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HISTORIC VOTE BY COMMISSION TO PROTECT BOLSA CHICA At "high noon" on Nov. 16, 2000, the California Coastal Commission undertook deliberations on the Bolsa Chica Local Coastal Plan (LCP). The goal was to put to rest more than 20 years of efforts to save world-famous wetlands and upland habitat, in Huntington Beach, Orange County. By 9 p.m., it was all over. The 1,500-acre Bolsa Chica wetland has a long history of environmental abuse, natural perseverance, failed planning efforts and judicial intervention. What happened was this: Coastal Commission staff recommended that Hearthside Homes be allowed to build up to 1,235 homes at Bolsa Chica, with a building envelope of 65-acres to prevent sprawl. This would allow the entire project to be constructed on the upper mesa, and protect the entire 100-acre lower mesa (adjacent to the wetlands) as a raptor foraging area and wildlife open space. Of course, Hearthside wanted to build across as much habitat as possible. To make their case they spent more than $1 million dollars lobbying. They spent $270,000 on one lobbyist in particular, Sacramento heavyweight Darius Anderson, who just happens to be Gov. Gray Davis' chief fundraiser. Smell something fishy here? The efforts of Anderson appeared to be focused on having Bob Hight and Ron Rempel, senior officials at Cal. Dept. of Fish & Game (DFG), throw a last-minute bomb into the proceedings wherein they recommended (in a letter first made public the morning of the hearing) that the Commission ignore both their staff and other DFG and raptor experts and support the developer. The DFG letter argued that converting more habitat to homes would result in fewer raptors, and fewer raptors would make the wetlands safer for other endangered birds such as least terns and snowy plovers. Problem was that Hight and Rempel were wrong about that, and their political maneuverings contradicted their own DFG raptor experts, who had already endorsed the Commission staff recommendation in a process outside their political control. In all, the last-second efforts of senior DFG officials to support the developer were embarrassing and inadequate. It also underscored concerns regarding DFG's ability to be trusted on any biological matters before the Commission. In the end they left the Los Angeles meeting with very little credibility. Fortunately, some 600 activists from dozens of organizations including Bolsa Chica Land Trust, Amigos De Bolsa Chica, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, League for Coastal Protection, Wetlands Action Network and many others prevailed upon the Commission to accept its staff's well-reasoned analysis. Numerous wildlife and wetlands experts from around the United States also supported protecting the lower mesa. After a hearing of eight hours, the Commission voted unanimously to support staff and limit development to the upper mesa. Moving testimony was provided by Commissioner member (and Amigos De Bolsa Chica founder) and Huntington Beach City Councilperson Shirley Dettloff. Dettloff, for whom this decision is a legacy, also made the motions supporting staff. Bolsa Chica Land Trust officials are now working to coordinate a public purchase of the upper mesa in order to fulfill the goal of saving all of the Bolsa Chica. 2002 Update: The Bolsa Chica wetlands and upper mesa area remain undeveloped. Grassroots organizations, the Bolsa Chica Land Trust and various other agencies and land trusts are attempting to negotiate purchase and conservation of the entire property. The developer, a publicly traded company, lost $50 million dollars of over-inflated value the day after the Commission's decision. The developer, is suing the Coastal Commission for the right to destroy more habitat. Up to Top |
