Wetland development may face litigation

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- One of the country’s largest environmental groups is

likely to file a lawsuit to stop a developer from destroying a tiny

wetland by Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway where it intends to

build luxury townhomes.

The board of directors for the Los Angeles chapter of the Sierra Club is

expected to vote Sunday on whether to take legal action, chairman Gordon

Lebedz said. The board will almost surely give its approval, he said.

If a case is brought forward, the court will be asked to reverse a

decision made earlier this month by the California Coastal Commission,

which will allow the Robert Mayer Corp. to fill in the 0.7 acres of

wetland if the company creates a similar sensitive habitat four times

larger across town at the Donald G. Shipley Nature Center.

But Lebedz said wetlands must be preserved and not swapped with land

elsewhere. The commission’s April 11 decision jeopardizes all coastal

habitats, not just the poorly functioning one by the Waterfront Hilton,

he said.

“It’s not a sexy wetland at all,” Lebedz said. “But it might be the most

important wetland in California right now.”

In arguing its case, the Sierra Club will probably rely on the April

appellate court decision that blocked development of part of the Bolsa

Chica mesa, he said.

The developer defends the commission’s decision, which was supported by

the city. The community benefits much more from the additions to the

nature center four miles north of the site, said Larry Brose, Mayer Corp.

vice president.

“We believe it’s a much better habitat,” he said. “I think we have a very

strong case.”

Construction of the 175 townhomes on the 23 acres that includes the

degraded wetland can’t begin until the work at the Shipley Nature Center

is complete, which is expected by the end of the year. If a court blocks

the land swap, then the development company has no obligation to spruce

up the parkland, Brose added.

To drum up public support for the preservation effort, about 50

environmentalists gathered near the wetland Saturday. Some carried

protest signs as they waved at cars passing by. It was a perfect way to

spend Earth Day, resident Debbie Cook said.

“If you really want to honor the earth, you go out and save some,” she

said.