Worried locals push petition

A city official said a petition that is circulating about development on the Main Street Library grounds is premature.

J. Richardson Gray, whose residence in the Townsquare Condominiums overlooks the park-like Main Street Library grounds, has collected more than 240 signatures in his petition campaign to change the proposed Huntington Beach Downtown Specific Plan Update, released Dec. 4.

Gray is concerned about a potential plan to develop the green space into a cultural center.

But city Economic Development Director Stanley Smalewitz said the update is only in its early planning stages; it still requires additional workshops, study sessions and revisions, review by the City Council and a feasibility study.

“We’re not just going to start building and then, at the end of the day, say ‘Surprise!’” Smalewitz said.

Gray describes his efforts as a “David and Goliath battle” against the proposed plan, which offers the possibility of building a performing arts or cultural center that would increase the footprint of the library by up to 20,000 square feet.

“It’s just beyond the pale as far as my neighbors and I are concerned,” Gray said, describing a large space on the plan map that serves as a place holder for future development.

“We don’t know the how and the what and the why,” Smalewitz said. “We intend to have future workshops, as we go through more opportunities. I guarantee the geometric shape shown in the plan is not carved in stone. I tried to explain that to him, and he decided that he wanted to do a petition anyway.”

Smalewitz said that it is part of the vetting process for residents to become passionate about issues that interest them and that it helps decision-makers in developing the plan.

Community members had suggested the site due to its proximity to both the library and the Huntington Beach Art Center.

“We see it as an opportunity to do some really nice things there,” Smalewitz said. “The space is there. There aren’t too many public spaces where we have the opportunity to have an anchor away from the pier that attracts more business and foot traffic.”

Gray said his concern was broader than the inconveniences of construction and views that he would experience.

He was worried the development would destroy the only open green space in downtown Huntington Beach.

However, the draft Downtown Specific Plan also calls for the construction of a small park and outdoor plaza on the site.

“At the Dec. 4 final community workshop, the city for the first time revealed the planned scope and height of the center,” Gray said. “My neighbors and I were so shocked by the monolithic size of the structure that was planned that we decided to go forward with the petition.”

Gray said he bought his unit two years ago, after living in Massachusetts for decades.

He believes a better fit for the proposed cultural center is the vacant Pierside Pavilion, a shuttered six-screen movie theater that is about the same size as the proposed cultural center.

“Everybody talks about that, but it’s a privately owned property,” Smalewitz said.

He indicated concern about who would pay for the lease and maintenance should the center be placed there.

“We’re not opposed to having a cultural center at the library site, but we don’t want a monolithic project,” Gray said.

“It’s very early on in the process to be thinking anything is set in stone,” Smalewitz said.

CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (949) 494-5480 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.