COMMUNITY SERVICES
Beach Maintenance Crewleaders Go Above and Beyond - On Saturday, November 19, as Beach Crewleaders Tim Turner and Tim Dugan were heading down Pacific Coast Highway about 3:45 a.m. to begin opening up the beach parking lots, they noticed a disabled vehicle on the side of Seapoint Avenue. The area being very dark and remote, they went to check it out. They found a very scared and cold young woman with a blown-out tire. She had no cell phone, no money, and no friends in the area. Turner and Dugan offered to change the tire but found that the jack was broken and wouldn't raise the car high enough. Just about that time, Equipment Operator Alex Candelario, returning from sweeping the beach bicycle path, called and asked Turner and Dugan to meet him on the State Beach because he had found what appeared to be a motorized wheel chair flipped over in the sand. While Turner met Candelario on the State Beach, Dugan stayed with the young woman from New Mexico and kept working on the flat tire. As Turner approached State Beach at Newland Street, he spotted an elderly woman waving her arms for help. With temperatures in the 40's, Turner quickly got the woman in his truck. The woman said that she had just purchased a motorized scooter the day before and decided to take it for a ride when it flipped over in the sand. She said she had been stranded since before midnight. Candelario and Turner found a 2 x 6 and a 2 x 4 in the truck and made a ramp to push the scooter into the back of the truck. They took the woman and her scooter to her home in a nearby trailer park. As Turner went back to see how Dugan was doing with the tire, he was happy to see the flat was fixed, and the young woman was on her way. Good work, guys!
Holiday Meals - For the 15th year in a row, an anonymous donor gave 20 small, frozen turkeys to Huntington Beach Senior Services. In time for Thanksgiving, social workers delivered the turkeys to low-income clients, who were able to cook or have their families prepare the bird. For 65 Huntington Beach frail seniors alone on the holiday, nine senior service volunteers delivered a delicious Thanksgiving dinner prepared at cost by Norm's Restaurant. The Huntington Beach Council on Aging and the Handy Crafters funded the Thanksgiving Holiday Meals.
Handy Crafters' Boutique - The Handy Crafters will be holding their annual boutique in the City Hall Lobby on Thursday, December 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Holiday Meals Program run by Senior Services. The Handy Crafters meet weekly at Rodgers Seniors' Center on Friday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Beginners are welcome, and yarn and instruction are provided.
PLANNING
Home Depot Update - On November 17, 2005, the Design Review Board (DRB) reviewed plans for a new Home Depot proposed at the southwest corner of Magnolia Street and Garfield Avenue, the site formerly occupied by K-Mart. The DRB's review followed a preliminary review of the project (by the DRB) on May 26. At the November 17 meeting, the DRB concluded that Home Depot's revised plans addressed most of the recommendations made following their initial (May 26) review. Accordingly, the DRB recommended approval of the project with suggested modifications as conditions of approval to the discretionary body. Included among the recommended conditions is elimination of parking spaces proposed along the westerly property line, adjacent to single-family homes, in order to minimize potential impacts to residents. The project is scheduled for review by the Environmental Assessment Committee on December 1 to determine the appropriate environmental documentation required for compliance with CEQA and make a recommendation to the discretionary body.
Planning Department "Second Opinion" Available - As part of Huntington Beach's Process Improvement and Customer Service Commitment, the City's Planning Department offers a "Second Opinion" at any point during the entitlement review and permit process. A few years ago, the Planning Department, as well as other city departments, established an ombudsman service for individuals seeking a "Second Opinion." Anytime there is disagreement or further clarification needed, just ask for a "Second Opinion" with how we have interpreted a regulation or policy or if additional confirmation regarding a zoning matter is necessary. While we are legally responsible to apply certain zoning codes and development regulations to ensure quality and safe development, Planning staff wants to make sure complete and clear information has been given to minimize any frustration. Our commitment is one of open communication designed to ensure the highest quality of entitlement processing, plan checking, code interpretation, and neighborhood preservation. The following list of Planning staff is provided so you can ask for a "Second Opinion:"
Entitlement Processing, Zoning Counter, Land Use, Code Interpretations, and Planning Plan Check:
Herb Fauland, Principal Planner, 536-5271
Code Enforcement/Neighborhood Preservation:
Bill Zylla, Neighborhood Preservation/Principal Planner, 375-8487
Flood Brochure Mailing - Each year prior to the rainy season, the Planning Department sends out a Flood Brochure to occupants of properties that are located within the floodplain. The purpose of the brochure is to make Huntington Beach citizens aware of the presence of local flood hazards and to suggest possible actions which may be taken to protect life and property. The brochure also includes information on flood warnings and city services such as providing information on flood zone for a property, insurance requirements, flood protection methods, and construction requirements. This annual mailing is one of the many voluntary activities conducted by the city in conjunction with the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System (CRS) sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Participation in the CRS program allows reductions in flood insurance premiums and minimizes future flood losses.
PUBLIC WORKS
Adams Avenue Arterial Rehabilitation - Street improvement work began last week on Adams Avenue between Lake Street and Beach Boulevard. Rehabilitation of this street segment includes removal and replacement of the large street trees, replacement of raised sidewalk, curb and gutter, and reconstruction of the asphalt road surface. Traffic may be routed to one lane in each direction throughout the construction period of approximately 30 days. Alternate travel routes are suggested. The segment is one component of the 2004/05 Arterial Rehabilitation Project. The total project cost is $3.1 million and is funded through the city's Measure M allocation.
Weekly Report Archive 2005 2004 2003
