What’s the best trail for Fairview Park?

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- Dirt trails versus concrete trails: Which of these is

better for Fairview Park?

This will be discussed tonight when the City Council debates several

proposed changes to the trails at the site of what has become the poster

child for those who want to keep some of the last vestiges of natural

habitat in the city.

At the park Sunday, Mesa Verde residents Jeff and Ildiko Allen watched

their daughter Kristina fly a kite. Adding new pavement to the park, they

said, didn’t sound like an attractive idea.

“This place is the only natural wildlife we have,” Jeff said. “Give me

a break. This place is perfect the way it is.”

But there are range of possible changes to the trails being discussed,

and some of the less extreme options struck the Allens as being

potentially useful.

One of the changes proposed in the Fairview Park Master Plan is to

turn the paved multipurpose trail next to Fairview Channel into a dirt

trail for pedestrians.

Another proposed amendment to the plan includes a requirement that all

new trails be made with natural materials. A third proposal is to allow

concrete instead of asphalt on paved trails.

City staff is recommending the council deny the request that all new

trails be made of natural materials, approve the use of concrete instead

of asphalt and approve the depaving of the Fairview Channel trail.

The city plans to convert the park from a grassy field scored with

dirt trails into a nature preserve of native foliage.

The balanced approach, said Mayor Gary Monahan, aims to strike a

compromise between the desire to retain the natural environment of the

park and the need to have safe, durable trails.

“It’s a difficult bridge to travel,” he said. “We’ll come up with

something that hopefully will please everybody.”

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

contribute $500,000 to use for Fairview Park improvements.

The changes were on the council’s agenda for consideration Aug. 7, but

the issue was postponed because Councilwoman Libby Cowan was absent the

meeting.

The planning commission voted to recommend the changes to the council

in July.

FYI

The council will meet at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

For more information, call (714) 754-5223.