City agency, developer come to terms

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Conservation groups are vying for the chance to

oversee a small pocket of wetlands, known to environmentalists as Little

Shell, as development plans moved forward for a resort expansion.

The move comes after the Redevelopment Agency, which is made up of

City Council members, approved an agreement Monday with Mayer Financial,

L.P., an affiliate of the development company Robert Mayer Corp., in its

efforts to expand the Waterfront Hilton Beach Resort.

Under that agreement, the agency agreed to convey land meant for the

hotel, homes and seven-tenths of an acre of Little Shell wetlands over to

the Robert Mayer Corp. While the wetlands, nestled about 1,000 feet

inland of the northwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway along Beach

Boulevard, would ultimately come back to the city, some council members

felt an environmental oversight group would be more appropriate to watch

over the wetlands.

“I feel like we’re awarding custody of a child to an abusive parent,”

said Councilwoman Debbie Cook, adding that it was Robert Mayer Corp. that

initially planned to fill in Little Shell to build townhouses.

In 1998, city officials and the Robert Mayer Corp. reached an

agreement containing several provisions over the developer’s plans for

the area, including termination dates of hotel leases, cost-sharing

between both parties to demolish and clear mobile homes, as well as a

plan to fill in Little Shell in return for restoring an area four times

larger at the Shipley Nature Center.

Dispute over Little Shell led to a November settlement with the

California Coastal Commission, where Mayer Corp. and the city agreed to

preserve the land from development. David Biggs, the city’s economic

development director, said Monday’s agreement was necessary to clarify

terms regarding a conservation easement of the Little Shell property.

Robert Mayer Corp. officials allayed council concerns over their plans

for the wetlands, stating they would be grateful for any outside interest

in the area.

“[The wetlands] will be preserved, and we would welcome any group to

assume some sort of fiduciary control over the area,” said Steve Bone,

president of the Robert Mayer Corp.

Choosing a conservation entity for Little Shell was awkward in

Monday’s council meeting, he added, but he said further meetings would be

welcomed.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman suggested that the Huntington Beach

Wetlands Conservancy, with its experience restoring the 25-acre Talbert

Marsh, among others, would be ideal to care for Little Shell, but fellow

Councilman Ralph Bauer said at least two other groups hope for the same

opportunity and further study is needed.

“I came ready to vote on this, but I think some very good questions

have been raised,” said Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff. “One issue that

has not been discussed is the financial aspect of caring for these

wetlands.”

Dettloff added that the short interim period of a few weeks before the

wetlands and connected property could be conveyed to the Robert Mayer

Corp. wouldn’t hurt as long as the city finds good managers for Little

Shell.

City officials assured council members that a meeting of the Bolsa

Chica Committee would convene over the next week to hear from

environmental groups hoping to care for Little Shell.