Wetlands Plans Should Be Aired Publicly : * County’s Refusal to Hold Hearings in Huntington on Bolsa Chica Report Erodes Trust

The Bolsa Chica wetlands are a heavily tarnished jewel, awaiting restoration. Though surrounded by Huntington Beach, they are part of unincorporated Orange County, and a magnet for visitors eager to view migratory waterfowl.

The state uses a tiny part of the wetlands off Pacific Coast Highway to maintain the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. The largest part of the property is owned by the Koll Real Estate Group, which wants to build more than 4,000 homes on 400 acres. In return it promises to restore 1,100 acres that are now mostly mud and old oil wells.

The development plans have sparked heated debate, and city residents deserve to have their opinions aired. Yet the Orange County Environmental Management Agency, which is involved in the planning because Bolsa Chica is in unincorporated territory, has refused to hold a public hearing in Huntington Beach on the county’s report. It was released last month and concerns the environmental impact on the wetlands of proposed development plans. Instead, the county said it will take only written comments at this time. That’s a shortsighted attitude. Many in the city became suspicious when Koll last year exercised its right to switch review of its plans from Huntington Beach to the county, despite an earlier agreement to let the city be the lead reviewer. The switch came after City Council members considered more pro-environment attained a majority.

Refusing to hold public hearings in Huntington Beach erodes trust in government. It also discourages participation in the affairs of the community, when government should encourage such activity.

There will be public hearings later on the plan, but they will be in Santa Ana before the County Planning Commission. The county should hold at least one of them in Huntington Beach. This project is too important for business as usual.