Planners pave way for some park trails

Andrew Glazer

COSTA MESA -- The Planning Commission voted Monday to allow one dirt

trail at Fairview Park, but to leave open the possibility of paving other

trails in the future.

Tim Cromwell, whose home sits adjacent to the park, requested that the

commission recommend the City Council eliminate almost all paved trails

from the park’s blueprints.

“I’m OK with [the commission’s] decision,” Cromwell said. “We’re

making headway. This was a great victory for us.”

The commission also voted to use asphalt -- not concrete -- on any

hard-surfaced trails.

Cromwell said he wouldn’t oppose one asphalt path, intended for

high-speed cyclists, that would connect the park to a larger network of

bike lanes.

David Alkema, the city’s project manager for the Fairview Park

redesign, also said he is satisfied with the commission’s decision. But

he said he would prefer concrete over asphalt, which requires more

maintenance.

The city’s plans call for converting the park from a grassy field

scored with dirt trails into a nature preserve of native foliage.

If the final plan includes certain paved trails, the county will

contribute $500,000 to work at Fairview Park.

The new park would eliminate many of the makeshift hillside trails

used by mountain bikers, hikers and cross-country runners.

“The proposed changes would do irreparable damage to our course,” said

Estancia High School cross-country coach Charles Appell.

Cross-country teams from Estancia and Orange Coast College use

Fairview Park as their home course.

More than a dozen other residents asked the commission to recommend

leaving the park as it is.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the Fairview Park plan in

mid-August.

HAPPY TRAILS?

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