HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

“GO LOCAL” TRANSIT STUDY

With a 7-0 vote, council members approved a study of a potential transit extension linking the beach and the Disney resort area in Anaheim through the Anaheim Metrolink station. City staff, in a Sept. 18 study session, presented a transit extension proposal under the Orange County Transportation Authority’s “Go Local” grant funding program.

WHAT IT MEANS

The authority wants Huntington Beach, with help from other partner cities, to generate ideas for the “Go Local” program, Councilwoman Cathy Green said. Councilman Don Hansen said he would support the plan to link the beach and the Disney Resort under the condition that city staff compile a ridership survey of who would be using the train and how much. Huntington Beach’s partner cities in the program include Garden Grove and Westminster, among others.

The approval paves the way for city staff to begin its study and authorized City Administrator Penny Culbreth-Graft to negotiate and execute agreements with the Orange County Transportation Authority.

PARK FEES FOR NEW SENIOR CENTER

The City Council approved, by a 5-2 vote, allocating $22 million in park fees to develop a new senior center.

Pacific City developer Makar Properties anticipates paying about $25 million to the park fee fund, of which $22 million will be used for a new senior center.

WHAT IT MEANS

Council members at the Sept. 18 meeting sparred about diverting much-needed park funds, usually spent on improving parks and acquiring land, toward construction of a new senior center. Money left over from the project will be returned to the park fees fund. Council members Jill Hardy and Debbie Cook voted against spending the money on the senior center.

“At the risk of being called anti-senior and anti-American,” Cook said she voted no because she objected to diverting money away from park improvements.

She warned that there’s a strong argument that could be made that building a new senior center is inappropriate use of park funds under the Quimby Act, which allows a city to collect money from developers who opt to skip donating land for a park.

PARKING IMPROVEMENTS

The city voted 7-0 to buy and install an electronic parking space counter and two reader boards at the Main Promenade public parking structure.

WHAT IT MEANS

The parking space counter and reader boards are to help visitors using the Main Promenade public parking structure to save time and find parking spaces. The effort is part of the city’s push to ease traffic and provide more parking options downtown.

— Compiled by Purnima Mudnal