Koll Halts Fencing of Bolsa Chica Land, Seeks Coastal Permit
The Koll Co., which wants to build 4,884 homes on land surrounding the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, confirmed Friday that it had started putting a fence around the undeveloped land without permission of the state Coastal Commission.
“We halted work on Dec. 30 after we were notified by the Coastal Commission that a permit is necessary,” said Susan Hori, an attorney for the Koll Co.. Hori said the company is now applying for a permit.
The land, which is near the intersection of Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, is unincorporated and under county jurisdiction. County officials said their regulations do not require a permit for the barbed wire fence, since it replaces a former one and is not over 6 feet tall.
Some Huntington Beach residents had complained about the fence, saying it appeared to be a “spite fence.” Hori, however, said Friday that the fence was being erected simply to protect trespassers from dangers on the undeveloped land.
“There are rattlesnakes and potholes on that land, and we simply wanted to protect against injury,” Hori said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
