Decision on housing nears

A Coastal Commission hearing next week for the Parkside Estates development in Huntington Beach has spurred a flurry of activity among opponents of the plan, including Bolsa Chica Land Trust members.

The fate of 50 acres of the Parkside property, owned by Shea Homes, will be decided during the commission hearing. The area, which lies east of the Bolsa Chica mesa and is part of the wetlands ecosystem, is referred to as the Upper Bolsa Chica wetlands by trust members.

The hearing is set to take place Tuesday at the Los Angeles Harbor Hotel in San Pedro.

About 25 people, including the Neighbors for Wintersburg Restoration group — which is made up of residents living in the surrounding area and working with the Bolsa Chica Land Trust — plan to attend the meeting.

About 170 homes are slated to be built on the Shea property. The property is bounded by Graham Street on the east, Kenilworth to the north and the Wintersburg Flood Control channel on the south.

The project was approved by the City Council in 2002 and since then has been awaiting commission approval.

Councilwoman Debbie Cook, who voted against the project back then, said the area is part of the historic wetlands area.

“It would be a mistake to allow development, especially with global warming,” she said.

“There will be a continued problem with low-lying property so it makes sense to deny the project,” Cook added.

But Shea Homes’ flood control plan will help 8,000 businesses and homeowners in the area who have no flood insurance to come out of the flood zone area, Shea spokesman Laer Pearce said.

Commission staff is recommending denying the city’s plan and is recommending approval with certain modifications to increase the amount of wetland area left undeveloped.

The property is being farmed by Shea Homes to grow string beans, cabbage and bell peppers, among other produce.

“Shea would have you believe that farming is responsible for all the species,” Bixby said.

Pearce said the company is not surprised by the commission’s recommendation.

“It’s all good,” he said.

“We understand their concerns,” Pearce said, adding: “We’re happy that the commission thinks the site is suitable for houses. We’re pleased that we have come so far.”

The trust’s Mark Bixby said group members are happy that commission staff recognizes that environmentally sensitive habitat area and wetlands are present on the property, but they think it doesn’t go far enough.

Bixby thinks the area set aside for wetlands is far too conservative and needs to be increased, based on his findings.

“Four years of on-site observation have proved otherwise that wetlands are present in the area,” Bixby said.

“There seems to be some missing information with regards to the size of wetlands,” said Marc Stirdivant, trust director.

A local environmentalist, he has been spearheading the four-year effort with research and documentation of the plant and animal life in the area.

The Shea development would include 8.2 acres of public parks and 3.3 acres of open space besides the 170 single-family homes.

Bixby said he’s cataloged some 108 species of birds, and that he’ll be presenting his findings at the hearing.

He has taken digital pictures of Cooper’s Hawks nesting in the eucalyptus grove in the northern part of the property. He also has spotted some American Kestrels, Great Horned Owls as well as a pair of rare Gnatcatchers in the area.

The grove has been recognized as an environmentally sensitive habitat area by the commission. The trees are also used by raptors.

Clumps of signature wetland plants, such as brass buttons, Southern tarplant and Broadleaf cattail grow east of the property.