Decision Delayed on Marblehead Plans

The saga of the city’s last undeveloped coastal land hit another delay Wednesday night, sending a group of residents home early and developers back to work.

The City Council voted 5 to 0 to give the Lusk Co. of Irvine two more weeks to work through options for the 250-acre Marblehead site, which could include revisiting a resort and golf course plan.

The issue will be back before the council Aug. 5.

“I’m anxious to deal with this issue and move on,” said Councilman Steve Apodaca, “but I’d rather do it right than do it fast.”

The Planning Commission on Tuesday rejected a proposal to eliminate a 61-acre shopping center to make way for more homes.

In May, planners recommended including 434 single-family homes, a 14-acre canyon preserve and the commercial center, with Target and Albertsons stores, a drugstore, shops and a theater with as many as 22 movie screens.

More than 400 people attended a City Council meeting on the plan in June, divided over whether the project should be approved as proposed.

For about 20 years, plans for the site have run the gamut through the courts, at City Hall and in the community.

Among the plans that failed to gain approval: a proposal to build the Nixon presidential library there, and, more recently, a resort hotel and golf course.