Costa Mesa : City Closer to Purchase in Fairview Park Bid

Negotiations are under way for the purchase by the city of the 260-acre Fairview Regional Park. The parcel of land near the Fairview State Hospital grounds is now owned by the county. If successful, the $6-million to $7-million deal would allow Costa Mesa to acquire the park site for about half what it was worth 12 years ago.

According to Keith Van Holdt, Costa Mesa’s parks and recreation director, talks between city and county officials have been going on for about six months and a deal is expected to jell in about 30 days.

Although some details of the purchase agreement still have to be ironed out, Van Holdt said, it would permit Costa Mesa to buy the undeveloped land under the same favorable terms the county had when it purchased the surplus property from the state a dozen years ago.

The purchase agreement between the county and the state called for 20 yearly payments of $290,157. With 12 payments already made, the county will transfer title to the parkland to Costa Mesa in exchange for the city making the next eight payments and reimbursing the county for past payments and interest costs.

Robert Wingard, programs manager for the Orange County Environmental Management Agency, said that because the park was surplus property when it was purchased from the state, the county paid only half its actual value. Costa Mesa will get the same break, he said, because the county will be selling the property for the same price it paid 12 years ago.

“It’s an excellent deal and a good opportunity for the city in that we will get to purchase it in the same form as the county purchased it from the state,” Van Holdt said.

Long-term plans for the park have not been decided, but the sale agreement would require the city to use the land only for open space and recreational uses. Van Holdt said Costa Mesa will probably install bicycle and hiking trails as well as an interim parking lot.

Additionally, some 30 acres of old Indian burial grounds on the park site will remain undisturbed, except for possibly being covered with a protective layer of soil and grass to deter amateur archeologists, Van Holdt said.

The purchase agreement will have to be ratified by both the county Board of Supervisors and the Costa Mesa City Council. Wingard said he hopes to have the deal up for the county vote by the end of the month.