Huntington Moves to Annex Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Mesa

In a move that may signal an end to the 30-year struggle over the future of the Bolsa Chica wetlands, Huntington Beach’s City Council voted 5 to 2 Monday to begin the process of annexing the area.

Some council members said their hope is that bringing all 1,600 acres of the pristine coastal land under city jurisdiction will give them some leverage with landowner Hearthside Homes Inc., formerly known as Koll Real Estate Group.

“Our first consideration should be saving that precious area,” Councilwoman Shirley S. Dettloff said. “But we must be prepared for a development project that is moving very quickly. We must be sure that development is done the right way.”

More than 100 environmentalists and other residents packed council chambers to hear the debate. Two dozen of them spoke, begging the council to preserve the land as open space.

“We understand annexation will give [city] water to a developer,” said Paul Horgan of Bolsa Chica Land Trust, a group trying to buy the land to prevent it from being developed. “Ask your staff one more question: How are you going to give Bolsa Chica a proper funeral?”

The stakes are high for city officials, most of whom have played some part in the fight to stop development in Bolsa Chica.

The city stands to gain $2 million in one-time permit and other fees if it annexes the property now. After development, annexing a residential area could cost the city more in new services than the homes would pay in taxes.

Monday’s decision marked just the first step toward what is certain to be intense negotiation over the future of the 200-acre mesa that overlooks the wetlands.

The bulk of the wetlands was removed from the struggle in 1997, when the state bought 880 acres of the marsh. But environmentalists contend that building homes on the mesa above would damage the ecosystem that supports the wetlands, undermining all previous preservation efforts.

Voting against annexation were council members Tom Harman and Dave Sullivan, both of whom expressed serious reservations about any development of the area.

“What they must have for development is Huntington Beach water,” Sullivan said. “If they want Huntington Beach’s water, I suggest that they walk to the end of our pier and jump in.”

The council has wrestled with the issue for years, and many city officials remain opposed to any development on the grasslands along Warner Avenue near Pacific Coast Highway.

But Hearthside has a binding agreement with Orange County to build 1,235 homes there, and the state’s annexation laws mandate that the city accept that deal.

With annexation would come leverage for the city, however, because it would be providing water for the new homes. The alternative would be for Hearthside and Southern California Water Co. to build a $13-million, six-mile water pipeline from Cypress.

The negotiations also could lead to some compromises such as a wider buffer around the wetlands, fewer homes and more park space.

Some council members and environmentalists still hope the bluff-top acreage can be purchased and preserved by the state or federal government, even given the $135 million that the city estimates the property to be worth.

But that is a pipe dream, said Lucy Dunn, Hearthside executive vice president. The development company, which originally envisioned building 6,000 homes and a marina on the wetlands, has no interest in selling. The environment would be best served by allowing Hearthside to build the houses and, at the same time, improve the wetlands area, which is a sanctuary for birds, she said.

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Part of The City?

Huntington Beach officials heard from environmentalists and other residents Monday on whether to begin the process of annexing 200 acres above the Bolsa Chica wetlands.