Parkside, Strand appealed

Jose Paul Corona

Two major projects poised to change the face of Surf City hit

roadblocks last week when appeals were filed with the California

Coastal Commission.

While very different in scope -- one a housing development, the

other a multi-use retail and entertainment venue -- both gained

overwhelming approval from the Planning Commission and City Council

in October, and both have met opposition from residents.

The Strand, which would revitalize the first few blocks of

Downtown, calls for a 152-room Residence Inn, several major retail

stores -- such as Victoria’s Secret and Express -- and an underground

parking lot to be built.

A group of residents, Citizens Against Redevelopment Excess, have

just filed a second appeal of the project, having won a previous

appeal that sent developers back to the drawing board last year.

The group contends that the project violates the city’s Downtown

master plan and does not provide adequate parking.

“It needed to be appealed,” said Bob Dolen, a Downtown

businessman. “It needed to be done -- the project is not a good

project for Downtown.”

The project also has a fair number of advocates, including the

Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, many Downtown residents and

city officials.

The other project that has been stalled, Parkside Estates, would

change the landscape of the city more so than the feel.

Developer Shea Homes hopes to build 171 homes on Graham Avenue

south of Kenilworth Drive and expand a park in the area.

The project has met with vehement opposition from a group of

residents calling themselves Neighbors for Wintersburg Wetlands

Restoration.

The group would like to see the area near their homes restored as

natural wetlands -- a distinction it once held.

The neighbors stated their case before the Planning Commission and

unsuccessfully appealed the project to the City Council. They say

they will continue to fight the development.

“We will certainly be appealing the rest of it when it moves

forward, absolutely, 100%,” said Mark Bixby, a member of the group.

As a City Councilwoman, Shirley Dettloff approved the project.

Now, she and a fellow coastal commissioner have appealed the park

expansion portion of the project.

Dettloff filed an appeal with the state agency she sits on, after

being asked to do so by commission staff, she said.

The appeal was filed to give the coastal commission more time to

examine possible effects of improvements that will be made to an

existing park, Dettloff said.

The projects now must go before the California Coastal Commission.

Parkside is scheduled to be heard on Dec. 10, and the Strand,

although it has not been put on the agenda yet, will go before the

commission in the coming months.

The next major project planned for Surf City is expected to go

through the permitting process in 2003.

Pacific City is slated for construction on the 31-acre site that has long sat vacant between Pacific Coast Highway, Atlanta Avenue and

Huntington and 1st streets.

The project would bring a large hotel, shopping, dining and

entertainment venue to the city. Behind the retail and entertainment

venue, high-priced condominiums would be built.