From: GREEN, BRENDA
To: TERAN, STACY
Subject: FW: Fairview Park
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 9:22:13 AM
Brenda Green
City Clerk
City of Costa Mesa
714/754-5221
From: Kim Hendricks <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 9:15 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL <[email protected]>; STEPHENS, JOHN <[email protected]>; MARR, ANDREA <[email protected]>; CHAVEZ, MANUEL <[email protected]>; GAMEROS, LOREN <[email protected]>; FARRELL HARRISON, LORI ANN <[email protected]>; BULEY, MIKE <[email protected]>; REYNOLDS, ARLIS <[email protected]>; PETTIS, JEFF <[email protected]>; GREEN, BRENDA <[email protected]>
Subject: Fairview Park
Dear Brenda,
Please submit these comments for the record for tonight's city council meeting.
Dear Council Members and City Manager,
It has been continually brought to my attention by Costa Mesa residents that the city council and city manager is refusing to listen to experts and the majority of the community and protect the sensitive habitat in Fairview Park. Instead, you are allowing a small group of hobbyists to continue to degrade and destroy it.
I would like to know why. Why?
I would also like to know why Mr. Gameros likens the Harbor Soaring Society (HSS)to a small dog getting kicked off a hill. Really? The analogy is not correct because the small dog is not HSS but the many endangered and sensitive species that are struggling to survive in Fairview Park.
Why do you listen to the misinformation of a small group of hobbyists that don't represent the majority of Costa Mesa residents?
Are you afraid that the HSS, which consists of a few entitled white men, are a minority? If HSS consisted of Latinos or African Americans it would have been shut down a long time ago. History has shown this to be true.
Why are you allowing a handful of hobbyists to destroy Fairview Park's sensitive habitat and take away the opportunity for a healthy nature park for the whole community to enjoy? Why do you all refuse to listen to the experts that you hired? I was very hopeful when MIG got the contract to update the Fairview Park Master Plan, but you all have refused to listen to their EXPERTS and insist on undermining their efforts.
Why do you all refuse to listen to city staff and city biologists which you hired? Why do you all refuse to listen to the lead agency USFW? Why do you all refuse to listen to CDFW?
Here's a recap of the Fairview Park Alliance (FPA), Harbor Soaring Society (HSS), City of Costa Mesa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and city biologist, talking points, followed by a proposed plan to relocate HSS operations within the restrictions of Measure AA.
Fairview Park Alliance (FPA) Talking Points
●
Measure AA Compliance: HSS is currently violating Measure AA by flying on a vernal pool watershed which is a significant change from Fairview Park Master Plan.
● Compatibility with Fairview Park Master Plan: The current Fairview Park Master Plan, which Measure AA is based on, states that the launch site is next to the restrooms on the grassy area.The city never followed city policy 500-11 to move their launch site from the grassy area next to the restrooms, to the vernal pool watershed. This is a violation of 500-11 and Measure AA.. (Hendricks, 2025). ●
Balanced Approach: FPA believes that a balanced approach is allowing the city to abide by federal and state laws while fulfilling their agreement to be good stewards of the park by relocating the “flying area”. This would allow the glider plane flyers a place to fly without degrading sensitive habitat and give the whole community that sensitive part of the park back for them to protect, restore, and enjoy.
●
Regulatory Input: USFW latest and most recent communication recommended that activities with the potential to impact federally listed or sensitive species “be halted” until the city can fully evaluate the impacts associated with the master plan revision. (USFW email Jan. 28, 2025) It was USFW’s understanding that the city would move the glider plane flying away from the vernal pools. (USFW email May 2, 2023)
CDFW recommendation for full closure of the “flying field” due to “impacts to sensitive biological resources”. (CDFW email March 20, 2023) Endemic Environment recommendation to close fly field due to the impacts to the natural resources by changing the watershed of the vernal pools. (End.Env. email Feb. 24, 2023)
●
Community Support: The community has spoken by voting Measure AA into law with 70.9% of the votes in 2016.
● On May 2,The most recent Change.org petition “Save Fairview Park’s Habitat’ was set up on May 3, 2023 by a local resident asking for signatures to remove the glider planes from the vernal pool watershed. 387 signatures signed quickly and most being Costa Mesa residents, that is more signatures than HSS has facebook members.
● Fairview Park Alliance Facebook group has 828 members. HSS’s Facebook group has a little over 200.
●
The community has helped restore the vernal pool watershed for over 3 years now by volunteering consistently every month with Fairview Park Alliance and the City of Costa Mesa.
● Last year another local nonprofit, Coastal Corridor Alliance (CCA) stepped in to help with restoration, and education. CCA has well attended monthly nature tours of Fairview Park. CCA has also sponsored monthly restoration events. Many people have volunteered consistently and the habitats are being restored with great enthusiasm and participation from the community.
●
Hobbyist in Fairview Park: While HSS has compared themselves to OCME, the similarity stops after naming them as hobbyists. OCME does not trample sensitive habitats nor scare the birds away. Railroad tracks are defined and limited. The model trains serve the whole community by allowing them to see nature close up without degrading it. This is a service to the wildlife. Thousands of people are given free rides each month and then stick around in Costa Mesa for an incredible lunch at one of the many places. This is a service to local businesses, hence, the community.
●
Flying glider planes are not defined or limited. The glider planes routinely go down in unexpected places. Flying glider planes kick the birds out. Retrieving them degrades the habitat tremendously. HSS does not serve or represent the whole community, its membership has been going down steadily. Last year 2 residents bought flying permits from the city. (Public Records attached) Harbor Soaring Society (HSS) Talking Points, ALL ARE FALSE ● Compatibility with Fairview Park Master Plan: Model glider flying is recognized in the Public Use Objectives of the current Fairview Park Master Plan, and is included in the third defined objective of the plan: provide for the continuation of the organized uses that have historically occurred on the site, including model railroading, model airplane, and model glider flying (Garcia, 2025).
●
Measure AA Compliance: Closing the flying field is an alteration that reduces benefits to the public and changes the "As Built" condition of the park (Garcia, 2025).
● Balanced Approach: HSS believes in a balanced approach where gliders can coexist with sensitive habitat and is willing to work with all stakeholders to identify a solution for all (Garcia, 2025).
● Regulatory Input: USFWS communications identify utilizing the flying field in the current location and do not identify it as a concern to the restoration, protection, or management of the vernal pools at Fairview Park (Garcia, 2025). ● Community Support: There is significant community support for glider flying at Fairview Park (Garcia, 2025).
● The site of the present day flying field was graded in 2005 (Garcia, 2025). ● HSS has worked with educators at the high school level since its establishment in 1964, especially at Estancia High School (Garcia, 2025).
City of Costa Mesa Talking Points
● The City has a responsibility to ensure its actions comply with the Endangered Species Act (USFWS, 2014)
●
The City has a responsibility to follow city laws and ordinances like city ordinance 500-11 and Measure AA.
●
The Fairview Park Master Plan includes a commitment that the pools and basins in Fairview Park are to be retained, restored, and protected (USFWS, 2014).
● The City of Costa Mesa has hired a consultant team (MIG) to update the Fairview Park Master Plan with expert biologists and restoration specialists. ● The City of Costa Mesa has held community outreach and meetings to give the residents a voice and educate them about Fairview Park’s resources and history.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Talking Points
● Installation of paths and parking areas may have resulted in direct and indirect impacts to the San Diego fairy shrimp (USFWS, 2014).
●
Landscaping and associated irrigation systems contribute to the conversion of vegetation communities within the watershed, which can result in the permanent loss of habitat for the San Diego fairy shrimp (USFWS, 2014). ● The USFWS recommends fencing a sufficiently large habitat buffer (i.e., at least 100 feet from the outer edge of the watershed in most cases) to reduce encroachment by pedestrians and off-road vehicles, trash accumulation, and other indirect effects of development (USFWS, 2014).
● The USFWS would like to partner with the City to develop educational materials and signs that can highlight the importance of biological resources in Fairview Park (USFWS, 2014).
● Regular biological monitoring is necessary to determine the efficacy of management measures to preserve and protect the San Diego fairy shrimp (USFWS, 2014).
● USFW recommends all activities, like flying glider planes, stop due to their potential impact to federally listed and sensitive species. (USFW 2025) Plan to Relocate HSS Operations within Measure AA Restrictions Based on the provided documents and previous conversation, here's a plan to relocate HSS operations, keeping Measure AA in mind:
1. Identify Potential Relocation Sites: Consider the Fairview Park Master Plan's designated launch site next to the restrooms on the grassy area, as well as the Fairview Developmental Center (Hendricks, 2025).
2. Environmental Impact Assessment: Before relocation, conduct a thorough environmental impact assessment of the proposed site, focusing on potential effects on vernal pools, sensitive plant species, and the San Diego fairy shrimp.
3. Compliance with Measure AA: Ensure the relocation adheres to Measure AA by considering whether it constitutes a "Significant Change". ○ Relocation involving grading, laying foundations, building permanent structures, or installing new utility lines would likely be considered a Significant Change requiring a vote of the Costa Mesa electorate. ○ If the relocation is considered a "Significant Change", approval from the appropriate governing body is required before submitting it to the Costa Mesa electorate.
4. Restoration and Preservation: Frame the relocation as a restoration or preservation effort. (This is a false narrative and FPA disagrees with this)
5. Public Engagement and Education: Involve the community in the decision- making process through public meetings and educational initiatives. (This has already been done)
○ Highlight the importance of protecting the park's biological resources and the steps being taken to minimize impacts from HSS operations. (This has already been done)
6. Mitigation Measures: Implement mitigation measures to offset any unavoidable environmental impacts.
○ These could include restoring native vegetation, improving drainage systems, and creating habitat buffers.
7. Ongoing Monitoring and Adaptive Management: Establish a long-term monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of the relocation and mitigation measures.
8. Put flying glider planes on a vernal pool watershed or other location in Fairview Park before the people for a vote as required by Measure AA.
Costa Mesa residents are not happy with the continued destruction of the vernal pool watershed. Why don't any of you care about protecting endangered species? The community wants to move forward with legal action and perhaps that is the only thing that will persuade you all to listen to reason.
Sincerely,
Kim Hendricks
From: FAUTUA, LAURA
To: GREEN, BRENDA
Cc: TERAN, STACY
Subject: FW: Please forward to the Fairview committee
Date: Monday, March 24, 2025 9:07:06 AM
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Good morning Brenda,
Can this request be provided to Council, since they are body who select the vacancies?
Thank you,
Laura Fautua
Executive Assistant
Parks and Community Services
Phone: (714) 754-5009
Email: [email protected]
77 Fair Drive | Costa Mesa | CA 92626
P PlEASE ConSiDEr thE EnvironMEnt bEForE Printing thiS EMAil. thAnk you!
From: City of Costa Mesa <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2025 9:39 AM
To: DALTON, KELLY M. <[email protected]>
Subject: Please forward to the Fairview committee
Message submitted from the <City of Costa Mesa> website.
Site Visitor Name: Denise Moon
Site Visitor Email: [email protected]
Dear Kelly, Please forward this the Fairview Park committe, for consideration of my request to particpate.
Dear Council members and Members,
I have applied to participate in the Fairview Park committee. I am traveling in April and cannot attend the first meeting. So I am writing this note, to provide you with some information about me.
Quick Bio
Lived in Costa Mesa for over 25 years, and was a founding member of the Eastside Neighbors group.
I am retired (www.linkedin.com/in/denise-caciagli-moon) Was an active board member for 9 years at South Coast Repertory Recently we donated 2 trees and a bench which was finally installed in February.
Interest
We have lived close to Fairview Park for over 10 years.
While vacationing, we always include in our trips visits to local parks, arboretums, & botanical gardens, and green areas around the world.
My Focus
Successfully meet the commission's role and responsibilities Improve accessibility for all Costa Mesa residents.
To provide support to expand the park experience and keep its core values.
Developing a foundation to support and fund Fairview Park for the future.
Create ways to manage processes, through SOP (standard operation procedure) and guidelines.