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Take Action: Comment on the Fairview Park Master Plan.

Fairview Park is 208 acres with 125 acres of native habitat communities. These are the last vestiges of natural lands available in Costa Mesa. Preserving them is our ethical duty and is simultaneously important for the City’s legacy. Costa Mesa is presently updating the Fairview Park Master Plan, which will dictate allowed uses and requirements for the entire park for decades to come. Nature needs your voice.

Soon, the Costa Mesa City Council will hear the scientific findings on the ecology of the western 125 acres of Fairview Park. Central to the discussion will be the activities, presence, and impacts of humans including things like: biking, dogs, and the runway used by model airplane flyers.

Status:

  • The City Council is tentatively set to discuss the Fairview Park Master Plan Update on Tuesday, September 16, 2025  Postponed again to October. During this crucial meeting, staff and consultants will present their findings and recommendations, seeking Council direction. Plan to come testify!

  • Following this, the Master Plan draft will be released for a 30-day public review and comment period. The consultant will then incorporate feedback and prepare CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) documentation, which will also undergo a 30-day comment period from agencies and the public. Finally, the revised Master Plan draft will be brought back to the City Council for adoption.

      CCA Concerns:

      Of the roughly 10,000 acres of Costa Mesa’s land, only 125 acres has the potential for native habitat – located on the western part of Fairview Park’s 208 acres. Just 1.2% of the land is left. All of the land in our area has been severely impacted by a long list of human activities. We have only small fragments of semi-functional ecosystems left.

      Fairview Park is extra special because it contains one of only two federally recognized vernal pool complexes in Orange County. These sensitive, ephemeral vernal pools provide habitat for two endangered species, but for their survival to work, these pools must be carefully stewarded. Actions taken in and around the vernal pools must be monitored, limited, and sensitive to the ecology.

      Fairview Park outlined map with Vernal Pool Complex and HSS Proximity

      Some of the key concerns CCA has for the Fairview Park Master Plan include:

      • Impacts to the sensitive vernal pools and associated watersheds from human activities.
      • Soil compaction in sensitive habitat from human uses.
      • Location of human activities and impacts to foraging, nesting, and breeding birds.
      • Disruption to bird behavior and birds themselves from fly field activities. 
      • Human encroachment into sensitive and endangered plant and animal species’ habitat.

        What You Can Do:

        This is your chance to have your voice heard on what you would prioritize at the Park. Of course, CCA supports the habitat and species. 

        1. ✍️  Send a Short Email 
          Write in TODAY to your council member with what you think and notice about model airplanes, bikes, etc. at Fairview Park! The more public opinion heard prior to the Council meeting the better. Email your council member directly as a constituent and CC: fvpmp@costamesaca.gov, cityclerk@costamesaca.gov, john.stephens@costamesaca.gov, and citycouncil@costamesaca.gov. Ask them to listen to the scientific recommendations to protect sensitive habitat and species from impacts.

        2. 🎙️ Get Updated on The Fairview Master Plan
          We’ll keep you updated on developments with the Master Plan, City Council meeting dates, and more. Sign Up

        3. 🗣️Show up to testify in defense of nature
          Tuesday, September 16 at the Costa Mesa City Council Meeting. Meeting starts at 6 pm (Tentative Date).

          Resources: 

          See our previous letters & articles to the City:

          Other Relevant Resources: