HomeMy WebLinkAboutH Item - World War II Bunker on the Bolsa Chica Mesa - Elig a
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
HUNTINGTON BEACH
TO: Connie Brockway, City Clerk
FROM: Dave Sullivan, City Council Member
DATE: March 15, 1995
SUBJECT: Request for an"H" Item on City Council Agenda for 3/20/95
In September 1994, the National Park Service declared the large World War II bunker on
the Bolsa Chica mesa eligible for listing on the National Register of Historical Places.
I request that the City Council authorize:
1. The enclosed letter (Draft A)to be sent to the State Historic Resources
Commission. '�' ��,GZrx�,uLeo2�s=/C�� 'Ve
2. The enclosed letter(Draft B)to be sent to the California Coastal Commission.
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Attachments
I
March 20, 1995
Ms Cherilyn Wideil
State Historic Preservation Officer
Box 942896
Sacramento, Calif. 94296--0001
Dear Ms. Widell,
on behalf of the citizens of Huntington Beach the City
Council would like to invite the State Historic Resources
Commission to hold the Commission informational meeting relative to
the Bolsa Chica Mesa here in Huntington Beach. We recognize the
importance of informational meetings to help decision makers in
their tasks. To gather the facts is critical. Further, this
meeting will help to inform the public of the historic value of. the
Bolsa Chic$ Mesa.
The recent finding by the National Park Service of the
historical significance of the World War II Bunker on the Bolsa
Chico Mesa is new information and needs to be explored. The
archeology on the Bolsa Chica is unique and our community would
benefit from learning more about the Bolsa Chica.
We understood that the meeting was to have been held on
November 3, 1994 and is being rescheduled for early April. We
would be happy to help in whatever way *we can to offer your
Commission a venue for this meeting.
Please let us know how we can be of service.
Sincerely,
co Dr. Patricia Martz , chairperson
State Historic Resources Commission
r
March 20, 1995 E
California Coastal Commission
45 Fremont Suite 2000
San Francisco, Calif 94105-2219
Dear Mr. Douglas,
In response to the citizens of our community, the City of
Huntington Beach City Council has voted to forward to the Coastal,
Commission our concerns about the upcoming demolition plans at the
Bolsa Chica Mesa. We understand that the Koll Real Estate Group
has a permit from the Coastal Commission 5-90-1143 which allows for
demolition of two gun emplacement battery's ( #128 and 242) and
water cistern. Further, the permit states " the applicant shall
as a condition of approval agree to' limiting the timing of the
project from April 15 to November 1."
This permit was issued in 1991 and now it is 1995. The small
bunker has been demolished as has the cistern. However, and most
significantly, the big bunker is in tact and has been found to be
of historical significance. On September 23, 1994 , at the request
of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Keeper of
National Historic Places determined and declared that the big
bunker at the Bolsa Chica Mesa was of historic significance.
It is our hope that the Coastal Commission will request the
Koll Real Estate Group to postpone the demolition of the bunker for.
reasons listed below:
The recent finding by the National Parks Service that
declared the World War II bunker as eligible for inclusion in the
National Register--of Historic-Places. - -
The efforts by the Department of the Interior to work with
the land owner to reach an agreement to acquire and therefore
preserve the Bolsa Chica.
Letter dated March 3, 1995, from the Advisory Council to the
Army Corps of Engineers asking for clarification as to the status
of the EIS Bolsa Chica project put forth by the Koll Company
relative to the new information concerning the bunker listing.
E.O. 11593
DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY NOTIFICATION
Netlonal Register of Historic Places
National Park Service
Name of property: World War 11 Bunkers--Bolsa Chico Mesa
Location: Orange County. State: CALIFORNIA
Request submitted by: ADCOIC►audia Nissley -
Date received: 8110/94 Additional Information received:
Opinion of the State Historic Preservation Officer:
Z( Eigible ,_Not Eligible _No Response „_,Need More Information
Comments:
�,.The Secretary of the Interior has determined that this property is:
R!
t' x Eligible Applicable criteria: A, C ,Not Eligible
Comments:
See attached comments
�Dooumentatlon Insufficient
(Please see accompanying sheet explaining additional materials required),
Keeper oft att al Register
Data: r 23
WA4641
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PROJECT NAME Bolsa Chica Mesa Development
LOCATION: City of Huntington Beach
Orange County, California
SUBMI'ITYNG AGENCY: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Western Office of Review
The World War 11 coastal defense fortification. at Bolsa Chica Mesa (a.k.a. Battery 128) is
eligible under National Register Criteria A and C, as a significant local example of World War
II-era military construction. Battery 128 and its associated Plotting and Spotting Room (PSR)
are reflective of the Army's significant 1940 Harbor Defense Hoard Program for updating
defensive installations along America's exposed shoreline. 'These World War lI•era programs
were a culmination of design ideas and planning strategies that began with the Endicott and Taft
Board reports on coastal defense released in 1886 and 1906.
The construction of Battery 128 represented a critical component of the overall defensive system
envisioned for the strategic Los Angeles Harbor area Coastal protection during the World War
II era was no longer the realm of a single post or gun emplacement that could protect a whole
harbor, but rather the coordination of an extended system or network of defensive outposts,
Evaluated within the context of Southern California's regional defense network, the extant Dolsa
Chica gun emplacement is a significant example of a distinctive property type--the large-scale
16" coastal defense gun bunker--that reflected the latest generation of military hardware and
technology available during the period. The resources at Bolsa Chica retain sufficient integrity
for listing in the National Register and are still capable of conveying their historic significance,
particularly in light of the general level of integrity observed for such World War II resources.
As a result of its destruction and subsequent loss of integrity, Battery 242 at Bolsa Chica Mesa
(the twin 6" gun emplacement) is not eligible for listing in the National Register,
Reviewer: Paul Lusignan
Date: September 23, 1994
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Advisory
Council On
Historic
Preservation
The Old Post Office Building Reply to: 730 Simms Street,#401
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue,NW,#809 Golden,Colorado 80401
Washington,DC 20004
March 3 , 1995
Colonel Michal Robinson
District Engineer
US Army Corps of Engineers
Los Angeles District
P.O. Box 2711
Los Angeles, CA 90053-2325
RE: Bolsa Chica Project, Orange County, California.
Dear Colonel Robinson:
We have recently been contacted by members of the public
regarding the status of Section 106 compliance by the Corps of
Engineers on the'Bolsa Chica Project, who inform us that the
Corps`has revised its determination regarding the Area of
Potential Effects (APE) for the Bolsa Chica Project to exclude
Bolsa Chica Mesa. Since we have not had any official
notification of this from the Corps of Engineers, we are writing
to seek verification that the APE for the Corp' s Section 404
permit has been revised, and request you provide us with the
Corps ' justification for any such change.
We are also informed that the Koll Company may, under
authorization of a permit from the Coastal Commission, be able to
complete the demolition of the WWII bunkers located on Bolsa
Chica Mesa after April 15, 1995 . As you are aware, these bunkers
were last year determined to be eligible for inclusion in the
National Register of Historic Places, and are located on lands
which were, at that time, included in the Corp' s APE. If the
bunkers have since been excluded from the area of consideration
for the Corps' Section 404 permit, and consequent consideration
of effects to historic properties under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) , it is
important that we have an opportunity to consider the Corps '
redefinition of APE and resolve possible differences of opinion
before the bunkers are irrevocably damaged or destroyed. We
therefore ask that you provide us with the above requested
information as soon as possible, as well as an indication of the
Corps ' proposed direction for compliance with Section 106 for
this undertaking. We hope that by resolving any remaining
questions regarding the APE before the Koll Company takes further
action to affect historic properties on Solsa Chica Mesa, we can
avoid potential problems in consultation for this project, and
minimize the potential for litigation against the Corps regarding
Section 106 compliance.
Your early consideration of this request is appreciated. Given
the short time until AAril 15th, we would appreciate your
providing a copy of your response to the California State
Historic Preservation Officer for their information. If you have
any questions:tor wish to discuss this matter with a member of our
staff, please contact Carol Gleichman of the Western Office of
Review at (303) 231-5320 .
Sinc ely,
Claudia Nissley
Director, Western Office
of Review