Form Panel to Revise the City Charter

A divided Huntington Beach City Council voted Tuesday night to form an ad hoc council committee to recommend proposed changes to the city charter.

The vote was split along familiar lines, with Mayor Tony Strickland Mayor Pro Tem Gracey Van Der Mark and Councilmembers Pat Burns and Casey McKeon in favor, with Councilmembers Rhonda Bolton, Dan Kalmick and Natalie Moser opposed.

Burns suggested the creation of the committee, to consist of Strickland and two council colleagues of his choosing. The recommendations would need to come back to the council in time to make the deadline to appear on the March 5, 2024 primary election ballot.

Also on Tuesday night, the council voted 7-0 to continue a public hearing on adoption of the municipal budget to the June 20 meeting. City staff told the council that while the budget was balanced for the next two years, a deficit is projected for 2024-25 or 2025-26. Due

Ground-breaking for Brookhurst Place 2.0

Long-timers may remember the land at the northwest corner of Garden Grove Boulevard and Brookhurst Street as the home of the Smith Ford and Brookhurst Dodge car dealerships.

Today’s motorists driving by may think of it as just one big empty lot.

Soon, it will rise as Phase II of the Brookhurst Place development which will bring a mix of housing, commercial and retail space, a hotel and more to the 14-acre site.

On Tuesday, the groundbreaking was held for Phase II with city officials and Ronnie Lam, CEO and president of Kam Sang, the developer.

Mayor Pro Tem George Brietigam said, “It comes during a great time for our city, when we are dynamically re-energizing ourselves, to coin a phrase from our mayor,

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Wednesday: 72/58 partly cloudy

Thursday: 73/59 partly cloudy

Friday: 71/61 partly cloudy

Saturday: 68/61 cloudy