In the fall of 2011, Costa Mesa City Council asked the City Attorney to investigate the benefits and variations of the Charter form of city government. The information below outlines the differences between a general law city (Costa Mesa’s current form of government) and a charter law city; the advantages of the Charter form of city government; and various other relevant issues regarding the decision to use the Charter form of city government. One hundred twenty-one California cities use charters, including Newport Beach, Irvine and Huntington Beach.

Specifics on Measure V, the proposed charter for Costa Mesa

• Measure V, the proposed city charter
• Impartial analysis of the proposed city charter
• Ballot description, summary and enumeration of powers

• Ballot argument in favor of Measure V
  
• Ballot argument against Measure V
  

• Rebuttal to argument in favor of Measure V
• Rebuttal to argument against Measure V

Background information on Costa Mesa's proposed charter

• Draft of charter for July 31, 2012 special City Council meeting [PDF]
• Red-line copy of proposed charter for July 31, 2012 special City Council meeting [PDF]
• Draft of charter for July 10, 2012 second public hearing [PDF]
• Red-lined version of charter for July 10, 2012 second public hearing [PDF]
• FAQs on proposed charter [PDF]
• Potential savings with a city charter [PDF]
• Staff report for June 5, 2012 City Council meeting [PDF]
• Staff report for July 10, 2012 City Council meeting [PDF]
• Timeline to put proposed Costa Mesa charter on Nov. 6 ballot [PDF]

Background information on city charters

• Charters of OC cities [PDF]
• League of California Cities primer on city charters [PDF]