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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1951-09-18•" MINUTES HUNTINGTON BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION Council Chamber, City Hall Huntington Beach, California Tuesday, September 18, 1951 Chairman Wood Called the meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Huntington Beach to order at 7:3 0 o'clock P.M. Commissioners Present: Tunis, Hinshaw, Schryer, Pyles, Kettler, Kaufman, Wood • Commissioners absent: None Others Present: Harry Overmyer, City Engineer Charles Bauer, City Attorney J. L. Henricksen, City Clerk Minutes On motion by Schryer seconded by Hinshaw that the minutes of the meeting of the Huntington Beach Planning Commission. -Of August 21, 1951, be accepted as mailed by the Secretary, was approved. Div.of The Secretary reported that he -had received from Hiways- the Division of Highways prints showing the improvement on • prints of Huntington Beach Boulevard between Coast Highway and Gar- H.B.Blvd. field Street and the Coast Highway between the west city limits of Huntington Beach and Huntington Beach Boulevard, and turned the maps over to the commissioners. , Petition Chairman Wood announced at 7145 P.M. that this was for cond. the time set to hear the petition for conditional exception exception- filed by Howard O'Brien and asked the Secretary to read the H.O'Brien legal notice of public hearing as published in the Hunting- ton Beach News September 6, 1951. The Secretary read the legal notice of public hearing as published in the Hunting- ton Beach News September 6, 1951, covering the petition for conditional exception to regulations of the Districting • Ordinance to permit construction of a concrete mat and drill an oil well in the rear 40 feet of Lot 9, Block 1704, Tract No. 51, as per map recorded in Book 9, Page #49, Miscellaneous Maps, Records of Orange County, California. The Chairman asked the Secretary if any written or verbal statements had been filed for or against the peti- tion for conditional exception. The Secretary reported that no verbal statements had been filed and that a letter from the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Huntington had been received. C. of C. Chairman Wood requested the Secretary to read the Resolution petition for conditional exception dated August 29, 1951, as filed -by Howard F:- O'Brien. The Secretary read the petition as requested. Chairman Wood requested the Secre- tary to read the letter from the Chamber of Commerce dated September 7, 1951, in which the Board of Directors of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce announced the passing of the following official resolution; to -wit: Whereas, the Chamber of Commerce being representa- tive of the residents and business men of Hunt- ington Beach who is interested in the promotion of the building of new residences in our city, and Whereas, the development of the mineral deposits underlying this area has been carried to the point where the area of profitable production has been defined; and C� 1 0 • Page #2. Minutes - Sept. 18, 1951 1 • • 1 • • 1 • Whereas, the Planning Commission has established certain zones for the pro- tection of all interests concerned both industrial and residential; Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce is strongly in favor of sustaining the Planning Com- mission in its segregation of the resi- dential area particularly Zone R-1 in its entirety, from all- other zones as being in the best interests of all con- cerned. Without discussion, and on motion by Director Bryant and seconded by Director Stang that the resolution as read and presented be adopted. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Wood asked if anyone in the audience had any statement to make on the petition for condi- tional exception of Howard O'Brien. R.Stricklin R. L. Stricklin of 1102 Main Street appeared before the Commissioners and read a petition signed by one hundred sixty one (161) residents of the City of Huntington Beach in which they lodged a protest to the granting of a variance for the purpose of drill- ing one or more new oil wells at this time or at any future period in any portion of the R-1 Zone as de- fined and passed and adopted by the City Council as Ordinance No. 495 on May 6, 1946, and that to grant such a variance would retard the development of this zone for residential purposed which we further believe would be a much greater asset to Huntington Beach than a few non-profitable oil wells, since it has been con- ceded by major oil companies that the greater portion of gas and oil has been exhausted so far as commercial quantities are concerned. We further believe that it would be unfair and unjust to the people who because of the existance of the subject ordinance have bought and built homes within zones believing that they would be protected from the encroachment of further oil well development. It is therefore our request to the Planning Commission and the City Council that they decline the issuance of any permit for the purpose of drilling oil wells anywhere -in the R-1 zone. R. Smith Robert Smith, builder, of Newport Beach, stated that he was getting the final commitment from F.H.A. in the next ten days in the matter of subdivision of Block 1702 and Block 1703 for the purpose of building homes and further stated that if any oil drilling goes on in the area petitioned for that it will be impossible to build any homes on the west side of Block 1703 as residential property must be at least 150 feet away from an oil well. H.O'Brien Howard O'Brien appeared before the Commissioners and stated that his property is being drained and damaged and that the Standard Oil Company is now off -setting, and further stated that geologists say the area is good and the location of the well would not interfere with the housing development as it would be one hundred sixty feet (1601) to the closest well and right now production on his property amounted to one -thousand (1,000) barrels a day. 0 Page #3. Minutes - Sept.l$, 1951 Schryer Commissioner Schryer asked Howard O'Brien"from what direction is your property being drained:" Commissioner Schryer also asked Howard O'Brien whether the present Black Oil Well #1 was his property originally and stated that he saw fit to sell that "and it doesn't look like you are very interested in developing your property". C.Rothert C. E. Roth ert of 2112 Pine Street appeared before the Commissioners and stated"that several months ago a picture was published along .with the campaign for clean- up of the City of Huntington Beach presumb.bly for the bene- fit of the entire community and at that time Huntington Beach News published a picture of this property I believe in question, at that time it was cleaned as a civic improve- ment and everybody gave them a lot of credit. I find it was for future residential growth and that it would remain such. But, I notice now under this variance of Mr. O'Brien's-..as� proposed, he mentioned his address was a box number and I was wondering if Mr. O'Brien is a resident of Huntington Beach. I was not of the impression that he was. Our interest as residents is for the development of Huntington Beach and seeing the residential areas grow and to advance the business section, and until the encroachment of oil can be stopped there doesn't seem to be much prospect for the growth. Now if we who bought homes on Pine Street were informed that we could not even turn our house into a duplex as that would be a breach of the ordinance, think of that. Now if we could not do that, which is a minor point, then I do not see how a variance could be -granted to an oil concession. If a prec- edent would be established what would happen. I readily admit that we do not have oil rights, however, oil rights did not come with the property. We did not buy the property for the oil on it, we bought it to live inHuntington Beach and to improve our property. Now this new, subdivision is going to bring in several thousand dollars every month to different people in Huntington Beach. Now what, in the long run, will be most beneficial, a good business district or an oil well? An individual's benefit against benefit to hundreds of prop- erty owners and I am sure there are more than are represented here tonight that would express the same opinion". R.Miller Ray Miller of Midway City appeared before the Com- missioners and stated that he would like to say a word or two in defense of oil drilling. He stated that Mr. Black has spent a lot of money and that the City is dependent a great deal on oil revenue and believes that Mr. O'Brien should be given consideration but did not believe that the entire area should be turned over.to oil drilling. C. Furr Charles Furr of 213 Main Street appeared before the Commissioners and stated that the City needs more homes and he is not in favor of seeing the area opened for oil drilling, and further stated that if it had not been for oil the City of Huntington Beach today would be a -city of 40,000 people. R.Overacker Ray Overacker, attorney, appeared before the Com- missioners and stated "that the City's present tax rate is made possible through the fact that the greater part of - assessed value is oil, true, conditions may have been dif- ferent provided oil had not been discovered here in 1920, but the people themselves -brought oil drilling down to the town section by their vote in 1927. Conditions changed later and the Planning Commission felt that rezoning was necessary. However, things have changed and Mr. Black is fortunate enough to find an area that has -an oil well that is producing a sub- stantial amount of oil which is worth in the neighborhood of $2.00 a barrel. I don't know exactly how much it has pro- duced, I have heard rumors here and there but it, is assumed F, 1 1 • • J • �7 0 • Page A. Minutes -. Sept.l$, 1951 that it is producing about 50 barrels a day, that's worth $100.00 per day, that is $3,000.00 per month, that is $36,000.00 per year. That is no small change. A short street separates the present O'Brien property from the R-1 Zone to a zone permitting drilling. On the other side of his property to the west you are permitted to drill oil wells, this particular well Black No. 2 which belongs to the gentlemen who is known in this town, very well, and a member of the City Council, Mr. Talbert. He has done well. Of course, to the other side to the east of that well he is not permitted in the present zone to drill an oil well but --- he has asked the Commission to recommend he be allowed • to drill an oil well on the westerly 40 feet of Block 1702, that would leave at least 60 feet between loca- tion of well from the street plus 100 feet making it 160 feet from the property at the easterly side which is supposed to house a construction program for new homes. Things have changed in the technique of drill- ing oil wells and Mr. Black's method of drilling wells forms a model for any producer in this community. His way, you can have oil and residences too, where you should allow that person to get that oil and get it in the way that it would be best for the community. In the area to the east the people living there do • not have the oil rights, but the interests that sold the property retained the mineral rights and can at least whipstock from a distance outside of that area and get it. I do think that there is a way to work out a plan for Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Black to get the oil out of their area and not disturb the zoning to any great extent particularly along the alley, leaving a portion of the land to be used for other purposes." Mrs.O'Brien Mrs. Edward O'Brien appeared before the Com- missioners and stated that they came to the City in 1934 and at that time it was a nice small town, and they stayed for 12 years and they had to move because • of her health and that they still come back and do all of their business in Huntington Beach using the local optometrist, a local dentist and a local doctor and their everyday trading here. She stated they struggled in those days right after the depression. Then they bought property here when property could be bought cheap and they had the foresight to buy it,an&_ now after all of these years of struggle they just want the right of benefit from some of their investments. Hearing Chairman Wood declared the hearing closed and Closed ordered a fifteen minute recess, at 8:15 P.M. Chairman Wood called the Commissioners to • order at 9:10 P.M. and asked if any of the Commissioners wished to further discuss the petition for conditional exception of Howard O'Brien. Recommend On motion by Commissioner Kaufman that the variance Huntington Beach Planning Commission recommend to the be denied City Council that the petition for conditional excep- tion requested by Howard O'Brien on Lot 9, Block 1704, Tract #51, City of Huntington Beach, on August 291; 19519 be denied. Motion seconded by Commissioner Kettler. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: • AYES: Commissioners: Tunis, Hinshaw, Kettler, Pyles, Kaufman. Commissioner Schryer not voting "in view of the fact that I have made a statement on this at the Board of Directors in the Chamber of Commerce. Commissioner Wood not voting for the same reason as presented by Commissioner Schryer. • Page #5. Minutes Sept.18, 1951 • - On motion by Kettler seconded by Pyles the meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Huntington Beach, adjourned. Secretary �_( • Chairman 1 1 • • 11 • • ;7