CITY ROUNDUP:

The City Council decided in a study session this week to consider joining with Golden West College and Costco to bring the discount chain to Huntington Beach. Some points of the deal being negotiated between the college and Costco would include: Costco leasing college land at Gothard Street and McFadden Avenue for its store at about $1.75 million a year; the city and a nonprofit housing developer building student housing for 300 residents on a vacant lot east of the college; and a projected $2 million in revenue for the college yearly. City officials said Huntington Beach would rake in sales tax money from the deal and help further develop a retail corridor near the college and Bella Terra Shopping Center.

Some neighbors criticized the deal and said they weren’t properly informed by the city of an issue that appeared only on a final revised version of the council agenda; the item appears without further description as “Study Session — Potential Retail and Student Housing Projects in Conjunction with Golden West College.”

“My concern is about the traffic that will eventually come with the new store and low-income housing,” said Dolores Armstrong, who lives nearby. “This could make a huge impact on the tract as well as our surrounding area.”

Councilwoman Jill Hardy said the public would have plenty of time to weigh in on the proposal.

“This was a presentation for a workshop,” she said at the council meeting. “This hasn’t even gone to EIR [Environmental Impact Report]. It hasn’t gone anywhere yet.”

Public can comment on planned Senior Center at meeting

Residents and interested parties who wish to comment on the proposed Senior Center in Central Park are invited to a public information meeting next week on its Draft Environmental Impact Report. The city will have the meeting at 6 p.m., Oct. 11 in room C/D of Huntington Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave. Officials will give an overview of the project and allow attendees to comment on it; all comments will be included in the final Environmental Impact Report. To read the Draft EIR, go to www.surfcity-hb.org/CityDepartments/ planning/major/senior_center.cfm. The public comment period will close Oct. 31.

Tree society to plant 65 trees on empty strip of I-405 Freeway

As part of National NeighborWoods Month, a nationwide effort to plant trees in neighborhoods, the Huntington Beach Tree Society will plant 65 trees on an empty strip of land next to the San Diego Freeway from 8:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 27. The group will meet where the freeway intersects Sugar Drive. Neighbors who wish to join can call society President Jean Nagy at (562) 760-0733. The project is in cooperation with United Voices for Healthier Communities and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

“This project will inspire other neighborhoods to become involved with greening-up their environment,” Nagy said in a news release.

NeighborWoods Month is a national campaign by the Alliance for Community Trees and is sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation.

Fire stations to have event to teach safety

Sunday marks the beginning of the nationwide Fire Prevention Week, with fire stations throughout Orange County hosting open house events to teach residents about fire safety.

All eight Huntington Beach fire stations will have their open house events from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 13. Those stations are at 19711 Bushard St., 16221 Gothard St., 18311 Gothard St., 18951 Edwards St., 5891 Heil Ave., 530 Lake St., 21441 Magnolia St., and 3831 Warner Ave.

Residents are urged to develop a home escape plan in case of fire; only 23% of households have and practice such a plan, according to a city news release. Other safety tips include installing working smoking alarms on each level, inside and outside each bedroom; developing an escape plan with two ways out of each room and a meeting place outside; and practicing the plan twice a year.

Landscape paintings available for purchase

Fans of landscape paintings still have a chance to purchase many works created during this year’s Plein Air Art Festival. About two dozen artists painted scenes from Huntington Beach over the last few weeks, raising funds for the Huntington Beach Art Center. To purchase those paintings, go to the art center, 538 Main St. It is open noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call (714) 374-1650.

Robbery suspect to appear in court again

A Huntington Beach man accused of robberies in Westminster and Costa Mesa is due to appear in court again Oct. 19.

Anthony Manuel Maldonado, 25, is charged with two counts of second degree robbery, one count of attempted robbery, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance, according to prosecutors.

Maldonado is accused of a Sept. 24 holdup about 9 a.m. outside a bank, authorities said. A Costa Mesa man was robbed of his cellphone and wallet, police said.

Maldonado is also accused of an attempted robbery on Sept. 22 in Westminster, prosecutors said.