Envisioning the Future of Bolsa Chica Wetlands

* In this new age of conservation, it is exciting to see developers opting to preserve natural habitats such as the Bolsa Chica wetlands. Why are people, including the County of Orange with its alternative plan, trying to impede Koll Real Estate Group’s efforts to restore and protect our wetlands?

I would not classify myself as a hard-core environmentalist, but I do know a good deal when I see one. The landowner is offering full funding to restore the wetlands, provide diversified housing and create much needed jobs and revenue for our community.

We should take advantage of the opportunity in front of us. We can’t continue to pound the Bolsa Chica plan into a meaningless vision of what we would like to see but that can never be accomplished.

We should not allow ourselves to slip into a time where the needs of the environment are put on the back burner, while politics and ignorance create constant gridlock and no progress is made.

GEORGE JURICA

Irvine

* Regarding the story “Bone Sites Verified at Bolsa Chica (Feb. 15),” the Koll Co. and Lucy Dunn, their senior vice president, is saying so many things about the bones on the Bolsa Chica that I think she needs help keeping her stories straight.

In regards to whether human remains have been found on the Bolsa Chica, Koll said in an official report to the county that there have been no human bones found. At the Jan. 31 town hall meeting, Dunn stated, before an audience of 600 citizens, that the bone fragments in question were only the size of a quarter. Today she is quoted as saying, “There is no question that the site is of great importance to the ancient history of Orange County,” after a map has come to light that proves, according to The Times, that there are “at least 20 sites where bone matter has been found.”

Koll says the proposed development will bring many jobs to the area in the future. The Koll Co. can help the unemployment situation right now by hiring someone who can either tell the truth about what is actually happening on the Bolsa Chica or at the very least keep spinning the stories in a more believable manner.

C.C. HEGGO

Laguna Beach

* Commentaries on the Bolsa Chica project by Councilman Dave Sullivan and Lucy Dunn, Koll Real Estate Group senior vice president, were presented Feb. 13.

Councilman Sullivan addressed some issues of great concern to the community of Huntington Beach and our organization, the Amigos de Bolsa Chica. He was concerned that Koll could go forward with mesa development without any wetlands restoration. However, the Bolsa Chica Coalition Concept Plan that both he and Ms. Dunn refer to specifically deals with this. Essentially, the plan provides that for any development to take place on the mesa, it must first provide for wetlands restoration--with funding mechanisms in place ahead of development.

The Amigos share his concern about impacts the proposed project would have on the community, both financially and environmentally. We continue to meet with the Koll Co., addressing our concerns about both the lead agency and density issues.

It’s imperative that community participation be optimized throughout the process of determining what happens with the Bolsa Chica area. We heartily endorse Sullivan’s call for a conscientious effort by the county to thoroughly address these impacts. We call on the county to make every effort possible to solicit the input of the citizens of Huntington Beach at every step of the process.

CHUCK NELSON

President, Amigos de Bolsa Chica