On September 28, 2023 a project manager from the Dudek consulting firm gave a presentation on the State Region Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Project - Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The event was held at the Fairview Developmental Center (FDC) located in Costa Mesa, CA. Dudek was hired to write the EIR and give this presentation.

The Emergency Operations Center project would be built on about 15 acres of the FDC and would have a 32,000 sq. ft. single-story office building, about 20,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, a 120 foot communications tower a helipad, and a parking lot covered with solar panels, battery storage, and generators. Construction would take about 37 months. It is estimated there will be 50 full-time employees at the site and it will be used for training. In an emergency, the staffing would be ramped up considerably.

The original proposal was to build the project on 9 acres but was increased to 15 acres. How that will impact the Housing Element update that requires 11,700+ new residential units is now unclear. The City intended to zone FDC so that a large portion of the 11,700+ units could be built there but with 15 fewer acres to build housing, that task has become much harder and will likely require higher densities than originally projected.

To learn more about the Southern California Emergency Operations Center Environmental Assessment: https://oesregionsoutheoc.org/library

Written comments must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on October 20, 2023 to:
Ms. Terry Ash, Senior Environmental Planner
c/o Dudek
California Department of General Services
Real Estate Division, Project Management and Development
2635 North 1st Street, Ste. 149
San Jose, California 95134

Or via email to: [email protected]

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