Mesa to be appraised for possible sale
Paul Clinton
A state panel is moving forward with plans to appraise the Bolsa
Chica Mesa as the first step toward purchasing it for a public
preserve, at the same time that city leaders are pushing for that
purchase.
Al Wright, executive director of the California Wildlife
Conservation Board, said he plans to hire an appraiser next month.
Wright obtained permission to appraise it from a lawyer representing
Signal Landmark, which owns the property, and Hearthside Homes last
week.
At a Monday meeting, the City Council decided to send a letter
urging the director of the California Department of Fish and Game to
direct the board to “move forward in the negotiations” with
Hearthside for the purchase.
Some preliminary talks have occurred between the two sides, Wright
said, but no offers have been made.
“We have an interest [in purchasing the property],” Wright said.
“We have a long ways to go before we get to that point.”
The board could tap into funds from Proposition 50, the statewide
clean water and coastal protection bond passed by voters in November.
Once the appraiser finishes work, in the spring, board officials
and Hearthside could discuss the terms of a sale.
Lucy Dunn, Hearthside’s executive vice president, could not be
reached for a comment. In the past, Dunn has said the company still
plans to build 387 homes on the mesa’s upper section. Dunn has also
said that Hearthside has never received an offer from anyone to
purchase any of the 210-acre property.
However, Signal Landmark has donated some $350,000 in support to
the initiative.
Mayor Connie Boardman has been a strong supporter of using funding
from the bond for the purchase.
It was Boardman who brought the request to send the letter to Fish
and Game Director Bob Hight.
“We wanted to be real proactive,” Boardman said about the letter.
“We’re just sending a letter in support [of the purchase].”
Council members were careful to point out that no city money would
be used to purchase the mesa, which has long been a bone of
contention between environmentalists and Hearthside.
“There’s no expenditure of city funds on this, except for the
price of a stamp,” Councilman Dave Sullivan said.
* PAUL CLINTON is a reporter with Times Community News. He
covers City Hall. He may be reached at (714) 965-7173 or by e-mail at
paul.clinton@latimes.com.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.