Bolsa Chica Development Plan Would Restore Wetlands, Improve Economy

* Flossie Horgan’s letter (Jan. 2) asks: “What is the worth of Bolsa Chica?” As president of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, she hopes to persuade the Koll Real Estate Group to sell the property to her group, which includes many homeowners living adjacent to the property.

In existence for nearly two years, the Land Trust has reportedly raised about $40,000, most of which has gone into operational costs for mailing new letters and producing an emotional video opposing Koll’s project. How much of this $40,000 is actually left?

If Koll’s property is worth $1 million per acre, or even if it’s worth 1/10th of that, the land would be worth $170 million. How many acres of ocean-front property can they really buy?

From reading her letter and the others published last Sunday, you could easily miss the fact that Koll has offered to donate 75% of Bolsa Chica to the public, restore dying wetlands and increase the amount of public open space and recreation--entirely at Koll’s expense.

You really can’t blame these people for wanting the government to purchase Bolsa Chica so that the open space next to their homes would be preserved. However, I don’t want my tax dollars spent on something that Koll is offering to the public for free. Let’s have “Restoration without Taxation!”

ROBERT GEBAUER

Huntington Beach

* I note with outrage that the Huntington Beach City Council approved spending $133,000 for outside consultants to monitor the county (environmental impact report) of the previously approved Bolsa Chica Coalition Plan. In a time of tight budgets, this spending is clearly not right.

The city has staff planners and attorneys being paid big-time salaries who could just as well do the review. What do these people do, if they are not qualified to support the city’s administrative functions?

The former mayor, Grace Winchell, voted in favor of the 1989 Bolsa Chica Coalition Plan, yet is now acting as if the Coalition Plan is something dreamed up solely by the Koll Co. The Coalition Plan was drafted with input and agreement from the city, including council approval.

The county is selling the Bolsa Chica EIR for $60, and to date there have been 150 copies purchased! That tells me that Ph.D.s and lawyers affiliated with the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, and Huntington Beach Tomorrow, will scrutinize it to death. The city does not need to spend yet more scarce taxpayer money on the review.

For $133,000 we could fund two police officers, which would be money much better spent. Businesses are leaving the city, the tax base is being eroded by declining real estate values, and this council sits idly by, avoiding a great chance to add to the tax base, create jobs, and create added sales tax revenue.

For the council to obstruct a financially viable plan to improve the environment while at the same time improving our local economy, is not in the best interest of the residents. I intend to hold each of (them) accountable at election time.

STEVEN D. ANDERSON

Huntington Beach