Bolsa Chica development ‘a loser’ for developer

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Officials for the developer of the Bolsa Chica mesa

should give up now that the Coastal Commission’s staff is recommending

slicing the amount of space where homes may be built by more than half,

City Councilman Ralph Bauer said.

“This thing is a loser for them,” he said. “When are they going to get

the message that they’re in a weak position?”

The staff for the commission, which must approve Hearthside Homes’ plan

to build 1,235 homes on the 215-acre mesa, suggests limiting development

to 65 acres instead of the proposed 183 acres, said staff supervisor

Steve Rynas. The area recommended to be set aside is roughly the lower

half of the mesa closest to the surrounding protected wetlands, he said.

This setback for Hearthside, formerly known as the Koll Real Estate

Group, is the latest in a series of blows against plans to build on the

prime coastal property. Hearthside, which has owned the land since 1970,

had received approval to develop 5,700 homes on the site in 1985, but

that amount was whittled down to 2,500 by 1996. A year later, the number

of homes was reduced to 1,235. If the commission follows its staff’s

recent recommendation, then even fewer homes will be permitted.

Bauer notices a trend.

“Pretty soon, it’s going to go [down] to zero [homes],” he said. “Why not

cut your losses and move on?”

But Hearthside shows no sign of backing down.

“There are still private property rights in this state,” said Lucy Dunn,

the developer’s executive vice president.

It would be “patently unfair” for the 12-member commission to side with

staff, she said. “We have already given up 90% of our property to

wetlands, parks and open space.”

Besides, a court ultimately will decide whether the commission’s ruling

is legal, she said.

The commission hearing is expected to be held in April in Long Beach.