Residents air concerns about southeast redevelopment

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Residents from the city’s southeast side have a

chance to decide the future of their neighborhood.

About 200 residents turned out at the Edison Community Center last

week for the first of a trio of public meetings with city officials to

discuss the future redevelopment of more than 300 acres between Beach

Boulevard and Magnolia Street, north of Pacific Coast Highway.

“This is really the first of at least three workshops we’re planning

to get the public involved in this process,” said David Biggs, the city’s

director of economic development, during the Nov. 15 meeting. “We want to

know what we could do in the future to recycle this land, as well as what

the surrounding community would ultimately like to see there.”

AES Corp., the Ascon landfill, an oil tank farm, as well as mobile

homes and a boat business, occupy the land. A study of the area shows

more than half of the land is contaminated from industrial uses.

During the meeting, city officials reviewed a Southeast Coast

Redevelopment Plan that could set the land aside for new homes,

businesses and parkland.

Most residents who attended, some representing the homeowners

associations surrounding the property, agreed the area should be

redeveloped. Their concerns, however, varied from widening Newland Street

for smoother traffic flow to improving the landscape and aesthetics of

industrial businesses, such as the AES power plant and the preservation

of about 60 acres of undeveloped wetlands.

Armida Brashears, a 35-year resident, said she was concerned what

residential development planned for the landfill area could eventually

mean for taxpayers.

“I’m just worried about what happens when the land beneath those homes

begins to settle. . . . the damage would eventually cost the city and its

taxpayers in lawsuits,” she said, adding that extending Edison Park

across Hamilton Avenue and over the landfill could be an alternative.

Mayor Dave Garofalo assured residents their concerns and plans, not

the city’s, would be applied to the area. The next community forum is

tentatively scheduled to take place in February.