Shea Parkside Property History

December 26, 1952

Agricultural cultivation covers most of the City portion of the site, whereas the 5 acre County portion is indistinguishable in terms of surface features from the adjoining Bolsa Chica wetlands.

March 24, 1959

Same amount of agricultural cultivation, and the County portion looks the same as in the previous 1952 photograph.  Flooding is visible over most of the western portion.

January 31, 1970

The Wintersburg Channel is now visible, having been constructed sometime after the 1959 photograph.  The agricultural land appears to be fallow.  The Kenilworth tract has been developed.

June 28, 1970

Agricultural tilling clearly visible.

October 26, 1973

Agricultural usage continues.  Substantial recent disturbance in the County portion.

1974

Metropolitan Water District purchases the site from Signal Landmark.

February 17, 1975

Agricultural usage continues.  Vegetation in the County portion has recovered slighty from the previous 1973 photograph.  Stables are now visible at the foot of the knoll.

December 28, 1976

Agricultural usage continues.

December 14, 1978

Agricultural usage continues.  Standing water evident in low areas below eucalyptus grove.  Arena under construction near stables.

1980-1989

MWD leased portions of the site to Smoky's Stables.

February 25, 1980

Fields apparently fallow, but have been retilled since previous 1978 photograph.  Standing water in western portion.

January 31, 1981

Agricultural usage continues.  Some standing water in low end of arena.  County portion has been lightly cleared of some vegetation.

December 1981

Site designated "Severely Degraded Historic Wetland - Not Presently Functioning as Wetland".

February 19, 1983

Agricultural usage continues.  Western end appears saturated below the eucalyptus grove.  Condominiums being constructed on land north of the eastern knoll margin.

1986

City of Huntington Beach changes the zoning on most of the site from Residential to Conservation on the Coastal Element Land Use Plan.  At that time, the City was actively negotiating with the County over the ultimate land use for the Bolsa Chica.  The City decision in 1986 to designate the MWD property Conservation was partly in response to a proposal by the County and Signal Landmark to intensively develop the Bolsa Chica.  The MWD property was designated Conservation in response to the County's intense plan for the Bolsa Chica.

March 19, 1986

Agricultural usage continues.  Some evidence of standing water north of the stables.

January 21, 1987

Agricultural usage continues, with probable crops visible.  County area is heavily used with abundant evidence of vehicles and grading, and some small new structures as part of stable expansion.

1988

The Bolsa Chica Coalition was successful in negotiating a much less intensive Bolsa Chica Land Use Plan.  Consequently, the Bolsa Chica Coalition Plan proposed Residential Development on the MWD property.

January 24, 1988

Agricultural usage continues.  County area has more extensive activity.

January 30, 1989

Agricultural usage continues.  More stable expansion consisting of buildings, parking area, three additional small arenas.

February 1989

Approximately 8.3 acres of the City parcel (along the north boundary below the eucalyptus trees found on-site) and 0.2 acres of the County parcel were identified as jurisdictional wetland by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

March 15, 1990

Agricultural usage continues.

January 14, 1991

No apparent agricultural activity since previous 1990 photograph.  Most of the structures and activity areas around arena site are gone or appear abandoned.

October 1991

A report by D.R. Sanders and Associates, Inc. concluded that the 8.3-acre area determined to be jurisdictional wetland by EPA is instead non-jurisdictional "prior converted croplands".

January 24, 1992

Fields appear vegetated, but no recent till lines evident.

May 1992

A letter from the US Army Corps of Engineers also reclassified the 8.3-acrea area from "jurisdictional wetlands" by EPA as "prior converted croplands", thus not subject to Corps' Section 404 permit requirements.

January 3, 1993

Thin and patchy vegetation, but no recent tilling visible.  Shrubs evident along southern portion.

May 14, 1993

Patchy vegetation in agricultural areas, some larger shrubs evident, and no till lines visible.  Arena appears abandoned, with stables and arena footprint retracted somewhat.  County area shows slight increase in density of pickleweed vegetation compared to 1980s.

January 3, 1994

Vegetation on fields and slopes has been cleared since the previous 1993 photograph.  Pickleweed vegetation patches easily detectable in County area.

January 28, 1995

Fields appear to have been disked several months previously, as some shrubs are still visible but fewer than in 1993.  Area appears very wet.  Arena is overgrown with weeds, and there is little sign of use around the stables.

March 27, 1995

Slight decrease in extent of standing water, no change in field condition or cover.

January 1996

A letter was send to MWD from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, affirming that none of the land making up the project site lies within the prospective Federal wetland restoration project area known as the Bolsa Chica Wetland Restoration project.

March 1996

The County portion of the site was analyzed as part of the overall Bolsa Chica Project EIR.  The Existing Habitats Map contained within this EIR described the City portion of the site as "Agricultural", "Ruderal",  "Exotic trees", or "Non-native Grassland".  The County portion of the site was described as "Non-native Grassland" or "Pickleweed".

September 1996

Shea Homes purchases the site.

June 7, 1997

Discing in the County area prior to this date has completely removed all traces of the surface vegetation except larger trees and +/- 10 foot wide strip of small plants and pickleweed growing beneath an elevated oil pipeline which passes through the bottomland area.