"A Very High Value, Centrally Located, In-Fill Development Opportunity" - How Fred Aguiar Sees the Fairgrounds

Those are the exact words used to describe the Orange County Fairgrounds on page 31 of "Property Inventory by Category" published by the DGS.  Download Property Inventory by Category FINAL  

If this document does not make the intentions clear, the letter of October 23, 2009 from DGS to Costa Mesa makes it clear, "we request that the City thoroughly consider the State and local economic ramifications that could result from preparing and adopting the Specific Plan, and refrain from taking any action that could reduce or otherwise negatively impact the Fairgrounds value.  But if the City moves forward with the Specific Plan and the Fairgrounds's value is diminished, the State will consider whatever options may be available to preserve the Fairgrounds value."  

The point is reiterated in the December 10, 2009 letter to Assm. Jose Solorio.  "The estimated value of $96 million to $180 million dollars was derived from the development opportunity represented by this large, well-located, urban in-fill parcel and is premised on the buyer securing development entitlements."  Download DGSSolorioReply  

In other words, if the State decides they want houses, they will get houses. If they want a stadium, they will get a stadium.  No local input. No local control.  Zoning, general plan, specific plan be damned, the State  gets what it wants.  

What this means is that no city or county is safe from the State coming in and deciding what will be built on a piece of State-owned property.  The State could just as easily take the State Beaches (Bolsa Chica, Corona del Mar, Doheny,  Huntington, and San Clemente) along with Crystal Cove State Park and decide to build homes or shopping centers on them over the objections of residents.  How much do you think Crystal Cove is worth if you allow homes to be built?

This drive is being led by Fred Aguiar, Gov. Schwarzenegger's incoming chief of staff.  Aguiar served in the Legislature on the same committees with Dick Ackerman, who asked for the Fairgrounds to be put up for sale.  Aguiar wants to sell off as much of the State's property as possible.  In June 2009, he led a webinar about selling off California's real estate.  Download California State and Consumer Services Agency: Schwarzenegger Administration To Host Interactive Webinar On Asset Management | Facebook  Aguair was the head of California State and Consumer Services Agency, which manages DGS, at the time the Fairgrounds was put back on the sale block.

Now, Aguiar is back in the Governor's office, where the sale must be stopped.  We need to really push to be able to get past Aguiar to get the sale stopped.  Every single state park, state beach, and all other state owned lands and facilities are depending on us.  The man behind the curtain:  Fred Aguiar.

Comments

[Margaret Klemm]

Please get the word out to stop this sale. it is obviously a closed door deal, and not in the voters' interest. This land was promised to be used as a FAIRGROUNDS, and is a delight to the people of Orange County! Get involved and speak out! Costa mesa was never for the sale to an alternate purpose!