POSEIDON Tuesday is the big night for...

POSEIDON

Tuesday is the big night for Poseidon. The council will be asked

to weigh in on one of the most controversial projects of the year,

which is the first major land-use decision for rookie Councilmen

Keith Bohr and Don Hansen. The council will be asked to approve an

environmental report on the proposed desalination facility and decide

if the facility is a good fit for Huntington Beach.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Emotions, drama and all the other antics that come with

high-profile council meetings. At this point it’s really anybody’s

guess which way this one will go, but expect dozens of people to show

up -- and make sure to arrive early to get a seat. Also expect lots

of public comments, both in favor and against to the project.

ANIMALS IN THE PARK

The City Council is being asked to amend an ordinance it passed

several months back banning dogs from parkland owned by electricity

utility Edison. Several nearby homeowners complained about the new

restrictions, arguing that they had safely been walking their dogs in

the parks for years. The two sides were eventually able to work out a

compromise allowing leashed dogs in the park.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Edison, the City Council and the neighbors negotiated the new law

and all sides seem to be happy with the outcome. The City Council

will likely approve the final reading of this amended ordinance.

LATTICE FENCE EXTENSIONS

Mayor Jill Hardy is introducing an ordinance making it easier to

put two-foot lattice extensions on existing wooden fences.

During a recent round of the streamlining process in which the

City Council tried to simplify the planning and permitting codes, a

law was passed requiring homeowners to notify all property owners

within a 300-foot radius if they intended to put up a two-foot

lattice extension. Hardy is arguing that the notification

requirements are more expensive than the lattice itself and is asking

the city to change its rules for these type of small extensions.

WHAT TO EXPECT

While the ordinance does seem like common sense, there is often

opposition on the council to rolling back code requirements.