Costa Mesa to host first community meeting on Fairview Development Center on July 23, part of a series of three meetings.
Costa Mesa residents are poised to engage in a significant planning initiative concerning the redevelopment of the Fairview Developmental Center, with three key opportunities for public participation scheduled within the coming weeks. The city is emphasizing community involvement as it navigates the final stages of the project.
The first event will take place on Thursday, July 23, at the Norma Hertzog Community Center. This town hall meeting will feature city officials discussing the revised draft specific plan for the Fairview property, which was recently released and incorporates feedback gathered from residents during earlier public consultations. This document is critical as it outlines essential parameters for land use, traffic management, and infrastructural requirements necessary for the redevelopment project. Furthermore, it establishes the framework for processing future development applications.
Carrie Tai, the director of economic and development services for Costa Mesa, highlighted the purpose of this town hall as an opportunity to inform residents about the evolution of planning documents over the past few months. The intention is to prepare community members for upcoming decision-making meetings concerning the project.
Following the town hall, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission will hold a study session on Monday, July 27. This session will mark the beginning of the commission’s review process for the draft specific plan, where public input is again encouraged. A public hearing is slated for August 10, where the commission will formally review the plan and provide recommendations to the City Council. Discussions by the City Council about the draft plan are expected to occur in September, during which the commission will advise on various elements, including the amount of open space, the types of housing, and the maximum number of residential units to be included.
The revised specific plan includes new clarifications regarding the types of community-based uses permissible on the site, such as daycare centers and libraries. Changes also address parking requirements, reflecting the City Council’s decision to eliminate residential parking minimums. However, the types of housing and density requirements detailed in previous drafts remain largely consistent.
Originally inaugurated in 1959, the Fairview Developmental Center served as a state-operated facility for individuals with developmental disabilities until its closure in 2015. In 2022, Costa Mesa received .5 million in state funding to advance the site’s redevelopment into a mixed-use village, a key component of the city’s housing strategy. The local housing element projects that the Fairview property could accommodate at least 2,300 new housing units, contributing to California’s broader mandate for the construction of more than 11,760 new homes by the decade’s end, with a stipulation that at least 40% should be designated as affordable housing for low- to very-low-income families.
The draft specific plan analyzes both the financial and environmental impacts of developing between 2,300 and 4,000 residential units, marking a critical step in addressing the city’s housing needs while fostering sustainable community development. As this planning process unfolds, the engagement of Costa Mesa’s residents will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Fairview site.
For continuous updates on this development, residents are urged to remain engaged with community meetings and planning sessions.
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