Parks Commission considers districting system

Costa Mesa’s Parks and Recreation Commission continued its discussion Thursday of dividing itself into a districted body.

The proposal, which would require final approval by the City Council, would have the five commissioners responsible for one of five districts in the city that contain five or six parks.

The commissioner, who is appointed by the council, would represent the district for two years.

Chairman Byron de Arakal, the proposal’s chief proponent, suggested districts could be assigned by a random lottery, as to “keep the politics out of it.”

De Arakal said the idea, first initialized during a goal-setting meeting with the council in May 2013, is about accountability. Commissioners would act like liaisons to individualized neighborhood parks, he said.

De Arakal said the districting system should be codified into the municipal code through a council ordinance, so it will not “go by the wayside.”

“It makes it important,” de Arakal said.

The estimated cost of the project is $4,175. It would require 45 new signs at about 20 locations. Each sign would include the assigned commissioner’s name and an email address.

The signs would be at the main and rear entrances of each park.

Commissioner Kim Pederson said he supports the idea, because many residents don’t often know where to take their concerns about parks.

“People just want to be heard,” he said. “I think this a great way to let people be heard.”

Commissioner Don Harper said he appreciates the connections to each park, but wanted more policies intact.

“We need to define that: what to expect from each commissioner,” he said.

Harper added that the program should also include community-outreach efforts, so that commissioners won’t just hear from residents who submit complaints or attend commission meetings.

Costa Mesa resident Beth Refakes noted that as the commissioners change, the park signs would have to be changed as well — at a cost to the city.

She added that with the city’s recent addition of Costa Mesa Connect, a free phone app to report concerns to City Hall, the districting idea may not be needed.

“By calling the commissioner directly, you’re kind of bypassing that process,” she said. “I think that would be of some concern as well.”

The commission is scheduled to hear the proposal again at the Oct. 23 meeting, with a final vote at the Nov. 20 meeting.

Should the parks commission be divided to represent districts, it would be the first city group to do so. Council members run for five at-large seats.

A proposal for districted council seats was suggested by a member of the Charter Committee in 2013, though it did not find backing.

Other local agencies, however, have districted representation, including the Mesa Water District and Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

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Staff-proposed Parks and Recreation Commission districts

District 1: Chairman Byron de Arakal

Civic Center Park

Ketchum-Libolt Park

Tanager Park

TeWinkle Park

Wilson Park

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District 2: Commissioner Don Harper

Balearic Park

Estancia Park

Mesa Verde Park

Moon Park

Smallwood Park

Suburbia Park

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District 3: Commissioner Bob Graham

Brentwood Park

Harper Park

Heller Park

Jordan Park

Lindbergh Park

Pinkley Park

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District 4: Commissioner Kim Pederson

Del Mesa Park

Gisler Park

Paularino Park

Shiffer Park

Wakeham Park

Wimbeldon Park

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District 5: Commissioner Dean Abernathy

Canyon Park

Fairview Pak

Lions Park

Marina View Pak

Shalimar Park

Vista Park

(Note: The listing does not include Talbert Regional Park, which is a county-owned park, or Costa Mesa’s two community gardens.)