Council moves forward with Atlanta Avenue widening

The Huntington Beach City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a reworked report about the impact of street a widening project on Atlanda Avenue that would affect Pacific Mobile Home Park.

A revised mitigated negative declaration report was completed in January 2013. The city reopened the impact investigation in 2011 after the Orange County Superiour Court ordered it to conduct additional research on several items.

Mitigated negative declarations are filed if the project could have a significant impact on the environment, but could be reduced if actions are taken.

Atlanta Avenue is set to be widened — between Huntington and Delaware streets — in accordance to the city’s General Plan, which requires there to be two through-lanes traveling in each direction divided by double-yellow stripes and a sidewalk, gutter, curb and bike line on each side.

The widening will occur between Huntington Street and Delaware Street.

The street currently has a total of two lanes and parking on the north side of the street.

The city purchased 25 feet of land from Pacific Mobile Home, which is required to fulfill the General Plan’s requirements.

In order to attain that addition 25 feet to widen the street, eight mobile homes need to be demolished on the south side of the street. Those who live in those homes will be relocated under federal law.

The court ruled to revisit the mitigated negative declaration after Pacific Mobile Home’s owner, Jim Hodson, sued the city saying the initial report was not adequate.

Tuesday’s vote means the city may retain the funding for the project but the the city is still required to seek further approval to begin construction.

The updated mitigated negative declaration considered the demolition of the mobile homes, relocation of utilities, the construction of block wall, traffic impacts and impacts to the social fabric on the mobile home park community, among other items.

The court didn’t require the city to file an environmental impact report after concluding that most of the findings in the initial mitigated negative declaration were valid.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio