Fairway Three at Newport Beach Country Club: What the New 78-Unit Approval Means for Newport Center

Newport Center is changing faster than at any point in the last few decades. First came the Ritz-Carlton Residences. Then the Related California towers replacing Big Newport. Now there is a new name on the list: Fairway Three, a potential residential project of up to 78 homes on the Newport Beach Country Club property.

On September 17, 2026, the Newport Beach Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve a development agreement for the project. Headlines can make it sound like shovels are about to hit the ground, but that isn't what happened. Here's what the approval actually does, what comes next, and what it means if you own, or are thinking about buying, in and around Newport Center.

What Is Fairway Three?

Fairway Three is a proposed residential project on the northeastern portion of the Newport Beach Country Club, near Santa Barbara Drive and the edge of Newport Center. The city lists the site as 1 Clubhouse Drive.

The applicant is Eagle Four Partners, the same group behind the Ritz-Carlton Residences at the VEA Newport Beach campus. That matters. This developer has already shown it can take a high-profile Newport Center project through the city's approval process.

The key facts:

• Units: Up to 78 homes
• Location: Northeastern portion of Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Center
• Developer: Eagle Four Partners
• Approval: Development agreement approved by the Planning Commission, 5-0, on September 17, 2026
• Next step: City Council review of the development agreement

What Was Actually Approved (And What Wasn't)

The Planning Commission approved a development agreement, not a building.

No plans have been submitted yet, and no construction is proposed at this time. Before anything gets built, the project still needs:

1. A site development review (the actual design and site plan)
2. A tentative tract map (to create the legal lots and define the project boundaries)
3. Building permits

Any future project will also go back before the Planning Commission for review.

So what does the development agreement do? It gives Eagle Four Partners a vested right to develop the project for five years in exchange for negotiated public benefits to the city. One commissioner summed it up as the developer "reserving" 78 units within the Newport Center housing overlay.

Bottom line: Fairway Three is real and moving forward, but it's early. This is the first step, not the last.

The Numbers Behind the Deal

Under the agreement, the developer would pay $128,205 per unit in public benefit fees, or roughly $9.99 million at full buildout.

City staff estimated how that money breaks down:

• Park fees: About $4.68 million
• Development impact fees: About $2 million
• Discretionary public benefits: About $3.32 million, to be spent at the City Council's discretion

How Big Will Fairway Three Be?

This is the question I get most, so let's be clear: Fairway Three is not a high-rise tower project in the way the Related California towers are.

The city's housing opportunity overlay requires a density of 20 to 50 homes per acre. To hit 78 units, city staff estimated the Fairway Three site would need to be about 1.5 acres. That points toward a compact, lower-profile residential project rather than a 22-story tower.

We won't know the final design, height, or product type (condos, townhomes, or apartments) until plans are submitted. With my construction background, I'll be watching closely for the site plan. On a golf course site, massing, setbacks, and view corridors will matter as much as the unit count.

It's also worth knowing that the Newport Beach Country Club's 128.49-acre property includes a second housing opportunity site on its southern portion. Fairway Three may not be the last residential project on the club's land.

Where Fairway Three Fits in the Newport Center Pipeline

Fairway Three is one piece of a much larger shift. Newport Beach's Housing Element sets a cap of 2,439 housing units for the Newport Center area, and the projects are stacking up:

• Ritz-Carlton Residences (900 Newport Center Drive): 159 branded residences in a 22-story building, also by Eagle Four Partners
• Related California Towers (210 and 300 Newport Center Drive): Two 22-story towers with 150 condominiums replacing the Big Newport theater, upheld by the City Council in April 2026
• Villas Fashion Island Expansion (800 San Clemente Drive): 184 apartments by the Irvine Company, under construction with completion targeted for 2028
• Irvine Company Newport Center Pipeline: Up to 1,500 units allocated within the North Newport Center Planned Community
• Fairway Three (Newport Beach Country Club): Up to 78 homes, development agreement approved September 2026

City staff noted that Fairway Three's 78 units fit within the overall Newport Center cap, with capacity remaining for other projects.

What Fairway Three Means for Buyers and Sellers

Here's my take as a fifth-generation Newport Beach local who has watched this area evolve my whole life.

For Buyers

New inventory near Fashion Island is coming, but slowly. Between the entitlement steps still ahead and construction timelines, Fairway Three homes are likely years away. If you want to be close to Fashion Island and the golf course now, the resale market is still your best option. That includes buildings like The Meridian on Santa Barbara Drive and the existing homes around Newport Center.

Golf course adjacency is rare. Few new Newport Beach projects will ever sit directly on a private country club course. If Fairway Three moves forward as a for-sale product, I'd expect strong interest from buyers who want a lock-and-leave lifestyle steps from Fashion Island.

For Sellers

Newport Center is being reinvested in. Billions of dollars in new residential, hospitality, and retail activity signal long-term confidence in this part of the city. For owners near Newport Center, that investment generally supports the area's appeal.

Watch your view corridor. If you own near the northeastern side of the country club, the future site plan is worth tracking. Height and placement will determine whether nearby views are affected. That's something I can help you evaluate when plans are filed.

The Ballot Factor

Newport Beach voters will weigh in on a housing-related ballot measure on November 3, 2026. How the election outcome interacts with projects like Fairway Three, which is only partway through the approval process, is something every Newport Center owner should keep an eye on. I'll post an update once results are in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fairway Three in Newport Beach?

Fairway Three is a proposed residential project of up to 78 homes on the northeastern portion of the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Center. The developer is Eagle Four Partners.

Was Fairway Three approved?

The Newport Beach Planning Commission approved a development agreement for Fairway Three on September 17, 2026, by a 5-0 vote. The agreement still goes to the City Council. No building plans have been submitted, and the project still needs a site development review, a tentative tract map, and building permits.

Who is developing Fairway Three?

Eagle Four Partners, the same developer behind the Ritz-Carlton Residences at the VEA Newport Beach campus in Newport Center.

How many homes will Fairway Three have?

Up to 78 homes. The city's housing overlay requires 20 to 50 units per acre, so staff estimated the site would be about 1.5 acres.

Will Fairway Three be a high-rise?

Nothing has been designed yet, but the unit count and site size suggest a compact, lower-profile project rather than a tower like the Related California or Ritz-Carlton buildings.

When will Fairway Three be built?

There's no construction timeline yet. The development agreement gives the developer a vested right to build for five years, but plans, a site development review, and a tract map still have to be approved first.

How much will the developer pay the city?

About $9.99 million in public benefit fees ($128,205 per unit), covering park fees, development impact fees, and discretionary public benefits.

Will Fairway Three affect home values near Newport Beach Country Club?

It's too early to say for any specific property. Continued investment in Newport Center has historically supported the area's desirability, but individual homes, especially those with views across the course, should be evaluated once a site plan is available.

Thinking About Buying or Selling Near Newport Center?

Newport Center is going through its biggest transformation in decades, and knowing which projects are real, which are years out, and which could affect your property is a real advantage.

I'm Harrison White, a Broker Associate with Compass on the Mason Taylor Associates team and a fifth-generation Newport Beach local with a background in construction. I track every major project around Fashion Island so my clients can make decisions with the full picture.

Contact me today for a private consultation on buying, selling, or understanding how Newport Center's development pipeline affects your home.