Posts by Lynn Jensen
Help Shape the Vision of the 2020 General Plan Update
As the County puts together it’s 2020 General Plan Update, it is asking for public input on the Vision and Guiding Principles. These set the stage for the role the County sees itself playing in nearly every aspect of county life including infrastructure, housing, economic development and the environment. CoLAB has been at the forefront…
Read MoreGeneral Plan Agriculture Element Violates SOAR and the Agriculture Guiding Principle
The new “Agriculture Element” of the General Plan violates the principles of the 2016 SOAR ballot measure passed by a majority vote of the people. Through glossy mailers with photos of the green fields tended by our local farmers and ranchers, voters were led to believe they were supporting Ventura County Agriculture. But the new…
Read MoreAgriculture, SOAR and the General Plan Update
When the County SOAR ordinance was passed in 2016, the voters were assured through glossy mailers that the purpose was to “save agriculture” and many were convinced it would be helpful for farmers. Now that the no-growth mandate has been adopted until 2050 countywide, we are seeing less recognition and support for solutions from elected…
Read MoreOjai Valley MAC Subject to New Dark Sky Regulations
In a process beginning at the Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC), the County Planning Division proposed new regulations to restrict outdoor nighttime lighting within the MAC boundary in order to facilitate viewing of the night sky. The resulting ordinance, passed by the Board of Supervisors on 9-25-18 with a 3-2 vote, creates the “Dark…
Read MorePLF and CoLAB team up to Challenge ESA Listing of the CA gnatcatcher
For those members of VC CoLAB who have been impacted by the possible sighting of a coastal California gnatcatcher, or even the bird’s possible habitat on their property, there may be a solution in the wings. On July 22, 2018, Pacific Legal Foundation Senior Attorney, Damien Schiff, announced that Pacific Legal Foundation had “submitted a…
Read MorePost 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 MoreLCA Contract Compliance Heading Toward Penalties
There is no doubt that the Ventura County Assessor’s office is losing patience with agricultural landowners as the delinquency rate of returning annual Agricultural Preserve Questionnaires remains over 20%. These questionnaires are a condition of the Williamson Act Land Conservation program that provides $2.2 million in tax relief to the 1,100 parcels in contracts countywide.…
Read MoreNew Dark Sky Ordinance targets Lighting as Pollution
The County Planning Division is preparing a draft ordinance that targets outdoor lighting as “pollution” in the unincorporated areas around the City of Ojai. New rules for light fixtures, automatic control systems, lighting colors, luminosity, light trespass and curfews will have economic and security impacts to residents, businesses, schools and agriculture. CoLAB expects that this…
Read MoreCounty Must Clear the Way for New Farmworker Housing Projects
While the severe lack of suitable housing for farmworkers has been a subject of discussion in county meetings for decades, little progress has been made for the majority of workers. This is largely due to regulations that prevent farmworker housing complexes from being approved in unincorporated areas even though they are specifically allowed by ordinance.…
Read MoreThomas Fire Exposes East County Wildfire Risk
Nearly a decade ago, prior to the Thomas Fire, Ventura County fire agencies prepared Wildfire Protection Plans identifying risks, funding priorities, and programs to reduce the impact of wildfires countywide. Fire agencies were warning of increasing wildfire danger even before the current drought cycle began in 2012. The plans, prepared in 2009 and 2010, outlined…
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