Incumbent Hardy tops Huntington Beach council race
Three familiar City Hall names won seats this week to the Huntington Beach City Council.
Councilwoman Jill Hardy, the only incumbent of the 10 candidates, earned the most votes at 28,160, according to county registrar results Wednesday following Tuesday’s election.
Coming in second was Planning Commissioner Lyn Semeta, who garnered 24,788 votes bolstered by a social media and grassroots campaign. With 20,716 votes, third was Semeta’s commission colleague Patrick Brenden, a retired businessman who — with a war chest of more than $58,000 — raised more money than any other candidate and garnered an endorsement from the Chamber of Commerce.
The trio is scheduled to be sworn in next month.
New high-density development was a major topic this year, with Hardy, first elected in 2002, continually opposing it.
“For me, it’s more about protecting our character and culture, preserving open space and fighting high density,” Hardy said Wednesday. “I’ll be monitoring the projects that are coming before us and reflecting the Huntington Beach that we choose to live in.”
Semeta said she too will advocate against high-density projects while also increasing transparency in government.
Brenden called for a “common-sense approach” to development, though critics were skeptical of the remark, pointing to his Planning Commission vote against reducing the number of residential units allowed in the Beach Edinger Corridor Specific Plan.
Brenden, however, argued the plan’s number should remain at 4,500 units so the city could follow state regulations and avoid lawsuits.
“I had a very sensible solution to satisfy the state’s numbers and I will continue to advocate for those kinds of common-sense solutions to a problem that could potentially cost taxpayers a lot of money,” Brenden said Wednesday.
Semeta said she was optimistic of the new council dynamic, where different viewpoints could balance one another out.
“The three of us will work well with the other council members and we’ll be able to collaborate together,” she said. “We have different goals to some degree, but I think common goals as well.”
Brenden said he believes the balance on council won’t change too much. He pointed to Mayor Pro Tem David Sullivan and Mayor Jim Katapodis, who are both leaving the dais.
“I think switching those two out for me and Lyn is pretty compatible,” he said. “I see this as pretty consistent with where we’ve been.”
Acting City Clerk Robin Estanislau was also elected to the position, beating opponent Kevin Donovan by nearly 24,000 votes.
“I look forward to continuing our current practice of providing quality customer service,” she said.
Estanislau, who has worked in the city clerk’s office for more than 10 years, was first appointed the position in June to replace retiring City Clerk Joan Flynn.
According to county registrar data Wednesday morning, coming in fourth was former financial advisor Ron Sterud at 17,404 votes, followed by former Mayor Joe Carchio with 16,434 votes, registered nurse Karen Leighton with 10,885 votes, Planning Commissioner Edward Pinchiff with 10,471 votes, businessman Mark Rolfes with 8,203 votes, certified public accountant Mariann Ettorre with 7,303 votes and student Amory Hanson with 5,805 votes.
Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey
