Costa Mesa looks at plan to keep fairground zoned

The Costa Mesa City Council on Tuesday will consider voting in favor of creating a plan that would limit future uses of the Orange County Fairgrounds.

If approved by the council, city staff would develop a plan specifying future uses for the state-owned property in Costa Mesa that would make it harder for potential buyers to purchase the land and develop it for non-fair uses.

Last week, California announced that it was officially putting the fairgrounds up for sale, and would formally begin accepting bids on the 150-acre site and event center.

“It’s an excellent planning tool from our perspective because it provides that much more information to both the public and the property owner as to what should occur on the property, said Kimberly Brandt, Costa Mesa’s acting development services director.

The city adopting a specific plan would add another hurdle for a future property owner who might want to change the type of usage into something other than fairgrounds, said Mayor Allan Mansoor.

“Not only do I believe the annual fair should remain, I believe the public does as well,” he said.

Mansoor would not say if he will vote in favor of the staff executing a specific plan.

“I like to see the specifics first and hear the presentation on it, but it makes sense to do everything we can to make sure the current usage remains,” he said.

The deadline for potential buyers to submit bids for the fairgrounds is Jan. 8.

The new owner would take over the site by next October.

State officials hope that unloading the fairgrounds site will help California plug a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

The state has estimated the land could fetch $96 million to $180 million.

The California Assembly voted to put the property up for sale in July as the state teetered on the brink of insolvency.

Members of the fair board and other local politicians have formed the Orange County Fair and Event Center Foundation in an attempt to purchase the land.

The group hopes to preserve the area as a fairgrounds.

“As long as the end result is positive for the tax payers, it’s not a bad idea,” Mansoor said.

“What I really want is specifics from whoever is interested in purchasing the property. That’s what the public deserves and what the public wants to know.”