provide your comments directly on the website or email them to neighborhoods@costamesaca.gov.

2. Join us for an Open House on Wednesday, June 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Senior Center to review the drafts and provide your written comments in person.

Note that the proposed amendment to the Housing Element, including new Housing Element sites, will be available for viewing and commenting between June 8 and June 15. Additional sites must be added to the Housing Element Sites Inventory for the City to meet sufficient housing capacity for its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) and obtain State-certification. 

Round 3 Community Open House

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Costa Mesa Senior Center

695 W. 19th Street, Costa Mesa

Free refreshments, kid-friendly activities, and Spanish interpretation will be provided.

For more information about all upcoming events, click HERE.

On April 7, 2026, Costa Mesa City Council agenda includes a resolution to establish fees for housing development review, the second reading of an ordinance to amend Title 13 (Planning, Zoning, and Development) to rezone Housing Element Opportunity Sites, implement Housing Element programs, and make related revisions to the Zoning Code, and the second reading of an ordinance to amend Title 9 (Licenses and Business Regulations) for consistency with amendments to Title 13.

City Council agendas are posted to the City’s website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.   City Council meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the Council Chambers at 77 Fair Drive. Directions on how to participate via phone and Zoom are included in the agenda. Agenda: https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1386758&GUID=43CD0CFE-6C2D-4269-8266-F22F562ADC23

Favor de comunicarse con la Secretaria Municipal al (714) 754-5225 para solicitar servicios de interpretación de idioma para las juntas de la Ciudad. Se pide notificación por lo mínimo 48 horas de anticipación, esto permite que la Ciudad haga los arreglos necesarios.

‍ ‍

To learn more about Neighborhoods Where We All Belong, the City’s effort to implement the Housing Element and Measure K, please visit the project website: https://www.costamesaneighborhoods.com/

‍ ‍

The March 17, 2026 Costa Mesa City Council agenda items are related to the Neighborhoods Where We All Belong effort:

• Consider a resolution to amend the City of Costa Mesa Sixth Cycle (2021-2026) Housing Element to add two Housing Element Opportunity Sites and remove 17 Housing Element Opportunity Sites listed in this public notice: https://www.costamesaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/62603

• Introduce and give first reading of an ordinance to amend Title 13 (Planning, Zoning, and Development) to rezone Housing Element Opportunity Sites, implement Housing Element programs, and make related revisions to the Zoning Code

• Introduce and give first reading of an ordinance to amend Title 9 (Licenses and Business Regulations) for consistency with amendments to Title 13

• Consider a resolution to amend the North Costa Mesa Specific Plan for consistency with the Housing Element Opportunity Sites rezoning

• Receive public input and discussion of a resolution establishing fees for development review of housing projects

Public notice: https://www.costamesaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/62605

Note that the proposed rezoning would apply to Housing Element sites only. The community visioning for a future overlay on non-Housing Element Measure K sites is still underway. To learn more about Neighborhoods Where We All Belong, please visit the project website: https://www.costamesaneighborhoods.com/

City Council agendas are posted to the City’s website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. City Council meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the Council Chambers at 77 Fair Drive. Directions on how to participate via phone and Zoom are included in the agenda.

Favor de comunicarse con la Secretaria Municipal al (714) 754-5225 para solicitar servicios de interpretación de idioma para las juntas de la Ciudad. Se pide notificación por lo mínimo 48 horas de anticipación, esto permite que la Ciudad haga los arreglos necesarios.

On February 23, 2026, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission will consider making a recommendation to the City Council on proposed amendments to the City of Costa Mesa Sixth Cycle (2021-2026) Housing Element to add two Housing Element Opportunity Sites and remove 17 Housing Element Opportunity Sites.  

Planning Commission agendas are posted to the City’s website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. https://costamesa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx Planning Commission meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month in the Council Chambers at 77 Fair Drive. Directions on how to participate via phone and Zoom are included in the agenda.

Favor de comunicarse con la Secretaria Municipal al (714) 754-5225 para solicitar servicios de interpretación de idioma para las juntas de la Ciudad. Se pide notificación por lo mínimo 48 horas de anticipación, esto permite que la Ciudad haga los arreglos necesarios.

Join us for another “pop-up” at the Costa Mesa Fair Housing Workshop on Thursday, October 9 to briefly discuss allowing additional multifamily housing in Costa Mesa. Please stop by!

Event: Pop-Up at Fair Housing Workshop

Date: Thursday, October 9

Location: City Hall Community Room, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Additional pop-ups will be shared as they are confirmed.