Ex-Mayor Carchio announces he’ll run for Huntington council

A former Huntington Beach mayor is hoping to earn a seat again on the City Council or, as he puts it, to “finish what he started.”

Joe Carchio — who previously served on the dais from 2006 to 2014, including two years as mayor — said he would like to see a cap on development, a stronger relationship between the chamber of commerce and the city, and stricter enforcement on short-term vacation rentals.

The former restaurant owner, who now does liaison work for Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) and the state, was on the council in 2010 when the city’s Beach and Edinger Corridor Specific Plan was approved. The plan outlines the number of residential units allowed in Huntington Beach based on state mandates.

“We tried to do the job that we felt was really important to the city,” said the 30-plus-year resident who advocated for affordable housing so people who worked in Huntington could live there too.

However, he continued, there was too much development popping up at once, stemming from property owners having to sell and develop immediately because “the market was going crazy” in 2008 and 2009.

“The market was dropping like a lead balloon,” Carchio said. “They had to take out permits and start building; otherwise, they would lose their entire investment. Because of that, we ended up having all these buildings being built or permitted at one time.”

He said development should be capped and that the city is “mostly built out.” City officials should look more into “sensible” building, he added.

“We need to learn by our past mistakes,” said Carchio, who declined to give his age and only described himself as a “senior citizen.”

Many residents have criticized the Elan mixed-use project at Beach Boulevard and Ellis Avenue, which has 274 housing units, 27 of which were identified for moderate-income households.

Carchio said that building is “too tall” and could have used more setback spacing.

Regarding the Michael E. Rodgers Seniors’ Center, Carchio believes citizens should decide what happens to the land. It could be turned into park space or sold for an estimated $12 million, according to city officials.

Many residents who live near the site, at 1706 Orange Ave., have attended council meetings advocating for park space, but Carchio said the decision should ultimately be up to all residents.

“I can see where the people who live in that area are coming from,” he said. “I can understand the other side wanting to take the $12 million that’s going to be available in the park fund and fix up all the other parks. They both have great arguments. Let the citizens decide.”

He also wants to see more enforcement of regulations on short-term vacation rentals, which are not allowed in the city. He said one option could be the city specifying an area for such homes to allow for easier regulation of them.

“If you’re going to allow them, then you need to have a law in place,” he said. “If you’re not going to allow them, then you need to enforce the law that we have on the books.”

Carchio also said the city needs to focus more on small businesses, which he referred to as “the engine that drives the city.”

During a previous term, Carchio launched the Surf City Savings program, in which local businesses provide discounts and donate 1% of sales tax revenue to fund city services.

He believes the chamber of commerce and the city need to support one another and work together. Carchio encouraged regular meetings between the two entities.

“We have to look at ways that we can reduce costs for our businesses in town,” he said. “We have to look at new businesses that are coming in and try to get them involved in the chamber ... We need to streamline our [permit] process in City Hall.”

brittany.woolsey@latimes.com

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey