Potential environmental impacts can be identified by reviewing previously prepared environmental documents such as EIRs, traffic studies, noise studies, lighting studies, and surveys of historic and cultural resources, among other information. Members of the Public can identify additional potential environmental impacts in their letters to the agency.

Adding your voice to call attention to the impacts which can impact your life in the community is a vital part of CEQA.

This is a general summary of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process which does not include all scenarios.

You can ask the OC Fairgrounds to tell you specifically what the CEQA process is for the implementation of the Master Site Plan proposals. State law obligate the OC Fairgrounds to provide you with this information.

Learn more about CEQA from the California League of Cities

https://www.cacities.org/Resources-Documents/Education-and-Events-Section/Planners-Institute/2015-Handouts/CEQA-Basics-Everything-a-New-Planning-Commissioner

An agency proposes a project, which is evaluated to determine if the project falls under a previously approved CEQA document or has minimal potential environmental impacts which do not require a new CEQA process.

If a new CEQA process is required, the agency in charge of the project must notify the Public, any interested party, and many state and local agencies that there will be an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared. This is called a Notice of Preparation (NOP).

The NOP has a lot of important information you need to make your voice heard during the CEQA process: project information, who to contact, how to reach the contact person, and how long the period is for you to make comments. The comment period can be as short as 30 days. Once the comment period ends, you cannot submit comments.

During the comment period, you need to tell the contact person in writing how the project will cause problems for you and what your concerns are about the project. The comments are read and used to assist in preparing the EIR. A copy of the NOP for the most recent Costa Mesa General Plan Amendment EIR is available so you can see how this process works.

Download Appendix B - Notice of Preparation

The Draft EIR is prepared and may include traffic, lighting, noise and other studies to identify and quantify potential environmental impacts. Identification of mitigation measures, which are ways to reduce or eliminate potential environmental impacts is a mandatory part of the EIR.

The Draft EIR is circulated for comments. Review the Draft EIR to check that your issues have been addressed to your satisfaction. Check that the information presented is correct and accurate, including checking for typos. When there are issues which must be addressed, such as inadequate mitigation measures, your issue not appearing, or errors, send a letter raising the issue. The agency preparing the EIR is supposed to address each and every issue raised in writing the Draft EIR.

The Final EIR is supposed to be circulated and include all of the comments received for the NOP and Draft EIR, along with the agency responses to comments. The agency must then adopt the Final EIR in its entirety before the project can begin physical work.

Yes. The OC Fairgrounds must follow the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires proposed development to be evaluated to determine significant effects on the environment of a project, to identify alternatives to the project, and to indicated the manner in which those significant effects can be mitigated or avoided.

CEQA is created by law. See California Public Resources Code starting at Section 21000.

CEQA is carried out using regulations created by the State. See California Code of Regulation, Title 14 Natural Resources, Division 6 Resource Agency, Chapter 3 Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act.

Learn more about CEQA from the California League of Cities

https://www.cacities.org/Resources-Documents/Education-and-Events-Section/Planners-Institute/2015-Handouts/CEQA-Basics-Everything-a-New-Planning-Commissioner

The Master Site Plan selection will be revealed on Thursday, April 26, 2018, Download Master Site Plan Notice _February_Board_Packet during a meeting which starts at 9 AM when most people have work, school, or other commitments. Despite repeated asks for evening meetings, the Fair Board chooses to meet at a time when it is hard for people to attend their meetings. The meeting time is by the choice of the Fair Board and nothing in statute says the Fair Board must meet during the day. Oversight of the planning was done by a member of the building trades whose employer can benefit from the project. 

The proposed schedule is:

In 2012, the Orange County Fairgrounds Preservation Society reached a settlement with the OC Fair Board regarding the site plan for the Pacific Amphitheatre remodel in which the berm was resculpted, a new lobby was built, and the plaza area facing the interior of the Fairgrounds was built. Terms of the settlement agreement include using a qualifed noise monitor and maintaining a tracking system for noise complaints.

Download Pac amp finalagreement copy

The settlement was ratified at the only joint meeting between the OC Fair Board and the Costa Mesa City Council in July 1996. The agreement capped the number of people allowed on the property at 25,500 when the OC Fair was not being held, require use of leased parking with shuttles when needed, and required cooperation with the City of Costa Mesa on traffic control. Plans for a hotel and off track betting facility were also dropped.

A copy of  the 1991 Master Site Plan is included in the City Atty Report files.

Documents regarding this matter

Download City Atty Report 96-53A copy

Download City Atty Report 96-53C copy

Download City Clerk Changes to Legal Settlement copy 

Download Executed Settlement Sep 9 1996 copy

No. The Board and staff want to build new buildings to rent out. They think the Public will be fooled with a building with the word “educational” in it will be used ONLY for education, like a school building. They also think the Public will fall for calling a huge expo building an “agricultural” building and believe that the building will ONLY be used for agriculture. The Public sees through the scam and knows that the “Educational Meeting Center” and “Ag-Expo Building” are big convention center and expo buildings.

The OC Fairgrounds built the Pacific Amphitheatre facing into the neighborhoods, with twice as many seats as what the neighbors were told, and on a 10 acre footprint instead of a 6 acre footprint. The Pacific Amphitheatre was operated by Nederlander, which proceeded to book hard rock acts which were very loud, which blew out the neighborhoods with the noise. Nederlander and the Fairgrounds did not coordinate well, which led to Nederlander concerts jamming City streets and people parking in the neighborhoods. The Concerned Citizens lawsuits took over a decade to resolve and ended with noise limits placed on the Pacific Amphitheatre. Nederlander and the Fair Board claimed that the noise limits made the Pacific Amphitheatre unusable. No concerts were held from 1995 to 2003 because no way could be found to hold concerts without disturbing the neighborhoods. The Pacific Amphitheatre opened in 2003 when the Fair Board hired Gary Hardesty to design the sound system and to manage compliance with the sound limits.

Documents related to the matter

Download CONCERNED CITIZENS OF COSTA MESA INC. v. 32nd AGRICULTURAL ASS'N 

Download Concerned Citizens v 32nd DAA 1984 copy

The OC Fair Board created a Master Plan in 1977 which was not compatible with the neighborhoods around the Fairgrounds. The settlement obligated the Fairgrounds to follow City standards for road construction and to pay for traffic signals to be installed. The Fairgrounds was required to dedicate land for creation of turning lanes to improve traffic flow and to create the entries at the intersection of Fair Drive and Vanguard and at Fairview Road and Merrimac. Sound limits consistent with the Costa Mesa municipal code were imposed. A planned commercial development was deleted with the a museum to be substituted if the Fairgrounds was able to do so.

A copy of the settlement  Download CM City_ 32 Ag Agrmnt Aug 1980