Posts Tagged ‘Regulations’
Post Planning Commission – Outdoor Event Ordinance Needs Changes
VC CoLAB expressed our concerns over a new surprise Outdoor Event Ordinance found on the agenda of the June 21st Ventura County Planning Commission. The item was revealed with little notice on the Friday night before the Thursday hearing. On analyzing the draft language of the ordinance, we found rules that would limit the right to hold…
Read MoreMarijuana legalization presents new opportunities and pitfalls
In the wake of the 2016 vote to legalize recreational marijuana use in California, cities across Ventura County are grappling with the question of how to implement it. While most cities and the county have largely banned retail sales and cultivation, some like Port Hueneme and Thousand Oaks have taken a more permissive stance. The…
Read MoreStar, Conservation Groups Take Aim at County Planning
The Ventura County Star published a story on February 27 that called out the Ventura County Planning Division for not ordering a shutdown of the Ferndale oil operation in Santa Paula Canyon during emergency storm conditions. The article was based on a complaint by Los Padres Forest Watch (LPFW), Citizens for Responsible Oil and Gas…
Read MoreBoard Doubles Down on Failed Housing Policies
Cities and civic organizations across the county are holding sometimes contentious conversations about density, growth and the future of housing in Ventura County. However, some members of the Board of Supervisors appear increasingly married to the idea that little needs to change in the county unincorporated areas to solve the region’s dire housing crisis. The…
Read MoreWastewater injection ruling creates new questions about groundwater management
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently released a potentially wide-ranging decision that declared that wastewater injection wells can violate the Clean Water Act (CWA) as long as the wastewater can be “fairly traceable” to waters covered by the CWA. This creates a new standard for wastewater disposal and introduces new uncertainties for operators of…
Read MoreDespite Progress, Wildlife Corridors Could Threaten Farmers, Ranchers and Public
The County of Ventura offered further clues to what landowners, farmers and ranchers can expect from the proposed Wildlife Corridor regulations during a second stakeholder meeting held on August 8. New restrictions on fencing, lighting and brush clearance were suggested, potentially creating new hurdles for landowners and increasing the threat of wildfires by restricting brush…
Read MoreCounty CEO talks dollars and cents at Taxpayers Association Luncheon
The County of Ventura continues to experience a positive budget outlook, although the County still faces challenges from unfunded state mandates and pension obligations, according to a State of the County presentation given by County CEO Mike Powers at the Ventura County Taxpayers Association Annual Luncheon. Powers spoke before a diverse mix of business owners,…
Read MoreWildlife Corridors Are Already Wild
The County Board of Supervisors is considering the adoption of a Habitat Connectivity Overlay Zone, which would impose new regulations on agricultural and open space landowners immediately after the renewal of the SOAR ordinance until the year 2050. While SOAR promised to “save open space and agricultural resources,” additional new regulations could be another blow…
Read MoreVC CoLAB Supports the CA Water Fix
On July 5th, Randy Record, Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, sent a letter to County CEO, Mike Powers, alerting the County that the California WaterFix project will be ready for consideration soon by the MWD Board of Directors. The letter invites him to learn more about this upgrade…
Read MoreWater for Oxnard, Camarillo and Moorpark Farms Subject to Allocations
New pumping allocations are being considered for groundwater basins underlying Oxnard, Camarillo, Moorpark and surrounding agricultural areas that could restrict water for farms and forever change the local landscape. Pumping Allocation Systems adopted by the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency will be a determining factor in whether our agricultural industry will continue to thrive in…
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