Bolsa Chica Project Seen as Boon and Example of Flawed Planning

* Huntington Beach City Councilman Dave Sullivan’s article (Feb. 13) would have one believe that Huntington Beach will be responsible for providing all of the public services to the unincorporated Bolsa Chica area, without the benefit of receiving compensatory tax revenues, and claims the Koll Real Estate Group will renege on its commitment to restore the wetlands. The Orange County Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes his assertions are terribly misleading.

First, the county will be the agency with the responsibility for providing most of the basic public services to the Bolsa Chica project, including police and fire. The landowner is paying for a new, fully equipped fire station as well as additional sheriff personnel to patrol the area. Sewer services can be provided through the Orange County Sanitation District. If the city does not wish to furnish water services to the area, the landowner can follow any one of several options to ensure that water is provided, and will fund all necessary improvements to the system and connection fees.

Second, the city will benefit tremendously from the Bolsa Chica project in terms of public improvements and sales tax revenues. The project will stimulate economic growth in the city.

An economic study recently completed by Kenneth Leventhal and Associates concludes that the city will be the primary beneficiary of the 17,000 jobs created during construction and 6,000 post-construction jobs created by the project. This is the economic equivalent of having another large employer like McDonnell Douglas move into the city.

The Orange County Chamber of Commerce and Industry is taking a leadership role in retaining and attracting business and jobs to Orange County. We strongly support a project such as Bolsa Chica because it balances job creation with environmental improvement. Further, the landowner guarantees it will deed 1,100 acres of restored wetlands and open space to public ownership for our community to enjoy.

We can’t afford to pass up this offer.

Our fear is that political posturing will further delay the Bolsa Chica project and the much needed economic boost it will provide.

Rather than creating political obstacles, our elected officials should work with the business community to focus on the project’s benefits to the city of Huntington Beach, the residents of Orange County and our future generations, and work to get the project approved.

H. FRED MICKELSON

Chairman of the Board

Orange County Chamber of Commerce

and Industry

* I found it interesting that County Planning Director Tom Mathews (Letters, Feb. 27) never considered the most fundamental question, which is, should there be any development on the Bolsa Chica in the first place?

We are several months into the process, there has yet to be a county public hearing, and we are looking at a potential grand jury investigation for archeology.

The “planning process” is seriously flawed. Unfortunately for Mr. Mathews, his department is caught in the political vice of planning how to get the proposed project approved instead of working with the community to plan the project in the first place.

RON HEGGE

Irvine