HUNTINGTON BEACH : Various Groups to Meet at ‘Congress’

City officials have begun planning a Community Congress--a meeting of residents, educators, business and civic leaders--that will take place early next year to discuss the future of Huntington Beach.

The one-day event, tentatively set for January, is designed to bring together representatives from among diverse interests to help forge a consensus on municipal goals for the next 20 years, officials said.

City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga proposed the idea, one he says he has used in other cities to help bridge communication gaps between those with conflicting interests. Since becoming the city’s chief executive in February, Uberuaga has made a point of giving the public a greater voice in the city’s future.

“The event is designed to move out of day-to-day issues and into the realm of future planning, with an eye toward . . . building community consensus,” Uberuaga said in a report presented to the City Council. The council approved the proposal earlier this month.

Although the topics to be discussed at the meeting are yet to be determined, Uberuaga said the gathering is likely to address development, financial planning, waste-reduction and education.

To plan the event, the City Council will appoint representatives from seven city organizations: the Chamber of Commerce, the Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley Board of Realtors, Golden West College, the Huntington Beach Union High School District, the Visitors and Convention Bureau, and environmental groups such as Amigos de Bolsa Chica and Huntington Beach Tomorrow.

Several city department heads will work with the planning committee to set up the congress.