Costa Mesa approves Fairview housing plan

COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Costa Mesa City Council approved a plan last week to build 2,300 housing units, 25 acres of green space and 10,000 to 35,000 square feet of commercial space at the state-owned Fairview Development Center, according to Voice of OC.

The decision advances one of Costa Mesa’s largest housing proposals on a 110-acre property that has drawn years of debate over affordability, traffic, open space and public use.

Voice of OC reported that the approved plan includes 920 units for low- and very-low-income residents. The Fairview Development Center opened in 1959 and largely closed in 2016 after six deaths were reported due to abuse and neglect.

The 110-acre site would be split under the plan. The state would keep 15 acres for an emergency response center, while the California Department of Developmental Services would hold another 15 acres for housing, according to Voice of OC.

The article reported that more than 40 residents spoke during public comment at the Sept. 15 meeting. Costa Mesa resident Laura Lyons supported more housing access, saying, "I know that my nanny has dreamed of living near here and has never been able to make that a reality, despite even the most affordable units here," Lyons also said, "I know I’m speaking against what many are here to say, but I want my three kids to grow up and be able to afford to live here themselves."

Concerns centered in part on traffic and the nearby Mesa Linda Municipal Golf Course, which city officials kept intact for now. Resident Steve Smith said, "The golf course isn’t just a little green space on a map – it’s 59 years of community history, a place that brings our city together. Cutting a 60-foot road through it is not a small change," Smith also said, "We can house our neighbors and protect what makes this city worth living in. This is not the path for that."

Mayor John Stephens said, "Roads do go through golf courses," but added, "But what doesn’t happen is, you don’t have a mature golf course that opened in 1967 and you cut a 60-foot road through there with no mitigation in front of the government body who’s authorizing it." Councilmember Mike Buley said, "It’s a quality of life issue for the people looking for affordable housing," and said it was also an issue for existing residents who want parks and places to build a life.

City officials chose 2,300 units after a staff report said the site could hold 4,000 units and that 3,450 were financially feasible, with officials seeking to avoid overcrowding and traffic congestion, Voice of OC reported.