Sen. Bergeson’s Bolsa Chica Bill

As a resident of Huntington Beach and one who has long followed the proposed development of the Bolsa Chica area, I wish to commend Sen. Marian Bergeson for her outstanding efforts to assure that the city of Huntington Beach would have the opportunity to participate in the planning process for this development.

Until Bergeson agreed to carry Senate Bill 1517, all of the decisions relevant to this project had been made at the county and state levels. Public hearings over the years were held in Orange, and in the case of the Coastal Commission approval, at various locations throughout the state, and for good reason--the Bolsa Chica property is located on county land--it is not in Huntington Beach!

Bergeson’s bill coordinated the input of all the governmental agencies involved, and gave the city of Huntington Beach a great deal of control over the project by making the development contingent upon the annexation of the Bolsa Chica into the city.

From the very beginning, she involved all interested parties--the city officials, the environmental groups, the county, the landowner, and local business community and residents--in the planning process to assure that all concerns were addressed. She included every amendment in the bill that the city requested, and ultimately, she agreed to withdraw the bill at the city’s request, to allow additional time to work out the city’s concerns.

I, for one, would like to thank her for her leadership and for continuing to demonstrate her concern for the residents of Huntington Beach.

JAN SHOMAKER

Huntington Beach