Should the former oil field in Newport Beach set to be preserved as natural land for the community have park space and vista viewing spots, perhaps a few camping areas or picnic spots?
Community members are being asked to weigh in on the future of the 387-acre open space vision for the Randall Preserve — previously known as Banning Ranch — as it enters its next phase, with a series of open house events being held. The first virtual chat happened last week and several in-person events are coming up, including on Wednesday, May 21, to “help shape plans for a resilient, accessible, and ecologically vibrant coastal preserve.”
The project is led by the Coastal Corridor Alliance, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and planning team Dudek, to gain insight on community desires and long-term environmental goals.
Each session will have interactive planning stations for community members to visit, along with site history and reports shared at the event.
The land is made up of rolling hills, vast greenery and views of the blue Pacific Ocean. Since the 1940s, it has been tapped in oil production, with some 400 oil wells operating, and an estimated 17 acres will continue to be used for oil production.
Like much of the California coastline, the highly sought-after stretch of undeveloped land was eyed to be sold off to developers to build more housing.
Instead, a hard-fought, decades-long battle – and tens of millions of dollars in fundraising – has kept the 387 acres of natural space open and protected so it can now be enjoyed by the public in years to come.
The land features rich biological diversity such as marshes, mudflats and riparian and coastal sage scrub, as well as the habitat of more than 18 sensitive, threatened or endangered species, including the California gnatcatcher and the fairy shrimp.
Frank and Joann Randall donated $50 million toward the former oil field’s purchase and helped lure other funding that made a reality the $97 million purchase by the Trust for Public Land, which quickly turned the property over to the Mountains, Recreation and Conservation Authority. The MRCA is managing the restoration.
While efforts are underway to clean the property of the oil remnants — it remains off limits to the public — and remove invasive species like the ice plants that have taken over and cultivate vegetation that is native to the area, its preservers want to use the time to gather input on creating a landscape usable for the public.
The Randall Preserve borders other protected areas, making up 1,000 acres when considering nearby Sunset Ridge Park in Newport Beach and the Talbert Nature Preserve in Costa Mesa, and other areas such as Huntington State Park and nearby wetlands.
Melanie Schlotterbeck, stewardship consultant for the Coastal Corridor Alliance, the nonprofit overseeing the next stage for the Randall Preserve, said the first virtual community meeting had nearly 90 people who logged in to hear about the project.
Some participants wanted to know more about the ongoing remediation process and the buildings planned to be demolished, but those elements are out of the nonprofit’s control, she said.
“We want them to do it right and safely so the land is in tip-top shape,” she said. “And so the land is safe for people when they are on the property.”
Other people gave thoughts on what they wanted to see and be able to do, such as bird watching, hiking and vista points or overlooks.
There are maps available showing some early plans, such as a one-mile hiking loop and a parking area for about 100 cars off 17th Street.
“The rest of it will come as funding availability for staffing gets lined up,” Schlotterbeck said, “so we will start slow and build from there.”
She said it’s extremely important to have community buy-in for the land’s future.
“This is a unique opportunity and it’s required of grant funding for the property’s acquisition, both public review, but also agencies and partners,” she said, noting that the land is next to Talbert Regional Park and Sunset Ridge, which could connect trails in the future if the managers collaborate.
“It’s not every day you get to provide input on a new preserve in your neighborhood,” she added. “This is your chance to provide us with ideas and feedback and review the early plans we have drafted. We are ready to listen to your ideas.”
Upcoming sessions are 7 to 9 p.m. on May 21 at FLDWRK, 150 Paularino Ave., Costa Mesa; 7 to 9 p.m. on June 2 at the Norma Hertzog Center, 1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa; and 4 to 6 p.m. on June 21 at the Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Drive.