City hopes for higher profile for Distance Derby

The Huntington Beach City Council on Tuesday voted to enter into an agreement with Pacific Shoreline Marathon, LLC to help expand the annual Huntington Beach Distance Derby into a premier Southern California running event, according to a city staff report.

The city is looking to open the derby for more runners this year and change the venue from Beach Service Road to Pacific Coast Highway, the report said. PCH is expected to accommodate a minimum of 3,600 runners.

Pacific Shoreline Marathon, which owns the Surf City Marathon, will promote the event and help expand it for the city. City staff is working with Caltrans to obtain a permit to close PCH. The city is looking to attract 8,500 runners by 2013, the staff report said.

In other city news, the City Council voted to switch the duties of scheduling public hearings related to the Public Works Commission from the city clerk to the city manager. The change cuts down the process because the city manager is directly involved with department heads and is more aware of their schedule, said City Clerk Joan Flynn.

The City Council also voted to appoint Dan Kalmick to serve as interim resident at large to the city’s Mobile Home Advisory Board for the remaining term, which is set to expire Aug. 5.

Councilmen Joe Shaw and Keith Bohr, who serve as liaisons to the board, made the recommendation to the City Council.

The board addresses quality of life issues for those living in Huntington Beach’s 18 mobile home parks.