Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE IN ORANGE COUNTY NEWS : CITIES : Wave of Opponents Fails to Stop Pierside Village

Overcoming a last-ditch appeal by a residents’ group, the Huntington Beach City Council unanimously approved a $27-million shopping and restaurant complex at the foot of the pier.

City officials believe the project will give the city a much-needed face lift, but during a four-hour council meeting there was considerable disagreement among the 300 residents who participated.

Opponents of the project, called Pierside Village, charged that the plan was being pushed through by a “pro-development” City Council.

Lance Jacot criticized the replacement of a city planning commissioner by Councilman Jack Kelly. Jacot charged that the commissioner, Jean Schumacher, was replaced last month because she opposed the project.

“I’ve seen some bottom-of-the-barrel maneuvers before, but that was the worst,” Jacot said from the podium.

Other speakers urged approval of the 87,000-square-foot project on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway, citing deterioration in the area, the lack of amenities and high crime rate. One speaker referred to the downtown section as a “drug-infested environment.”

The project’s supporters, who appeared to make up half the crowd, said they had been given adequate details of the plan.

“I’ve never lived in a community that’s kept me more informed,” said James Johnson.

Once completed, the project would mark the first step in the city’s plan to renovate the downtown area.