Huntington Harbour Residents’ Suit Targets Condos : Development: Huntington Beach relied on ‘false’ earthquake safety data for high-rise project, documents say. Trial is set for Feb. 1.

An attorney for some Huntington Harbour residents has charged in court documents that the city relied upon “false and apparently fraudulent” earthquake-safety data in approving a high-rise condominium project now almost completed in the harbor’s waterfront area.

The documents are part of a civil suit challenging construction of the condos. Trial is scheduled to start Feb. 1 in Superior Court. The suit seeks to halt construction and possibly tear down all or part of the high-rise project.

Jonathan Lehrer-Graiwer, a lawyer representing Huntington Harbour residents opposed to the condos, said Wednesday that the project straddles the Newport-Inglewood fault. Lehrer-Graiwer said the city relied on “false” information that claimed the fault is no longer active in that part of Huntington Harbour.

But Mike Adams, the city’s director of community development, defended the project on Wednesday, saying city staff had carefully checked for earthquake safety before recommending approval of the building plans.

“The information we got included an independent engineer hired by the city to study the (earthquake-safety) documents,” Adams said. “As far as we could determine, the condos were designed for safety and are being built out of harm’s way.”

At issue in the controversy is a 36-unit, four-story condominium project at 4123 Warner Ave., facing the Huntington Harbour waterfront. The project is being built by Coultrup Development Co.

Huntington Harbour is an enclave of single-family homes ranging upward from $1 million each. Some residents have vehemently opposed the condos, and three filed a civil suit to halt construction.

John Kerkes, one of the residents who filed the suit, said Wednesday that the project blocks the ocean view for existing residents and lowers property values.

In rebuttal, Jon Coultrup, president of Coultrup Development Co., said, “This (project) is a beautiful addition to the harbor. It’s been approved by both the City Council and the California Coastal Commission. The people opposing this are small in number, and they’re just making a last hurrah. We’ve won every time we’ve been challenged on this.”

As for the disputed earthquake safety data, Huntington Beach City Atty. Gail C. Hutton said, “What we’re talking about here is a conflict of opinion among experts, and that conflict is something for the judge or a jury to decide.”

Lehrer-Graiwer, the attorney for the residents opposed to the project, noted that the city has already admitted making one mistake about earthquake safety related to the condos. Last July, the city staff acknowledged there was an “error found in the original plotting of a seismic setback” for the condos.

The City Council on July 2 therefore had to vote again on the project and approved the revised plan. Councilman Peter M. Green, who is now mayor, and Councilwoman Grace Winchell voted against the project.