Editorial:

There’s a furor in Triangle Park right now, and it appears to be coming down to two sides: residents who want the city to leave their neighborhood alone, and city officials who want the neighbors to relax and put the megaphone down.

The fight over construction in Triangle Park, where the city has expressed a desire to create a cultural arts center that would serve as a northern hub for downtown, looks to be an ongoing issue for years to come. The rally scheduled for tonight at the park, where the Huntington Beach Downtown Residents Assn. has predicted hundreds in attendance, may be just a taste of things to come.

Opponents say having a major tourist attraction would not only destroy the park they’ve used for years, but would also flood the neighborhood with traffic, partyers and homeless people, who might use the public restrooms to camp out. City officials, on the other hand, say it’s premature to be rallying against anything, because the project still has to win approval from the Planning Commission, City Council and California Coastal Commission, and any specific development would have to be approved by voters. And at this stage of the game, both sides may be right.

We sympathize with residents who want to maintain the pristine quality of their neighborhood. There is a world of difference between the bustle of Huntington Beach’s downtown core and the relative calm of the area a few blocks away, and given the choice, most people would probably vastly prefer a quiet neighborhood where they’re guaranteed a full night’s sleep.

At the same time, we agree with city officials that any development in the park — and the key word is “any,” because even if all the proposed projects get approved, there’s no guarantee they’ll be built — is still a vague prediction. If voters are truly opposed to having the parcel changed, they will likely say so at the polls. And anyone who follows city government knows that plans can change repeatedly through the approval and public hearing process.

So a final decision on the fate of Triangle Park may be years off at this point. But if residents feel the need to voice their opinions now, we encourage them to do so. And when the rally kicks off this evening, we encourage Huntington Beach’s elected officials to go down and listen.