⚠️ One of the Largest Redevelopment Projects in Costa Mesa History Comes Before the City Council Tuesday ⚠️
Updated: Sep 15
🏛️ The Costa Mesa City Council meets next Tuesday, September 15, 2026. While the Agenda is short (only three public hearings and no old or new business), I don’t expect this to be a short evening. The last item on the Agenda is a very important one that will impact every resident because it is one of the largest redevelopment projects in the history of Costa Mesa. Why? Skip to my commentary below.
📅 Date & Time: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
🔒 Closed Session begins at 4:00 p.m.
📍 Location: City Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive
📄 Agenda: https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1431709&GUID=4AD52C19-0209-4002-9008-0E4FB4501140
🔒CLOSED SESSION: Only five items are scheduled for discussion:
Existing litigation, four cases are on the Agenda:
Three involving The Ohio House, LLC, or its owners
One with the California Attorney General and the Housing and Community Development. That case was filed on July 17, the proof of service on the City was filed July 27, but the City has not responded to the Petition as of this date. A status conference is scheduled for October 1.
Real property negotiations involving the property located at 3303 Hyland, the address for Ferguson Home (who took over the old Pirch store in SOCO). The agenda does not explain why the City is interested in the property.
🏛️ REGULAR SESSION: No presentations are scheduled.
🎤PUBLIC COMMENTS: This is the time for YOU to comment for THREE FREE minutes on ANYTHING that is not on the agenda.
📌 IMPORTANT! WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY NOON TO BE SCREENED AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
🗂️CONSENT CALENDAR: Most consent items are routine, but this one is interesting:
Item 3, Warrant Resolution. This item includes significant payments of $124,807.29 to Jones Mayer, $17,414.59 to the Atkinson Andelson firm, and $17,636.00 to Liebert Cassidy Whitmore for a total of $159,857.88 in legal fees. And this was only one check run!
📑PUBLIC HEARINGS: There are three items:
1. Continuation Request—Consolidated Master Fee Schedule. The Finance Department is requesting a continuation of the public hearing for the Consolidated Master Fee Schedule to October 20, 2026. The item had originally been planned for the September 15, 2026 City Council meeting but was postponed before the agenda was published.
2. Safety Element Update, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, and Environmental Justice Policy Review. Staff recommends approval of a comprehensive update to the General Plan Safety Element, adoption of the City's first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), and revisions to Environmental Justice (EJ) policies. Together, these initiatives establish a coordinated framework to enhance public safety, climate resilience, and environmental equity throughout Costa Mesa.
Safety Element Update:
Updates the General Plan to address current natural and human-caused hazards, emergency preparedness, and climate adaptation strategies.
Incorporates the latest hazard data from the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and aligns with state requirements.
Strengthens coordination with Environmental Justice policies to better protect vulnerable and underserved populations.
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP):
Establishes Costa Mesa’s first comprehensive climate strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate-related impacts.
Focuses on transportation and building energy use, which are identified as the city’s largest sources of emissions.
Includes adaptation measures for extreme heat, drought, flooding, and other climate risks across eight sectors, including transportation, energy, water, waste, natural resources, and community resilience.
Emphasizes measurable implementation actions, ongoing performance monitoring, and the use of grants and partnerships to support funding.
Environmental Justice Policy Review:
Updates General Plan policies to comply with state Environmental Justice requirements and address community health disparities.
Prioritizes reducing pollution exposure, expanding access to healthy food and essential services, improving community resources, and increasing public participation in decision-making.
Enhances policies supporting urban agriculture, recycling education, and access to cooling centers in underserved neighborhoods.
Environmental and Fiscal Considerations:
The proposed plans are exempt from CEQA because they establish policy direction and do not authorize specific development projects.
Future implementation measures will be subject to available funding and City Council approval, with an emphasis on leveraging external funding opportunities.
Overall Impact: These updates provide a long-term roadmap for improving community resilience, advancing environmental justice, and protecting public safety while supporting Costa Mesa's sustainability and quality-of-life goals.
3. Adoption of Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan (FDCSP), Related General Plan and Zoning Amendments, and Certification of Environmental Impact Report (EIR). HERE’S THE BIG ONE! The City Council is considering adoption of the FDCSP, amendments to the General Plan Land Use Element and Zoning Code, and certification of the project's Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The proposal would establish the planning framework for redevelopment of the former 110-acre Fairview Developmental Center site.
Site and Legislative Context: The Fairview Developmental Center (FDC) site is a state-owned property that will be sold or gifted to a Master Developer. The proposed Specific Plan covers approximately 95 acres, while the remaining 15 acres would remain under State control for emergency operations and housing administered by the Department of Developmental Services.
Redevelopment is governed by Senate Bill 188 and Government Code Section 14670.31, which require a mix of affordable housing, supportive housing, and open space. State law requires at least 200 permanent supportive housing units and emphasizes housing opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Housing and Development Plan:
Residential Development: The Specific Plan would permit between 2,300 and 4,000 residential units, including:
Minimum 920 lower-income units
Minimum 690 moderate-income units
Minimum 690 above-moderate-income units
The City Council may select a maximum project capacity between 3,500 and 4,000 units, balancing financial feasibility, housing production, and open-space preservation. At 4,000 units, the project will add an estimated 9,926 residents to the City.
Evolution of Unit Counts: The proposed residential capacity has steadily increased over time:
2020 City Council strategy: 1,500 units
2022 State legislation: housing levels consistent with both the 1,500-unit strategy and a State infrastructure assessment identifying capacity for up to 2,500 units
2022 Housing Element update: approximately 2,300 units
Current proposal: 2,300 to 4,000 units
While total housing capacity has increased significantly, the required number of affordable units has largely remained unchanged.
Supporters argue that additional market-rate units may help subsidize affordable housing and site improvements, although the long-term effectiveness of that approach remains uncertain.
Financial Feasibility: A City-commissioned feasibility analysis evaluated development scenarios of 2,300, 3,450, and 4,000 units. The analysis concluded that:
The 2,300-unit scenario would create a funding gap.
The 3,450-unit and 4,000-unit scenarios were considered financially feasible.
City staff determined that approximately 3,450 units are necessary to generate sufficient returns to support redevelopment costs and affordable housing commitments.
Affordable Housing: The plan requires a substantial affordable housing component, including permanent supportive housing. In addition, 10% to 20% of affordable units would be prioritized for:
Costa Mesa residents
Teachers
First responders
Public service employees
Seniors
Open Space and Commercial: The development would include:
At least 14 acres of public open space and
Between 10,000 and 35,000 square feet of commercial space
Environmental Review:
Environmental Impact Report (EIR): The EIR concludes that the project would result in several significant and unavoidable impacts, even after mitigation measures are implemented, including impacts related to:
Air quality
Biological resources
Cultural resources
Greenhouse gas emissions
Because these impacts cannot be fully mitigated, project approval would require the City Council to adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations.
Traffic: The project will add 20,038 trips to the City's traffic. The transportation study (not a full traffic study) showed that intersections of (i) Harbor and Fairview Drive and (ii) Placentia and Victoria are expected to fall to a congestion level of LOS E in the afternoon and evening hours.
Alternatives Evaluated: The EIR analyzed multiple alternatives, including:
No Project
General Plan buildout
Adaptive reuse of the historic district
The adaptive reuse alternative was identified as environmentally superior but was determined not to fully meet the project's housing, affordability, and redevelopment objectives.
Trade-offs:
3,800 units: 48 units/acre, allows for 2 additional acres of open space, meets financial and policy goals.
3,500 units: 44 units/acre, allows for 5 additional acres of open space, still financially viable.
2,300 units: Meets minimum policy but is not financially feasible and risks Housing Element compliance.
Implementation: The Specific Plan establishes a long-term framework addressing land use, mobility, open space, infrastructure, and implementation. Future development proposals would require detailed review and approval by the City.
A Master Developer will eventually submit specific development plans, affordable housing programs, and supporting studies. As of the preparation of this report, no Master Developer application had been submitted.
General Plan and Zoning Amendments: The proposed amendments ensure consistency between the Specific Plan, General Plan, Housing Element, and Zoning Code. Key changes include:
Land Use Designation Changes: The FDC site will be redesignated as follows:
Approximately 95 acres will be assigned to the new FDCSP.
The remaining 15 acres, designated for the Southern Regional Emergency Operations Center, will be redesignated as Public/Institutional.
The Land Use Element will be amended to:
Remove the existing Multi-Use Center designation for the site.
Add a new Specific Plan designation and corresponding section that references the FDCSP.
General Plan Consistency : These amendments ensure internal consistency within the General Plan by incorporating the site-specific land use regulations, development standards, and policies established by the FDCSP.
Zoning Code Amendments: The zoning designation for the 110-acre Fairview Developmental Center site will be updated as follows:
Approximately 95 acres will be rezoned to the FDCSP district.
The FDCSP will govern future redevelopment of the site, including residential development of approximately 2,300 to 4,000 housing units, open space, infrastructure, and supporting community-serving uses.
These zoning amendments will ensure consistency between the Zoning Code, General Plan, and Specific Plan while supporting compliance with applicable state housing requirements.
Commentary – The Elephant in the Room: Access, Density, and the Second Roadway.
One of the most significant unresolved issues surrounding the Fairview Developmental Center redevelopment is the proposed secondary roadway connection across the Costa Mesa municipal golf course. Many residents have long hoped that access could instead be provided through Merrimac Way, avoiding the need for a new roadway through open space.
However, on September 4, 2026, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) formally responded to the City's request for access through Merrimac Way, which has functioned as a private road for many years. In short, DDS rejected the request (see excerpt from the letter below; the entire letter is attached to the Agenda report).
That response has major implications for the project. If a future master developer seeks to build beyond the lower-end development scenario of approximately 2,300 units, a secondary access road will almost certainly be required. Based on the information currently available, that roadway would likely need to cross the golf course.
Housing Element Certification Remains Uncertain: On August 21, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) sent the City a letter discussing Costa Mesa's progress toward obtaining certification of its Housing Element. Here is a noteworthy excerpt:
Both Disability Rights California (DRC) and the Public Interest Law Project have been actively communicating with HCD regarding Costa Mesa's housing policies and practices.
DRC's involvement is not new. The organization was involved in litigation related to Insight Psychology and Addiction, Inc., a former transitional housing provider serving individuals with mental health disabilities. After the City denied both a conditional use permit and a request for reasonable accommodation, Insight sued the City. The litigation lasted approximately five years and was on the eve of trial before the parties reached a settlement.
As part of that settlement:
The City agreed to pay $1.75 million in attorney's fees.
More recently, DRC filed a separate lawsuit alleging that the amendments adopted in April 2026 did not bring the City into compliance with state law. DRC seeks court orders that would require the City to reform housing and zoning regulations, update accommodation procedures, comply with fair housing requirements, and remain under court oversight until compliance is achieved.
Importantly, HCD's letter states that Costa Mesa's Housing Element "can" be found in substantial compliance if specified issues are addressed. It does not state that certification will be granted. Given the ongoing legal challenges involving both the State and DRC, the timeline for final certification remains uncertain.
Why This Matters: While construction at the FDC site may be years away, the decisions being made today will shape Costa Mesa for decades. The Specific Plan establishes the framework that future developers will work from, and it is reasonable to expect that a master developer may eventually seek amendments to increase flexibility, adjust standards, or modify project requirements.
That is precisely why the City's negotiating position matters now.
A strong and carefully crafted Specific Plan provides the City with leverage during future negotiations. A weak or diluted plan provides little leverage, if any. Once standards and community benefits are given away on paper, it is difficult to get them back later.
Call to Action: Whether you support or oppose aspects of this project, now is the time to pay attention and make your voice heard. Review the proposal, understand the tradeoffs involving housing, affordability, traffic, open space, and infrastructure, and share your perspective with the City Council. If you cannot attend the meeting, please email the City Council at: citycouncil@costamesaca.gov
The decisions made at this stage will establish the rules for one of the largest redevelopment projects in Costa Mesa's history. Residents should encourage the Council to adopt a Specific Plan that is clear, enforceable, and protective of the community's long-term interests so that future negotiations occur from a position of strength, not concession.
🕰️ OLD BUSINESS: None.
🆕NEW BUSINESS: None.
🎤PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Do not forget! You get three FREE minutes of public comment on anything not on the Agenda at the beginning of the meeting, and three FREE minutes on any of the agendized items.
📌 IMPORTANT! WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY NOON TO BE REVIEWED AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
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