FEDERAL MONEY The council delayed a vote...

FEDERAL MONEY

The council delayed a vote on federal allocations after staff

members requested the item be pulled and re-noticed for the Oct. 17

meeting.

The council was being asked to approve a five-year consolidated

plan to lay out the city’s annual appropriation of federal dollars

from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WHAT IT MEANS

This is another item tacked onto the Poseidon conditional use

permit public hearing.

The last Poseidon hearing went until 4 a.m., and this meeting

could run just as long.

With so much on its plate for the meeting, the council might opt

to delay the allocation issue once more.

EMINENT DOMAIN

In an unusual action, the council reversed a resolution put

forward by the intergovernmental relations committee and supported

two California legislature bills the committee was asking the council

to oppose.

The bills in question dealt with a recent U.S. Supreme Court

decision upholding the practice of eminent domain, in which the

government forces a private landowner to sell his property to another

private landowner in the hope of bringing more jobs or economic

development to the region.

The committee asked the council to oppose the bills, one of which

was written by former gubernatorial candidate Tom McClintock. Both

bills would make private-to-private eminent domain land swaps in

California illegal.

Councilman Keith Bohr and Mayor Jill Hardy voted against the

resolution, arguing that the legislative bills were flawed and too

restrictive.

WHAT IT MEANS

While the resolution is nonbinding, the 5-2 vote demonstrates that

the present council is averse to using eminent domain in

private-to-private land swaps.

Huntington Beach officials have a history of using eminent domain,

including in the redevelopment of Main Street Huntington Beach and in

an unsuccessful attempt to force Burlington Coat Factory out of the

Huntington Beach Mall.

Bohr has made multiple public statements threatening to use

eminent domain to spruce up dilapidated shopping centers, especially

along Edinger Avenue. This vote shows he doesn’t have the support of

the council to use eminent domain.

BOLSA CHICA ANNEXATION

Councilman Dave Sullivan came up short on his request to form an

ad hoc committee to assist in talks over the annexation of Bolsa

Chica.

At issue is how much money the city should receive from developer

Hearthside Homes if it annexes an unincorporated county parcel where

Hearthside plans to build 349 homes. Sullivan said he wanted council

members involved in the negotiations, but several council members

complained that the involvement of the committee might slow talks.

The recommendation went down without receiving an up-or-down vote.

WHAT IT MEANS

Instead of participating in direct negotiations, City

Administrator Penny Culbreth-Graft said she will update council

members about the progress of the talks.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Next Huntington Beach City Council meeting

WHEN: 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17

WHERE: City Hall, 2000 Main St.

INFO: (714) 536-5553