State commission clears Keith Bohr

Allegations that former Huntington Beach Mayor Keith Bohr should have recused himself from voting on the Downtown Specific Plan because of a possible conflict of interest have been found false by the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

“I had no doubt from the beginning,” Bohr said. “Anyone can make an accusation ... It comes with the job. I have a thick skin.”

The commission stated Bohr violated no laws in a letter to Kim Kramer of the Huntington Beach Downtown Residents Assn., which made the original allegations.

“After review of your complaint and the evidence obtained, we found no violation of the Fair Political Act ... Mr. Bohr sought advice from our legal division concerning his political conflict of interest,” Roman Porter, executive director of the Fair Political Practices Commission, wrote in a Feb. 10 letter to Kramer.

Bohr received a copy of the letter about two weeks ago.

A group of residents asked the Orange County district attorney and the commission to investigate Bohr in November.

The association asserted that Bohr should have recused himself from the Downtown Specific Plan vote because the residents believed he would benefit from it. The plan is a long-range planning document that dictates building and parking specifications and design guidelines. The City Council directed the plan to be updated to increase development over the next 20 years. The plan still has to be certified by the California Coastal Commission.

Bohr is a principal partner in the real estate development and construction company Team Companies Inc., which had an office downtown and an interest in three restaurants.

Bohr said at the time that he had no interest or connection with the three projects, but he then leased an office downtown on a month-to-month basis. Bohr said the office was allowed, but he vacated it Oct. 31 to “put the issue to rest.”

Bohr said conflict of interest allegations were made because some constituents were displeased with his overall voting record on the council.