Protection a Must for Bolsa Chica

The Bolsa Chica Land Trust applauds the Times’ editorial board for “Developing the Coast” (Orange County Perspective, Oct. 8) in which the timely and again-refreshing point is made that if pressure to develop during these good economic times “chips away at previous land preservation, or threatens water quality, how good are the good times for the long term?”

We couldn’t agree more. Now is the time to protect the invaluable and irreplaceable resources like the Bolsa Chica Mesa. We agree that careful oversight is necessary, oversight that cannot always be left to our elected and appointed officials. It was all too recently that the Bolsa Chica Land Trust stepped up to ensure that a past Coastal Commission was required to enforce the Coastal Act.

The Times is also right on with the issue of urban runoff. Even runoff from seemingly benign residential areas is contributing to beach closures. At the Bolsa Chica Mesa, the development plans would have runoff going directly into the sensitive wetlands that are slated for restoration.

We already know of the impact from our current development that we cannot control. We agree that “regulators must not underestimate the cumulative effect of runoff on the area.” A massive development on the mesa next to the Bolsa Chica wetlands could be the cumulative burden that even a healthy wetland cannot bear.

Since the Bolsa Chica Land Trust was formed in 1992, our mission has been to purchase Bolsa Chica from the developer/owner, believing that funds would be available from many sources, public and private, if only we could work with a willing seller. We see the long view and are willing to work to pay for it. But all we see from the developer is an unceasing path toward maximizing building for immediate profits.

The Coastal Commission will be deciding in November in Los Angeles on whether the developer gets to build to the max or if environmentally sensitive coastal habitats will be protected. This may be the most important decision for the Bolsa Chica Mesa, and if the 1,250-home development is approved, we surely can look to further decline for Orange County’s coast. We are in the best of economic times, but the sage advice of The Times should ring clear: “For the region to enjoy the long-term benefit of growth, it must protect the shoreline.”

EVAN C. HENRY

President, Bolsa Chica Land Trust