The Costa Mesa City Council has granted approval for a substantial housing development on the site of the former Fairview Developmental Center. The recently approved plan includes 2,300 residences on the expansive property, with 920 of these units designated as affordable for qualified low-income tenants.
This decision marks a significant step in the long-term process of redeveloping the sprawling hospital property. The site, which once accommodated more than 2,500 patients, closed its doors in 2022 following a state initiative to transition care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities toward community-based group homes and independent living environments.
While no developer has yet been selected to undertake the construction, and specific architectural details for the housing are not yet specified, projects of this magnitude typically incorporate apartment buildings and various other multiunit housing formats. The development is slated to include 35,000 square feet of commercial space, which a draft environmental impact report detailed as encompassing stores, restaurants, coffee shops, fitness studios, and childcare facilities.
Additionally, the approved plan incorporates 25 acres of publicly accessible open space. This area is designed to support diverse community uses, such as parks, plazas, walking and biking trails, recreation centers, and picnic areas.
The City Council's approval came after members resisted terms proposed by the Planning Commission, which would have permitted as many as 4,000 units on the 80-acre site. This resistance occurred despite the city facing significant pressure from the state to increase its housing stock; Costa Mesa is mandated to add 11,760 residential units by the end of the current decade.
Notably, the adopted plan also spares, at least for the present, any changes to the Mesa Linda golf course, part of the city-owned Costa Mesa Country Club. According to the Daily Pilot, the club's golf course would have been divided by a secondary access road if the total unit count had exceeded 2,300. It is worth noting that the total number of units could still increase, as the state offers density bonuses to developers who incorporate enough affordable units to meet specific thresholds.
Councilmember Arlis Reynolds commented on the proposal's timeliness, citing a Daily Pilot report that an estimated half of Costa Mesa residents allocate more than 30% of their income toward housing costs. Reynolds emphasized, "Having stable, affordable housing is foundational to having a better life in Costa Mesa."
