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Huntington Beach council directs staff to draft America 250 plaque, sets aside existing naming resolution
Summary
After debate over process and public input, the City Council voted 5–2 to set aside Resolution 2017-25 and asked staff to prepare an engraving template for a Pier Plaza plaque marking America's 250th birthday, with planned review by Historic Resources and Library/Community Services commissions and a council review on Aug. 18.
The Huntington Beach City Council voted 5–2 to set aside Resolution 2017-25 and directed staff to prepare an engraving template for an America 250 plaque at Pier Plaza, after a lengthy discussion about whether the project should follow the city’s established review process.
Councilmember (speaker 8) introduced the idea to engrave one of the black rectangles on the Pier Plaza monument to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and suggested council would review a draft before a final vote. Several council members and the city attorney urged following the existing resolution, which calls for review by the Historic Resources Board and the Community Library Services Commission before returning to council for approval.
Councilmember (speaker 13) argued the safeguards in Resolution 2017-25 ensure public input and historical vetting and urged the council to refer the matter through the established commissions. Supporters of the substitute motion said staff would gather input from the boards and commissions while the council reviewed a draft template, and that any final wording would come back to the council for public comment and vote.
After substitute and counter motions, the council adopted the motion to set aside Resolution 2017-25 and directed staff to create the engraving template with input from the Historic Resources Board and Community Library Services Commission, and to bring a draft back to council on Aug. 18 for review and possible revision. The motion carried 5–2.
The council and city attorney discussed Brown Act limits on informal communications with boards and cautioned that official input from commissions would need to be agendized. Council members said the intent is to create a commemorative plaque that recognizes the city’s patriotism while preserving opportunity for public and commission feedback before final approval.
The council did not approve final language or grant any naming rights; the action was procedural, establishing a timeline and consultation plan for the plaque’s design and review. The item will return to the council for review and a final vote after commission input and public comment.
