In Brief

Jennifer Kho

A judge this week upheld the Costa Mesa’s decision to issue a

citation, based on alleged property maintenance code violations, to a

Mesa Verde resident.

The resident, Joe Grisham, said he challenged the citation issued in

October because he thought it was unfair.

He said he received a violation notice, fixed the problems listed and

then received a citation for other violations not listed on the warning.

City staff said the city is not required to issue warnings before

filing citations.

The alleged violations include an exercise bicycle, a tarp and

building material Grisham said he planned to take to his other home in

San Diego.

Grisham said he became ill and was unable to move the materials for

two days, when he was cited.

“The hearing officer said that when I was sick, I should have called

code enforcement and told them I wouldn’t be able to move the things for

two days,” he said. “Thats’ ridiculous. But I never really expected to

get my money back. I went to the hearing to see how things are run and

what the ordinary citizen gets, and that’s what I got. I felt hot about

it at first, but then I decided it’s not that big a deal.”

Grisham said he now plans to build a private wall to hide his

frontyard from view. City code officials were not available for comment

before press time.