Posts by Sean Paroski
Wishtoyo overstates claims in lawsuit against United
Environmental groups quickly declared victory in a recent U.S. District Court ruling over United Water Conservation District’s operations at the Vern Freeman Diversion. However, in spite of their claims, the ruling appears to have denied them many of their demands, while requiring United and the federal government to work more closely together to develop an alternative…
Read MoreOutdoor event ordinance improved through CoLAB engagement
The County of Ventura has imposed a series of new restrictions on large outdoor gatherings on private property in the unincorporated areas of the county. The new rules place limits on the number of people a property owner can host, restricts the total number of events that can be held in any one year, and…
Read MoreCoLAB-organized meeting with water users, NOAA sees results
VC CoLAB organized a highly anticipated meeting on August 8 between local water users, businesses, organized labor and managers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The meeting produced a valuable discussion over balancing competing needs for water from the Santa Clara River including water supply for cities, farms and other businesses, and protection…
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 MoreCounty launches changes to coastal habitat regulations
The County of Ventura is moving forward with a plan to significantly alter the regulations which limit development in the Coastal Zone in order to protect plants and wildlife. The proposed changes not only affect how and where projects can be sited, but they will impact brush clearance, grading, fencing, lighting and noise. The County…
Read MoreCounty faces two different paths on the housing crisis
Ventura County is suffering from a housing crisis and economic malaise, problems that have roots stretching back decades and based in decisions supported by county voters. Two recent decisions on housing and land use, one in Thousand Oaks and the other by the County of Ventura, illuminate the divergent choices facing the region on how…
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 MoreCoLAB-Supported Changes to General Plan Approved
Ventura County CoLAB scored a series of victories in recognizing the importance of agriculture, water, housing, and land management in the latest round of the General Plan Update revisions. The changes suggested by CoLAB and adopted by the Board of Supervisors represent significant improvements on the language for the Vision Statement and Guiding Principles, which…
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…
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