TITLE:
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APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AGREEMENT WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA) FOR THE FAIRVIEW PARK RESTORATION PROJECT
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DEPARTMENT: PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
PRESENTED BY: BRIAN GRUNER, PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
CONTACT INFORMATION: KELLY DALTON, FAIRVIEW PARK ADMINISTRATOR, (714) 754-5135
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Approve the Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. C-1-2509 between the City of Costa Mesa and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for the Fairview Park Wetlands and Riparian Habitat Restoration Project.
2. Authorize the City Manager and the City Clerk to execute the amendment and any related administrative documents necessary to implement the agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
In 2011, the City entered into Agreement No. C-1-2509 with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to define the funding and restoration implementation commitments with the City’s Fairview Park Wetlands and Riparian Habitat Restoration Project. The project was selected as part of a competitive grant solicitation process, which resulted in the City’s project being awarded $2.0M from OCTA’s Environmental Mitigation Program. The OCTA Environmental Mitigation Program is a regional conservation plan intended to mitigate and offset environmental impacts associated with Measure M2 freeway improvements. Under the 2011 agreement, the City committed to restoring 23 acres of habitat within Fairview Park, including wetlands, riparian areas, coastal sage scrub, and native grasslands.
Between 2011 and 2016, the City successfully implemented a substantial portion of the OCTA restoration commitment, including the construction of wetlands, scrubland, and riparian habitat areas that now provide ecological benefits and wildlife habitat. In addition to OCTA’s role in oversight of the wetlands and riparian restoration project, the project is also subject to regulatory oversight by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). These agencies review annual monitoring reports and provide final approval for the OCTA mitigation plan as a whole, which includes the City’s wetlands and riparian restoration project as one of its components. The wildlife agencies and OCTA will sign off on the project once all restoration performance standards have been achieved, including the 23 acres of completed restoration as defined in the 2011 agreement.
Mesa Restoration Project
In September 2025, the City Council approved actions related to the Fairview Park Mesa Restoration Project, including the award of the Professional Services Agreement to Endemic Environmental Services to implement the habitat restoration and monitoring activities. Once completed, this project will fulfill the City’s remaining mitigation obligations under the OCTA Environmental Mitigation Program.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. C-1-2509 updates the agreement between the City and OCTA to reflect the current status of the project and to incorporate the remaining restoration commitment to OCTA.
The amendment includes three key changes:
1. Updated City Contact Information
The original agreement from 2011 listed City staff contacts who have since retired from City employment. The proposed amendment updates the City’s designated contact and project manager to reflect current staff responsibilities and to align with ongoing communication channels between the City and OCTA.
2. Incorporation of the Mesa Restoration Plan
The amendment incorporates the Fairview Park Coastal Sage Scrub and Flower Fields Habitat Restoration and Monitoring Plan as an exhibit to the agreement. This plan accounts for the additional restoration acreage currently being implemented as part of the City’s efforts to fulfill its contractual obligation to restore 23 acres of habitat under the OCTA Environmental Mitigation Program.
The Mesa Restoration project includes restoration and enhancement of coastal sage scrub and native flower fields habitat areas within Fairview Park. These activities will help complete the remaining acreage required under the OCTA mitigation program.
3. Administrative Updates to the Agreement
The amendment also updates administrative provisions, including project contacts and payment schedule references, to align with the current restoration implementation timeline and project documentation. Approval of this amendment will ensure that the City’s ongoing restoration work remains consistent with the terms of the OCTA project agreement and that the restoration work currently underway can be formally recognized within the framework of the original 2011 agreement.
ALTERNATIVES:
No alternatives are considered as this amendment is administrative in nature.
FISCAL REVIEW:
There is no fiscal impact for the amendment. The Fairview Park Mesa Restoration project is fully funded by the State Grant received from the Office of Senator Dave Min, of which approximately $1.77 million is available in the uncommitted project balance in the State Grants Fund (Fund 231).
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney’s office has reviewed the proposed amendment.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
This item supports the following City Council Goal:
• Advance Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resiliency
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Approve the Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. C-1-2509 between the City of Costa Mesa and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for the Fairview Park Wetlands and Riparian Habitat Restoration Project.
2. Authorize the City Manager and the City Clerk to execute the amendment and any related administrative documents necessary to implement the agreement.