HUNTINGTON BEACH : Action Delayed on Downtown Project

The City Council has postponed a vote on plans for a second phase of downtown redevelopment until its Oct. 19 meeting.

The council Monday night delayed action on the project in an attempt to resolve differences between the city’s planning staff and Jon Coultrup, the developer.

The planning staff has called for Coultrup’s plans to include more open space for the public, such as small plazas, green areas and bicycle racks. Coultrup, however, told the council he thinks the plan should be approved as is.

At issue is the section of downtown that includes the north side of Main Street between Pacific Coast Highway and Walnut Street and the two blocks bounded by 5th, 6th, and Walnut streets, and Pacific Coast Highway.

Coultrup’s proposed development would renovate the area by building new stores, offices and housing units to complement downtown renovation already completed on the south side of Main Street. City planners said Coultrup’s plan has good points but needs to be improved by adding more public open space.

The City Council instructed its staff to work with Coultrup in trying to iron out a compromise.

The council sided with Coultrup’s argument that there should be no commercial development on Pacific Coast Highway between 5th and 6th streets.

By contrast, the city staff had argued that commercial development is important and needed in that block. City Community Development Director Mike Adams told the council that unless there is commercial development in that block, pedestrians would not be enticed to walk to Main Street stores.

Most of the people who testified during a lengthy public hearing Monday night spoke in favor of Coultrup’s plan. An exception was Jerry Buchanan, an official of the Huntington Beach City School District, who opposed the plan because he said the developer is not providing enough funds for future school needs in the area.