Costa Mesa City Council will discuss creating a Specific Plan for the Orange County Fair and Events Center (OCFEC). Currently, the OCFEC is for sale, and the 10 year Master Plan adopted in August 2003 by the Fair Board carries no legal weight with a new owner. Costa Mesa City Council will meet on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6 PM. Council chambers are at 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA.
Costa Mesa City Council is looking to adopt a Specific Plan as a way to clearly define uses for the property which complement the Fairgrounds uses and allow for buildout of the existing Fairgrounds Master Plan. The City Council is able to adopt a Specific Plan by ordinance or resolution without involving the State of California or future property owner because planning and zoning authority lies with Costa Mesa.
The proposed Specific Plan would allow the legal non-conforming use as a fairgrounds to continue. The use is considered legal non-conforming because the City of Costa Mesa did not approve the OCFEC Master Plan. In planning department speak, legal non-conforming means the land use is for a legally allowed use but does not meet current planning criteria, and use can continue on in the same manner.
Other uses for the fairgrounds which could be allowed include botanical gardens, a zoo, specialty retail stores, art and historical artifacts gallery, and restaurants or hotels which are ancillary to the Fairgrounds uses. Uses for the property which would not be allowed under the proposed Specific Plan include hospital or medical offices, hotels/motels, department store, supermarket, general retail, liquor store/convenience store/mini-market, car dealership, among other uses.
Additionally, the noise restrictions for the Pacific Amphitheater reached under the 1990 Court Order (Case Nos. 42-07-28 and 55-65-08) would be maintained.
The staff report is here. Download 102009SpecificPlan88FairDrive
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