Costa Mesa : Oil-Field Condominium Proposal Withdrawn

In a surprise move, backers of a condominium development proposed for construction on an active oil field have withdrawn their request for City Council approval of the project.

The withdrawal came Monday night, minutes after an environmental impact report for the development received unanimous council approval.

Gerrel Barto, chairman of Costa Mesa-based Ocean Development Co., which sought city approval to build 160 condominiums on a 10.9-acre parcel on 18th Street, said later that the project was abandoned because the council appeared unlikely to approve it.

Ocean Development wanted the council to defer a vote on the project until after a special study session could be scheduled to permit company spokesmen to speak with council members about the project.

However, when the council took no action on that request Monday, the company decided to scrap the project altogether.

“In that atmosphere, we made the decision to withdraw the project because it was apparent that it wasn’t going to get the consideration it deserved,” Barto said.

Councilman Dave Wheeler, who said Ocean Development might have withdrawn the project because it “saw the handwriting on the wall,” conceded that the council probably would have voted against the project, but said it would have provided the developer “guidance” on future proposals for the oil-field area.

Barto refused to elaborate on what may become of the oil field, which he said is worth $2 million to $5 million. “We are considering some other possibilities,” he said. “There will be something built on that property, but it’s just a matter of what, when and by whom.”