Huntington Beach City Council approves housing project near Bolsa Chica wetlands

Despite the environmental community’s pleas to “save it, don’t pave it,” the Huntington Beach City Council has approved plans to convert a former 5-acre archeological site near the Bolsa Chica wetlands into the city’s first “green” housing development.

“I’m sure every community has its cross to bear, and Bolsa Chica has been Huntington’s for a long time,” said Councilman Don Hansen, who voted to approve the project. “I find all the findings that were presented tonight adequate.”

But environmentalists who packed Tuesday’s meeting raised concerns about building a 22-home development so close to the wetlands and argued that the area is of great ecological and historical importance. Paul Arms, president of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, said the wetlands are a community benefit that match the pier, downtown and Huntington Central Park.

“We are fighting hard to protect this important asset,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Jill Hardy, the sole vote against the project, also raised concerns about a 2001 archeological study commissioned by Hearthside Homes, the developer. That study determined that archeological remains were unlikely to be found — but was later proved incorrect.

“Why wouldn’t we expect that they should update their study for this site when they were wrong for the site next door?” she said.

City Planner Jennifer Villasenor said it is “unlikely” that any artifacts are intact on the site, according to the study, and if there are, mitigation measures are in place.

Other council members praised the project’s green attributes. The homes will have solar panels, “smart” irrigation controllers and drought-tolerant landscaping and be built using sustainable building materials. The tract will also have porous pavers for the streets and driveways, which will allow rainwater to be absorbed into the ground, stored in a storm drain water system and then filtered back into the ground.

“We’re not aware of any project in Orange County … that is required to achieve that level of certification,” said Ed Mountford, senior vice president of Hearthside Homes. “It’s unheard of.”

The developer would also improve a city-owned piece of land north of the site to allow access from Bolsa Chica Street to the Bolsa Chica wetlands by creating a trail and improving landscaping and signage.

britney.barnes@latimes.com