New Group Takes Up Bolsa Chica Banner : Environment: CoOp seeks to ensure that only a small number of houses are built around the rim of the wetlands area. Development plans are to be revealed today.

Once again, battle lines are being drawn over the Bolsa Chica area.

Although a multigovernment agreement two years ago ensured the preservation of most of the wetlands, plans for residential development around the rim of the brackish bays are now drawing fire from a newly formed citizens’ group.

The group, which calls itself CoOp (short for the Consortium of Organizations Planning for Bolsa Chica), has announced that it is demanding that only a small number of new houses be allowed near the Bolsa Chica wetlands. CoOp says it also opposes construction of a proposed connecting street in the wetlands area.

CoOp says it represents 15 organizations with a total membership of 10,000 people. The group announced its low-development goals just as the major developer, the Koll Co., prepared to unveil its housing plans for the Bolsa Chica area this afternoon.

A major item expected to be revealed by Koll today is the number of houses the company would like to build around the wetlands. Although city planners have said up to 5,700 houses could be built, Koll--which is handling development plans for the land owner, Signal Landmark--has never revealed how many it plans.

“I think you will find on Wednesday (at the unveiling ceremony) that the density we are proposing is significantly less than 5,700,” Lucy Dunn, Koll senior vice president, said Tuesday. She declined to reveal any specifics before today’s presentation.

Ralph Bauer, spokesman for CoOp, said Tuesday that the citizens’ coalition opposes any housing except on bluff land above the Bolsa Chica wetlands. Bauer said there are 245 acres of the bluff-top terrain, dubbed Bolsa Mesa. Any housing plan there should only encompass four homes per acre, he said.

Bauer said the coalition believes that 980 homes are all that should be built around Bolsa Chica.

At a meeting Monday afternoon with the Huntington Beach City Council, Bauer said CoOp wants people throughout the city to be involved in the planning process for the Bolsa Chica area. He also pledged that the new organization would try to work harmoniously with city planners.

“The name of our organization is well chosen because we intend to be cooperative,” Bauer said.

Mayor Peter M. Green told Bauer that the city’s staff will periodically meet with CoOp members and help explain the planning process for Bolsa Chica.

“I think your organization is doing the city a favor by bringing so many community groups together so that we can talk to them at the same time,” the mayor told Bauer.

The member organizations of CoOp are: Huntington Beach Tomorrow, Save Our Parks, Huntington Harbour Property Assn., Huntington Seacliff Homeowners Assn., Sunset Heights Homeowners, Seabridge Homeowners, Huntington Beach Mobile Homeowners, Seacliff on the Greens Community Assn., Portofino Condo Assn., Faire Marin Homeowners, Country View Estates, Committee of 400, Community Against Relocating Pacific Coast Highway, Christiana Bay Homeowners and Harbour Coves Homeowners.