News
Fillmore Gazette: Ventura Needs Reliable Water Supply
VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE Submission: Ventura Needs Reliable Water Supply Location: Fillmore Gazette Thursday, March 7th, 2024 By Louise Lampara Executive Director Ventura County Coalition of Labor Agriculture and Business Email: llampara@colabvc.org California is the proud home to some of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions, producing over 1/3rd of all the fruits and nuts consumed…
Read MoreHelp 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 MoreWishtoyo 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 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 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 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…
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