OCC's Scaled-back "Modernization" Plan Unveiled

A STANDING-ROOM-ONLY CROWD
Wednesday evening officials from Orange Coast College unveiled their scaled-back "modernization" plans to a standing-room-only room full of residents and students in the library building on campus.  My best guess is that about 50 people attended the meeting - fewer than previous meetings and, interestingly, not a single City of Costa Mesa senior staffer was present.

BENNETT THE MC
Doug Bennett, Executive Director of College Advancement for OCC explained the format of the meeting, then introduced Dr. Dennis Harkins, President of OCC.

DR. HARKINS EXPLAINS THE CHANGES
Dr. Harkins spoke very briefly about the new plan - he made a point to be sure we understood that this was a brand new plan, with a new Environmental Impact Report.  He also made sure we understood this was a "modernization plan",  NOT a "growth plan", since OCC presently is well below the high point of enrollment a few decades ago.  This plan presumes a student population of 28,000 by 2020.

(Click on Image to enlarge)

Issues being presented at this meeting were Traffic, Student Housing and Health issues.

• The parking structure - that would have accommodated 2,000 cars - has been moved on-campus.  There is no funding for it yet - Dr. Harkins told it is several years off.
• The gymnasium will be relocated closer to the football field.
• There will be some solar panels covering part of the parking lot.
• The Recycle Center will be enhanced, with more parking available.
• The Planetarium is ready to be built.
• The controversial College Village - which had included a hotel - is on hold and will require a separate CEQA report.
• Some of the historic buildings will be retained, including some of them by renowned architect Richard Neutra.  However, some of those will be removed.

PAGEL EXPLAINS THE FORMAT
Rich Pagel, Vice President of Administrative Services, expanded on the current plans and told the audience that there will be tables around the perimeter of the room at which experts in each of the fields being discussed that night were available to answer all questions.  However, there would be NO public comments before the group - a "recorder" was available to take questions/comments to become part of the permanent record of the meeting.

PART OF THE MEETING HIJACKED
With that announcement the audience was unleashed to wander around, talking to experts.  However, not everyone was happy about that.  A local architect named John Linnert sprung to his feet with an associate, whipped out a chart showing an alternative plan and hijacked the meeting - at least, in part.  He held court for nearly an hour - he was still going on and on and on when I left - preaching to an amorphous, but attentive group of mostly students.  There was no attempt to stop him, which seemed like the right decision.

INPUT WILL BE COLLECTED AND COLLATED
So, the information provided at this meeting will be consolidated and become part of the report and will impact how the college will move forward with this project.  Most of the things that caused nearby neighbors heartburn - the hotel and parking structure, for example - have been put on hold.  Progress is being made.

THE NEW RECYCLING CENTER
OCC's Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Mike Carey, explains his new Recycling Center to an interested visitor.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO....
If you wish to read the full documents, the brief overview (11 pages) can be found HERE.
The Full Revised Master Plan (550 pages) can be found HERE.
And, for you diehards, the full technical information (4,754 pages) can be found HERE.

The PDF does not provide a table of contents but I have listed the Appendices and there starting and ending pages which are as Follows:

Appendix A – NOP/Initial Study (page 1 – 91) and Comment Letters (pages 97-126)

Appendix B – Air Quality and GHG Emissions Calculations (pages 127 – 1378)

Appendix C – Biological Resources Letter Report (pages 1379 – 1434)

Appendix D – Cultural Reports – Part 1 (pages 1435 – 1580)

Dudek letter on:  Negative Phase I Findings for the CCCD Vision 2020 Plan, Orange Coast College Project, Orange County, CA (Pages 1437 – 1446)

Historic Resources Technical Report – Jan Ostashay, Principal, Ostashay & Associates Consulting, Long Beach, CA (Pages 1447 – 1555)

Paleontological Resource Survey – Paleo Solutions, Monrovia, CA (Pages 1557 – 1580)

Appendix D – Cultural Reports Part 2 (pages 1581 – 3457)

            Historic Resource Report – Page & Turnbull, Los Angeles, CA (pages 1583 – 3457)

Appendix E – Hazards Assessment – (pages 3459 – 4180)

Appendix F – Noise Calculations – (pages 4181 – 4188)

Appendix G – Traffic Impact Analysis, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Irvine, CA – (pages 4189 – 4754)

OCC Trims Expansion Plans

FOURTH IN A SERIES
In the fourth and not the final such meeting, last night officials from Orange Coast College provided insight into the current status of their optimistic planning for their Vision 2020 Master Plan.  Unlike some of the previous meetings, this was not a public hearing with all the formality that entails.  Rather, it was a chance for the college officials to provide feedback to the community and acknowledge their concerns, suggestions, observations and recommendations made at previous meetings.

BENNETT KICKED OFF
Doug Bennett, Executive Director, College Advancement, kicked the meeting off, introduced the various OCC staff members and consultants present, then promptly tossed the ball to President Dennis Harkins, who took us through a slide presentation, shown below, assisted by Vice President Rich Pagel.

STRATEGIC GOALS

THE PLANNING PROCESS

 THEY LISTENED AND CONTROVERSIAL ELEMENTS REMOVED
Perhaps the biggest surprise to most in attendance last night was the fact that OCC has made a major shift in their plans and have removed two major elements - those that seemed to be the most controversial and troublesome to community members at previous meetings.  After going through a prioritizing exercise they decided to REMOVE the OCC Village (including the hotel) and the Parking Structure on the grounds of the Orange County Fair and Event Center from their plans.

They also decided to recirculate the New Environmental Impact Report this summer; review and recommend alternatives for repurpose of Student Services and Administration and to continue to engage the Campus Community.

 There are a couple "shovel-ready" projects ready to go - the Planetarium and the Recycling Center.

 PLANETARIUM

 RECYCLING CENTER

 LARGE TURNOUT OF INQUISITIVE INDIVIDUALS

More than five dozen people showed up for this meeting, including City of Costa Mesa Staffers Gary Armstrong - Director of Economic and Development Services and Deputy CEO - and Ernesto Munoz - Director of Public Services.  Councilwoman Sandra Genis was also present, as were representatives from the Orange County Fair Board.

FIELDING QUESTIONS
For nearly an hour Harkins and Pagel fielded questions regarding a wide variety of issues, including Measure M funding; campus housing; enrollment projections; the recycling center improvements; the EIR and the timing for review of that document.  Residents wanted to know if OCC will become a 4-year school; whether the proposed on-campus housing would increase or diminish vehicular traffic; whether "bikeability and walkability" were included in their plans and whether the expansion plans and presumed additional traffic might increase pressure from Orange County officials to re-examine the issue of bridges across the Santa Ana River at Gisler and 19th Streets.

PRIVATELY-OPERATED HOUSING
We learned, among other things, that the proposed student housing would be operated by a private contractor with experience in that kind of business.  We learned that one of the goals was to provide an affordable "on-campus experience" for students.

UNHAPPY CAMPERS
Other residents expressed frustration about noise spilling off campus and the traffic new housing may bring.

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY?
The revised Environmental Impact Report will be circulated early this summer and all who filled out their contact information last night or previously will be notified.  When asked how it could be reviewed we were told it would be available in the campus library - viewed by most as an unsatisfactory solution.  Several people requested (demanded) that it be made available in an electronic format to help avoid public records requests.  The answer to that question was vague, unfortunately.

WHAT'S NEXT?
There will be at least one more of these meetings - sometime during the summer.  You can read the schedule below.

COSTA MESA BRIEF ON THE SCENE
Oops... almost forgot to mention.  In addition to Bradley Zint from the Daily Pilot and Jordan Graham from the Orange County Register, Barry Friedland was on hand to make a video record of this meeting which will probably appear on his Costa Mesa Brief YouTube Channel within a few days.  Thanks to Barry for continuing to provide the community with important coverage of events.

OCC Information Meeting Not So Informative

 DR. HARKINS TOOK THE LEAD
Thursday evening Orange Coast College President Dr. Dennis Harkins and his staff held an informational meeting on campus to attempt to bring interested parties up to speed on the progress of the planned more than $600 million expansion as presented in their original plan, Vision 2020, HERE, and now being fleshed out in preparation of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

FAIR REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
There were around 50 people in the room, including OCC staffers and members of the Orange County Fair and Event Center Board.  New OCFEC CEO Kathy Kramer, former interim CEO Doug Lofstrom and board member Stan Tkaczyk sat off to the side, observing and participating when asked.  Costa Mesa Councilwoman Sandra Genis attended and lent her expertise as a land planner and EIR expert.  Coast Community College District Trustee Mary Hornbuckle and former Costa Mesa Councilman Jay Humphrey were among us in the small crowd.

  MEDIA, TOO
The real media was represented by Nicole Shine of the Daily Pilot and Jordan Graham of the Orange County Register.

PROCESS DELAYED BY COMPLICATIONS
Harkins kicked off this third community meeting - the previous two were held last summer - by telling the assembled group that he had expected to be finished with this process by now and had hoped to have the completed EIR and his staff recommendations to the Coast Community College District Trustees by now, but there were complications, including the identification of certain historical buildings that may occupy up to 40 acres of the 160 acre campus site.  That may cause a change in plans.  He explained that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires significant study of projects such as the one proposed.

SOME OF THE ISSUES
Rich Pagel then took over for a short time and outlined some of the issues brought up at previous meetings and by correspondence from the community which are now being studied in depth:

• Traffic Problems - A consultant has been hired and a report is due in mid-March
• Parking Structure - There is an issue with an $8 million pedestrian bridge proposed by the City of Costa Mesa, which includes complications with Edison power lines.
• State Funding - No statewide funding measures were on the November ballot - a rarity, and one that complicates the fulfillment of this project.
• Historic Buildings - Certain buildings on campus - those designed by Master Architect Richard Neutra -  have been identified as having historical significance.  They may take up a quarter of the campus footprint, which will cause some serious re-thinking of the plan.
• The OCC Village - A consultant has been retained to assist with this segment of the plan.

LOOKING FOR AN APRIL DATE
Pagel told us that the studies are on-going and it is hoped to get the CEQA document to the Board of Trustees by April.  That will be preceded by yet another community meeting at which time many questions will have been answered and more community input will be gathered.

TWO "SHOVEL READY" PROJECTS
Harkins then took back the microphone and expanded on some of the issues.  He told us that there are two projects virtually "shovel ready".  Those are the expansion of the Recycling Center - the last remaining such facility in the City - and a new Planetarium.

LOTS OF QUESTIONS, NOT ENOUGH ANSWERS
He then fielded questions, but many of those were unfulfilled.  We were told this was not a CEQA meeting, and that that process is ongoing so many of the questions could not yet be answered.  A good deal of frustration was expressed by many attendees, as they attempted to pin down Harkins and the staff on issues important to them.

HORNBUCKLE CALMS THE CROWD
At one point Hornbuckle made her way to the front of the room, took the microphone and calmed things down.  In her own special way she explained the process and that this is a very long range plan so it's taking time to get it right.  She emphasized that what we see in the plan now may not be the final version.  As the CEQA document is completed and the staff assesses the information it's likely that some elements currently in the plan will be either modified significantly or dropped altogether.

STUDENT INPUT, TOO
There was a point where the issue of student input was brought up, at which time Lisa Meyer - who identified herself as a student and a "regional delegate" - stepped up to explain her views on things like the proposed 145 room hotel on the plan.  She explained that it would be used as a training ground as part of the renowned Hospitality program, with students learning by doing.  Although Harkins, Hornbuckle and the staff seemed uneasy with her stepping up to speak - citing that she had not been "prepped" - Meyer did a fine job and received a round of applause from the crowd.

PROCESS CONTINUES
So, the upshot of this meeting was that not too much new was learned about this enormous project, particularly by those who had attended the previous meetings.  Several studies are currently underway which will, hopefully, provide some answers.  We learned that we get another shot at this issue in April, before the CEQA document is presented to the Board of Trustees.  In the meantime, Harkins and his staff encouraged members of the public to be in touch with them with their concerns/input.  At one point someone mentioned that 28 letters had been received by concerned individuals.  We now mark time until the April meeting.