Costa Mesa planners weigh Shalimar Park expansion against loss of housing units

What does an underserved community of low-income residents need more — open parkland areas or housing?

That dilemma reared its head this week, as Costa Mesa planning commissioners met to determine whether the city’s purchase of a residential property adjacent to Shalimar Park — a precursor to expanding the westside parklet — would conform to a portion of the general plan regarding open space.

City leaders are interested in acquiring the .16-acre lot, located at 778 Shalimar Drive, and potentially demolishing an aging 3,390-square-foot fourplex occupied by tenants to provide more open space in the highly developed Shalimar neighborhood.

A conceptual design for improvements at Costa Mesa’s Shalimar Park shows a fourplex (at right) that could be purchased by the city to expand the westside park space. But some are concerned about the loss of housing.

(Screenshot by Sara Cardine)

The proposal would build upon an effort to renovate the pocket park to allow for more active uses, after conceptual designs were approved in August by the City Council.

But members of the public Tuesday raised concerns about housing and the displacement of low-income residents who’d be forced to relocate from three occupied units should the city move ahead with the park plan.

Eric Jimenez, a neighbor and co-founder of Bright Youth, which unites nonprofits, businesses and community leaders to support Shalimar youth, told commissioners demolishing a four-unit apartment simply to create more open space would create challenges in an already tight housing market.

He suggested the city might retain the fourplex and transform the entire ground floor into a community center.

“This way residents could enjoy not only a brand-new renovated park, coming soon, but a center where city resources, a meeting area, books and technology can be easily accessed,” Jimenez said.

A 3,390-square-foot building, located at 778 Shalimar Drive is listed for $1.75 million.

(File Photo)

Resident Cynthia McDonald questioned eliminating residential units when city officials have been scrambling to comply with a state mandate to plan and zone for 11,760 residential units by 2029, through an update of the city’s housing element, another part of the general plan.

“It will cause the displacement of existing residents with no replacement units identified,” she said. “This is clearly inconsistent with the general plan’s housing element goal HOU-1.2 ‘to minimize the displacement risk for existing residents when considering approval of future redevelopment and public projects. I ask you to consider that.”

Commission Chair Adam Ereth emphasized Tuesday’s meeting was not about weighing in on details such as the specific use for the lot or how its purchase would be funded — it’s currently listed for $1.75 million on Redfin.com — as the ultimate decision will be up to City Council.

“The decision before us is not what we want to be there,” he said. “It’s is this use conforming to the general plan?”

Should the council decide to move forward with expanding Shalimar Park, a proposal for a conditional use permit would come before the Planning Commission, at which point the displacement and relocation of the existing tenancy could be discussed.

Similarly, any designs for the space would be reviewed by commissioners prior to final council consideration.

Commissioner Angely Andrade Vallarta said she hoped that if the property were to be purchased, city officials would engage with local residents like Jimenez to clarify a vision that worked best for neighbors.

“To eliminate housing for a park doesn’t seem the most helpful for this community that is struggling as a whole,” she said, before addressing Jimenez directly.

“Come out and make sure that it’s very clear to our leaders what we need here beyond a park,” Andrade Vallarta said. “Parks are great, we’re all for it, but tuning in to what the community needs would be great, too.”