Development of Bolsa Chica

Your recent article on Bolsa Chica reflects the excellent spirit of volunteers who assist in the cleanup of trash in the wetlands area. Unfortunately, you misrepresented the plans for development and expansion of the wildlife reserve.

As owners of most of the Bolsa Chica property, Signal Bolsa Corp. is cooperating with the County of Orange, the state Department of Fish and Game, the Coastal Conservancy and other regulatory agencies on plans that will expand the Bolsa Chica wildlife reserve from its present 150 acres of restored marshland to more than 900 acres of functioning coastal marsh.

The Bolsa Chica lowlands have been in private ownership since the admission of California as a state, and before, under Mexican land grants. Therefore, any restoration of wetlands will come about only by cooperation of the property owner and the state of California.

In order to help provide the necessary ocean tide flow for expansion of the wetlands reserve, Signal has agreed with public agencies on plans that call for restoration of the ocean channel to Bolsa Chica Bay, which was blocked off in the last century.

Under design by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the channel will also allow for navigable access for a public marina on 75 acres and some 200 acres of waterfront homes on Signal property. The remaining private development will be on Signal property on uplands along Warner Avenue. It is intended that the county of Orange will operate the public marina.

We believe that the Signal Bolsa Corp. has gone more than an extra mile to accomplish a plan that balances public wildlife and recreation needs with the private use of our property.

To be characterized as we were in your article as “developers who want to turn most of the area into an exclusive marina for expensive homes . . . “ is a disservice to us as well as to the broader public interest, and it does not provide accurate information to your readers.

WILLIAM R. ALLEN

Executive vice president

and general counsel,

Signal Bolsa Corp.