Group files lawsuit against city

A group of Huntington Beach residents filed a lawsuit against the city today alleging it broke state environmental laws by approving the Downtown Specific Plan’s Environmental Impact Report.

A group of residents called the Huntington Beach Neighbors believe officials violated the California Environmental Quality Act by not adequately analyzing the impacts the plan will have on downtown residents.

The plan is a long-range document that dictates building and parking specifications and design guidelines. The plan will increase development over the next 20 years. The plan and its Environmental Impact Report were approved by the City Council on Nov. 2 and must go before the California Coastal Commission for approval.

The group claims there are issues with the report’s analysis of parking, noise, lighting and the future impact any development would put on police services. The residents behind the lawsuit are creating a coalition of other groups and launched www.hbneighbors.com.

Mayor Pro Tem Cathy Green said she thought the council did a good job and gave the residents almost everything they wanted. Green said the council protected the Main Street Library and Triangle Park and put in restrictions on conditional use permits for alcohol use.

“We’re just trying to protect the downtown, and I thought we listened very carefully to what they wanted,” Green said.

— Britney Barnes