Council removes some fees

THIS CORRECTS AN EARLIER VERSION

The Huntington Beach City Council voted to eliminate the business license renewal and application fee for tax-exempt organizations Monday.

The resolution was passed 6-0-1 with Councilwoman Jill Hardy out of the room for the vote. The change will cost the city less than $3,000 in revenue a year, according to city staff.

Councilman Don Hansen was concerned with the current policy. Hansen said the city was charging churches a business tax to complete a renovation when the U.S. government doesn’t even charge churches the fees.

Also at Monday’s meeting:

 The council unanimously approved to support governmental action to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

“One good earthquake and we have no water, or our water will be sustainably decreased in our county,” Mayor Pro Tem Cathy Green said.

Green and Councilman Joe Carchio brought the resolution to the table.

  The council unanimously approved an annual assessment within the Huntington Beach Auto Dealers, Hotel/Motel and Downtown Business Improvement District.

 The sale of Emerald Cove Senior Apartments to JHC-Acquisitions LLC was unanimously approved by the City Council.

The 164-unit complex will be kept as affordable apartments for 60 years, and none of the current tenants can be forced to move. JHC-Acquisitions will also rehabilitate the building and upgrade the services to include exercise and knitting classes, bingo, field trips and a food bank with a delivery program.

 For the HB Reads One Book initiative, the city will be reading “They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky,” by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak and Judy A. Bernstein for 2010.

“I look forward to it. I enjoyed the last couple [books],” Mayor Keith Bohr said.

The book is about the Lost Boys of Sudan. The city is planning various events around the book. The authors are also scheduled to visit the city in March.

For more information, visit www.hbreads.org.

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 in Room B-8 of the Civic Center on Main Street.