CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP:Trees the topic of hearing

The Coastal Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday to decide whether to enforce a cease-and-desist order on a homeowners’ group in Huntington Harbour regarding cutting or trimming trees that are home to great blue herons and egrets. Commissioners were scheduled to address the item in the afternoon, after the Independent’s press time.

In May, concerned residents complained about trees being cut down at Humboldt Drive and Saybrook Lane by the Tennis Estates Homeowners Assn. The California Department of Fish and Game halted the destruction of pine trees in the Tennis Estates of Huntington Harbour because the work could potentially destroy the nesting area of herons and egrets.

Four trees originally towered over the site, but one was a stump by the time Fish and Game Officer Larry Stephens arrived on the scene May 25, a day after the cutting began. Workers with Bandy Landscape Maintenance were trimming the remaining three when Stephens placed a 30-day stay on any further work.

The Commission issued a temporary cease-and-desist order to the homeowners regarding cutting or trimming the trees.

For an update on the hearing, go to www.hbindependent.com.

Top legal firm hired to defend ‘Surf City USA’

In the latest salvo in the fight over the Surf City USA trademark, Huntington Beach hired a top legal firm to defend the lawsuit filed by two Santa Cruz shops.

The Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau has retained Richard P. Sybert, a former state director of planning and research and an intellectual property lawyer at Gordon & Rees, a West Coast law firm, as its counsel.

Sybert recently won back the “Malibu Pier” mark for the California Department of Parks & Recreation in a federal court jury trial in August in Los Angeles.

A T-shirt shop owner in Santa Cruz filed a lawsuit in state court against the Huntington Beach visitors bureau after receiving a letter to stop infringing upon the trademark registered to the bureau.

The shop, known as “Noland’s T-shirts,” filed suit in Santa Cruz Superior Court, a state court, instead of a federal court of law, to take advantage of a friendly jury, the bureau stated in a news release.

“The money we raise from tourism goes back into our community to fund police, fire and lifeguard protection for residents and tourists alike, as well as other community services,” said Doug Traub, president and chief executive of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. “We like Santa Cruz, but we have to protect our rights and the city’s heritage.”

The bureau’s lawyers will file papers in Santa Cruz to move the case to a federal court in San Jose. Later, the bureau plans to file motion papers to move the case to Southern California, “where it should have been brought,” the bureau said in the news release.

Costs of defending the lawsuit are being paid by the bureau’s insurer, the Chubb Group of Companies.

“We tried to resolve the matter amicably,” Traub said. “We love Santa Cruz, and I’m sure it’s a nice city. But it’s not Surf City. That’s us. Surf City USA.”

Fundraiser for family

of Esperanza firefighter

A fundraiser was held at a local restaurant Nov. 8 to raise money for the family of a Fountain Valley firefighter who died after being severely burned in the Esperanza fire in Riverside County.

Malibu Grill restaurant on Beach Boulevard organized the nine-hour fund-raiser for Pablo Cerda, 23, a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service. Profits from food sales at both restaurants, excluding cost of food and labor, were donated to Cerda’s family.

Vasili Hatziris, owner of the Malibu Grill restaurant chain in Huntington Beach and Santa Ana, organized the event.

Cerda was buried at Good Shepherd cemetery in Huntington Beach, and his funeral service was held at St. Barbara Catholic Church in Santa Ana on Nov. 7.

Cerda was one of five firefighters who died after being overtaken by flames Oct. 26 while fighting the Esperanza wildfire. The fire burned more than 40,000 acres.

During surgery at a Colton hospital, doctors had to remove 70% of Cerda’s burned skin. He succumbed to his injuries on Oct. 31.

Internet audio broadcast

of council study sessions

Study sessions before council meetings will now be available as audio broadcasts on the city’s website. City staff has been streaming and archiving council meetings on its website since 2005, except the study sessions’ portion at 4 p.m. The archive audio will be available on its website the day after the council meeting, similar to accessing archives of council meetings.

The efforts to beef up the city’s website include redesigning its parks webpage. The new page boasts more than 100 pictures of Huntington Beach’s most-visited parks. The city has 70 parks, which are listed alphabetically on its parks webpage along with an address. Pictures, a list of amenities, historical background, fun facts and links are available for seven local parks.

Surf City Bank coming to Huntington Beach

A new bank, headed by its president Diane Heyden, is coming to Surf City USA named after its namesake. The Surf City Bank plans to provide Huntington Beach residents with better customer service and competitive rates.

“Surf City Bank is staffed by folks who live in Huntington Beach and are already part of the fabric of the community,” Lisa Loughran, Surf City Bank branch administrator, said in a news release.

The bank will support charities and targeted causes, including participating in the Soroptimist Club of Huntington Beach’s Home for the Holidays event, as well as the annual chamber dinner hosted by the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce.

The new business already has signed on clients such as HB Digital, Noal Jewelry Design and the Soroptimist International Huntington Beach.

“I’ve known those running Surf City Bank for years, and I’m confident that with their level of professionalism, the whole community will embrace Surf City Bank,” said Pat Stier, president of Streetscape and chair of the Fourth of July Parade and Celebration Committee.

$1.2 million lease completed for restaurant

Starboard Commercial Real Estate and Beitler Commercial negotiated a 10-year lease for a Japanese restaurant, Gyu-Kaku, at 7862 Warner Ave., valued at $1.2 million. Nathan Crawford of Starboard and Joanne Sumabet-Smith of Beitler represented the tenant.