City Council studies land zoning

Alicia Robinson

The state will continue trying to sell a vacant 4.22-acre parcel of

land at the Fairview Developmental Center, but a lower-density zoning

may make it less attractive to developers.

The City Council had not made a decision about the zoning at press

time.

Since last year, state officials have been looking to unload the

property and put the proceeds toward a projected deficit of more than

$8 billion.

Prompted by the suggestion that the Orange County Fairgrounds be

sold to bank some cash for the state, the Costa Mesa City Council

last summer began to review the zoning of publicly held properties in

the city that might go up for sale. One of those was the Fairview

Developmental Center parcel on Harbor Boulevard.

With an eye on possible recreational uses, the council’s had to

decide Tuesday about rezoning the property from high-density

residential to institutional-recreational use.

The new zoning would permit a park, open space, a church or a

medical or educational facility. But any future buyer could apply to

rezone the land for a residential development.

The state has opposed the potential zoning change but has made

bidders aware that it was pending, City Manager Allan Roeder said

last week. A state spokesman said Tuesday that 18 offers have been

made on the property.

The parcel was offered to the city for a price tag of $15 million,

Roeder said.