CITY COUNCIL PREVIEW

SCHOOL SITE CLOSINGS

The City Council will hold a special study session at 4 p.m. to

discuss the recent closure of Kettler Elementary and a proposal by

the Fountain Valley School District to sell several school sites --

including Wardlow Park, home to the Huntington Valley Little League.

WHAT TO EXPECT

This will only be an informational hearing for the council, and

representatives from the city’s Planning Department and Community

Services Department will be on hand to answer questions regarding

what, if anything, the city can do about the closures.

TIME SHARES

The council will hold a second hearing to consider whether to

allow time-share properties to be sold at a third hotel proposed for

the Waterfront Hilton site and another at the yet-to-be-built Pacific

City mixed-use development. Developer Robert Mayer Corporation said

the time shares will diversify Huntington Beach’s hotel portfolio.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council already approved the ordinance, which requires an

amendment to the downtown plan and zoning code, at its March 21

meeting. The ordinance is being brought back for a second formal

reading before it can be enacted.

BINGO RULES

City Councilwoman Debbie Cook is asking the council to update the

city’s laws regarding the game of bingo. The Huntington Beach Elk’s

Lodge prompted the change in the code, which is not in alignment with

state law. The city law hasn’t been updated since 1993. Sullivan

voted against the proposal the first time it came before the council,

asking that some type of accounting system be put into place to prove

the increase in costs were justified.

WHAT IT MEANS

Under the current law, charity groups can spend $1,000 of the

game’s proceeds to cover administrative costs such as rental of

property, purchase of equipment and personnel. The new law allows

bingo games to allocate $2,000. This ordinance is also being

introduced for a second, formal approval.