HUNTINGTON BEACH : City May Ask Delay on OK for Bolsa Chica
The City Council will consider a recommendation tonight that it ask the county to delay approval of a development agreement for the Bolsa Chica housing project.
The development agreement between the county and Koll Real Estate Group is expected to go before the county Planning Commission on Wednesday.
City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga will pass on to the council a recommendation that the county defer approval of the development agreement because the city has no written agreement that the development won’t be a financial burden to the city.
Koll is pushing its plan to develop a 3,300-home project on the mesas and lowlands around the nature preserve, which is not within the borders of the city. The project was approved by county supervisors in December.
Over the last two months, city, county and Koll representatives have met to discuss fiscal impacts on the city from the development of the Bolsa Chica.
City officials estimate that eventually the cost to Huntington Beach for services, including fire and police, will be about $62 million when all the homes are built. The majority of that money, $45 million, is for fire services. An agreement is being negotiated with the county for the city to provide fire service to Bolsa Chica residents, but some financial details are still unsettled.
“There’s been a lot of progress in figuring out ways the $62 million in potential costs can be mitigated so that the city’s taxpayers don’t have to absorb that kind of cost,” Deputy City Administrator Bob Franz said. “With a continuation of discussions, we can figure out how to avoid any costs to city residents.”
Franz said about $5 million of the $62-million cost has not been resolved.
Other potential fiscal impacts under discussion include police and library services.
“Nothing is finalized in any of these areas,” Franz said. “But we feel confident that most of the issues are going to be resolved.”
The council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
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