VCHP Archives
2010 Cañada Larga Campaign
Ventura City Council to Discuss Cañada Larga Annexation
City Council to Discuss Cañada Larga Annexation
The Ventura City Council will meet on Tuesday, April 19, to discuss the fiscal viability of annexing the Cañada Larga Valley and North Avenue. A fiscal analysis commissioned by the City shows that annexing these areas to the City will create an immediate budget deficit and that operating a new fire station and infrastructure upgrades in these areas will cost the community millions over decades before ever becoming profitable. Join us in urging the Council to focus the Westside Plan on the existing Westside community rather than growing the City and encouraging development in the Ventura River floodplain and the meadows of Cañada Larga Valley – the key sites being promoted by those hoping to profit from development. The Council needs to hear from residents throughout the City who care about fiscal responsibility, good planning, and the environment.
Your presence at City Hall is critical, but if you can’t attend please e-mail the Council at council@cityofventura.net.
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, April 19
501 Poli Street
6 PM
Diane Underhill, President
Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation
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Organizations opposed to annexation of Cañada Larga Valley:
Sierra Club, SOAR, Surfrider Foundation, The Ojai Valley Green Coalition, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, VCCool, Ventura Audubon Society, Wishtoyo Foundation,
& Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation.
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| Why is Annexing Cañada Larga & North Ventura Avenue a Bad Deal for Venturans? |
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1) Waste of Taxpayer Funds: Upon annexation of North Avenue and Cañada Larga, the City would face a $333,000 annual deficit. By 2020, the annual deficit could climb as high as $950,000. It could be two decades before the City realizes a positive cash flow from annexation, but only if all the best case scenarios succeed in the economically uncertain future. |
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2) Poor Land-Use Planning – The annexation plan would promote sprawl, destroy wildlife habitat, and facilitate the construction of houses and businesses in a flood plain and in areas at risk of wildfires and mudslides. Annexing new lands on the edge of town contradicts the City’s General Plan which has a focus on in-fill development near existing services. The area's remoteness from schools, shopping, and services would increase traffic trips along Highway 33 and Ventura Avenue. |
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3) Extreme Fire Hazard – The Cañada Larga Valley is in an extreme fire-hazard area and the County Fire Department has said that no more than 20 houses should be built in the valley due to the fire risk. By shifting the land from County to City jurisdiction, the landowner can circumvent County fire regulations and seek approval from the City to build more estates than is safe to do so. Costs of fighting wildfires would be shifted to the City of Ventura. |
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4) Citizens Denied SOAR vote – As County land, Cañada Larga is under SOAR protection and requires a vote of the citizens for zoning to be changed. By annexing the land into the City, the landowner can sidestep a SOAR vote by citizens. Approval by a citizen vote would be challenging for a developer given that the valley is an important wildlife corridor with many special-status plants, birds and animals. |
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To Donate:
Make donations out to VCHP and mail to: P.O. Box 1575, Ventura, CA 93002.
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