City of Costa Mesa
Agenda Report
77 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Item #: 26-423 Meeting Date: 10/6/2026
TITLE: ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2026-08 ADOPTING THE FAIRVIEW DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER SPECIFIC PLAN AND RELATED AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 13 OF THE ZONING CODE
AND THE ZONING MAP
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT / ADVANCED PLANNING
AND HOUSING DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: MELINDA DACEY, PRINCIPAL PLANNER; ANNA MCGILL, ADVANCED PLANNING MANAGER; KAREN GULLEY AND MOLLY MENDOZA, PLACEWORKS CONTACT INFORMATION: MELINDA DACEY, PRINCIPAL PLANNER, (714) 754-5611 RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Adopt Ordinance No. 2026-08 titled “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, California, Adopting the Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan (FDCSP) and Amend sections 13-20, 13-28, 13-30, Chapter V, Article 7, and Add Chapter XVIII “Specific Plans” to Title 13 of the Zoning Code, and Amend the Zoning Map to Change the Zoning Designation of the 110 Acre Fairview Developmental Center (FDC) Site Located at 2501 Harbor Boulevard to Refer to the 95 Acre FDCSP and Change the Remaining 15 Acres to Institutional and Recreational (I&R).”
BACKGROUND:
The Fairview Developmental Center (FDC) is a 110-acre State-owned property located at 2501 Harbor Boulevard in the City of Costa Mesa. The site was historically developed and operated as a residential care facility for individuals with developmental disabilities. Through extended negotiations, the State will retain ownership of 15 acres for the Southern Regional Emergency Operations Center (SREOC), which is not included in the FDCSP area. The FDCSP boundary encompasses approximately 95 acres. Of this, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) will retain 15 acres for housing similar to Harbor Village Apartments, leaving approximately 80 acres available for future development. Prior staff reports noted different acreage for the FDC site and the acres identified within this report are reflective of the final available land for the FDCSP and supersede all previously identified acres.
On August 10, 2026, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the FDCSP and the associated Zoning Code and General Plan amendments for internal consistency, and the Final EIR.
The Planning Commission considered all public testimony and ultimately recommended (4-2) that the City Council adopt the FDCSP with 4,000 residential units and incorporate information from the August 10, 2026 Planning Commission Memorandum relating to an update to figures in the level of service Item #: 26-381 Meeting Date: 9/15/2026
traffic study, the associated Zoning Code and General Plan amendments for internal consistency, certify the Final EIR, and adopt findings of fact and statement of overriding considerations.
Planning Commission Resolution No. PC-2026-22 is available here:
https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15847945&GUID=CDB278B1-71A9-475AA230-8A5C01E8662B Link to August 10, 2026 Meeting Agenda, staff report and associated attachments:
https://costamesa.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8164832&GUID=9C7F2239-13C0-4A25- A31D-73774C7CC4D3&Options=&Search=
Link to written public comments (See items marked as PH-1):
https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=E3&ID=1436219&GUID=7764137B-AF15-4922- 8FC5-93FCC2FD99EB
On September 15, 2026, the City Council conducted a legally noticed public hearing and unanimously introduced on first reading an ordinance to adopt the Fairview Developmental Center Specific Plan (FDCSP) that includes amendments to Title 13 of the City’s Zoning Code. After considering all public testimony presented at the hearing, the City Council unanimously moved to adopt the FDCSP with changes that will be discussed under the analysis section of this report, certified the Environmental Impact Report, adopted findings of fact and statement of overriding considerations in Resolution No. 2026-51, and adopted associated general plan amendments to the Land Use Element for internal consistency with the FDCSP in Resolution No. 2026-52.
Link to September 15, 2026 Meeting Agenda, staff report and associated attachments:
https://costamesa.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8209117&GUID=63B29E44-2C19-42E1- BC71-B25DC3EC462A&Options=&Search=
Link to written public comments:
https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=E3&ID=1431709&GUID=4AD52C19-0209-4002- 9008-0E4FB4501140
Link to Presentation, Memo to City Council, and List of 22 edits requested during the meeting:
https://costamesa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=E2&ID=1431709&GUID=4AD52C19-0209-4002- 9008-0E4FB4501140
ANALYSIS:
FDC Specific Plan – September 15, 2026 City Council Revisions Ordinance No. 2026-08 is included in Attachment 1 of this report and Exhibit A reflects the City Council revisions to the FDCSP made during its motion on September 15, 2026. The changes requested by the City Council are summarized as follows:
• Reduce the maximum units from 4,000 to 2,300, with no change to the number of affordable units;
• Increase the minimum acres of open space from 14 acres to 25 acres; • Increase the minimum non-residential square-footage from 10,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet;
• Include a requirement for an updated transportation study or traffic analysis that identifies, during the phasing and construction of units, if and when it is necessary to construct a secondary access road;
Item #: 26-381 Meeting Date: 9/15/2026
• Incorporate a list of 22 specific non-substantive text amendments (linked above) to the specific plan document as presented at the hearing, including the updated language discussed at the hearing relating to fruit trees in item number 20, which was modified to include reference that they are allowed, provided that they do not create a pest problem and are maintained by a future private owner; and
• Direct staff to continue discussions with the State Department of General Services (DGS) and Department of Development Services (DDS) around the public’s use of Merrimac Way whereby alternative safety improvements should be considered to protect the residents rather than a wholesale prohibition for public access and request State subsidy for the disposition of the FDC site to reduce costs for hazardous materials remediation for the future Master Developer.
The City Council also moved the potential creation of two committees; however, that would be brought forth as a separate action item for City Council consideration as noted by the City Attorney at the hearing. As such, the specific plan has been updated so all references to the 14 acres of open space have been updated to 25 acres, references to 4,000 units have been reduced to 2,300 units, and 10,000 square feet minimum of non-residential or commercial area has been increased to 15,000 square feet throughout the document. The list of text edits provided by the City Council on September 15, 2026, are also included within Exhibit A. In addition, the following text edits were made to the FDCSP by staff to further implement the City Council’s motion where strikethrough text denotes text being removed, and underline text denotes text being added:
• Chapter 5: Mobility, Section 5.2.3
“A secondary access road will be required for additional safe ingress and egress for development of 2,300 residential units or more. If a secondary access road is proposed as part of the FDC Development Review Application, then the requirements set forth in Chapter 8 shall apply. The secondary access via a new street is proposed through the golf course connecting to the existing intersection at Harbor Boulevard and the Harbor Shopping Center Driveway and aligned with the shopping center east of Harbor Boulevard. This roadway alignment will be finalized with a master developer, and a redesign and/or reconfiguration of impacted golf course holes is required (see Chapter 8, Administration and Implementation).” Per the list of 22 edits, item 11 requested a note be added to Figure 5-6 through Figure 5-10 but included specific reference to the on-street parking lane. Several of these figures do not include an on-street parking lane, so this note was only added to the figures that include onstreet parking. • Chapter 6: Open Space, Landscaping & Public Art, Section 6.2.1, a new bullet point was added at the end of the list which states the following:
“Any lighting that is proposed in a publicly accessible sports field shall require a lighting study and potential environmental analysis.”
• Chapter 8: Administration & Implementation includes the following changes:
Section 8.2.6, Application Review and Processing
Item #: 26-381 Meeting Date: 9/15/2026
“[…] All development applications must be consistent with the Vision, Guiding Principles, purpose, intent, objectives, development and design standards of this Specific Plan. In the event an application that is not identified in this section is submitted to the City for review, a subsequent FDC Development Review Application shall be submitted.” Section 8.2.6.A FDC Development Review Application
“[…]
7. Backbone circulation and location of local roads.
8. A traffic study shall be required to identify if an additional access road is necessary, and if necessary, what unit count will trigger the additional access road.
8. 9. Draft Transportation Demand Management Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan compliance.
[…]”
Section 8.2.6.G Specific Plan Amendments
“[…]
6. A proposed new additional access road.
6.7. A proposed change […]”
Finally, all figures that depict the secondary access road through the golf course include a note that states the following: “NOTE: This graphic is conceptual and represents potential roadway configurations and does not pre-commit the use of the City Municipal Golf Course for road access.” This note has also been added to street section Figure 5-7 and Figure 5-8, which are kept in the plan as reference to street design requirements (widths, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, etc.) for a secondary access road. The additional edits identified above implement the City Council’s motion around field lighting, incorporate application processing requirements in the event a new access road is needed which includes a specific plan amendment, and address the figures in the FDCSP that show the road through the golf course.
A strikethrough version of the document can be viewed online here:
https://www.costamesaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=64942&t=639258436079063484 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Pursuant to State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-51 certifying the Environmental Impact Report, adopted findings of fact and statement of overriding considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program on September 15, 2026. A Notice of Determination was filed with the County Clerk Recorder and with the State Clearinghouse on September 21, 2026. A second Notice of Determination will be filed within five days of City Council action on the Ordinance.
Item #: 26-381 Meeting Date: 9/15/2026
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may adopt the Ordinance as proposed, modify the Ordinance, or not adopt the Ordinance. If the City Council chooses to make substantive modifications to the Ordinance after introduction, the modified Ordinance would need to be brought back at a future meeting for re-introduction and adoption.
FISCAL REVIEW:
There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with the adoption of the FDCSP. The City received State Grant Funds (Fund 231) in the amount of $3.5 million from the State of California Department of Development Services in 2023, of which approximately $3.1 million has been expended or committed as of this Council Agenda date. Additional FDCSP expenses related to the environmental study and other eligible expenses will be funded from the remaining grant funds, which currently have a balance of approximately $0.4 million.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed the report and ordinance, and has approved them as to form.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
Pursuant to government Code section 65854(a), a public notice was published once in the Daily Pilot newspaper on September 25, 2026, exceeding the minimum 10 days prior to the October 6, 2026, public hearing.
Any public comments received for the October 6, 2026, City Council meeting, may be viewed at this link: CITY OF COSTA MESA - Calendar (legistar.com)
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
The FDCSP meets the following City Council Goals and Priorities:
• Diversify, stabilize and increase housing to reflect community needs. • Strengthen the public’s safety and improve the quality of life. • Advance environmental sustainability and climate resiliency.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the FDCSP and the associated Zoning Code amendments for internal consistency identified within this report and its associated attachments.