Permit Needed to Resume Cleanup : County Halts Work on Lake Sherwood

The excavation of dirt and debris in the dry bed of Lake Sherwood near Thousand Oaks, part of a plan to refill the lake and develop the surrounding land, has been halted by the Ventura County Planning Department because no work permit had been filed.

Dennis Davis, county planning director, said the Murdock Development Co. had violated an ordinance requiring a permit if more than two feet of dirt, or 50 cubic yards, is removed.

Davis said another section of the ordinance requiring a permit to remove certain kinds of trees apparently was violated also.

Davis said the firm agreed to stop the work until a permit is granted, which may take 10 days.

However, Robert Welling, vice president of the development company, said he did not consider the work to be excavation because no dirt was removed from the lake bed. He said the intent was to separate debris from the dirt.

Area residents said that large earthmovers and bulldozers began working Sunday on the southwest end of the lake. One homeowner, who asked not to be identified, said several 30-year-old cottonwood trees were removed from the lake bed.

“I expected some cleaning, but I didn’t expect such devastation,” the homeowner said.

Murdock Development Co. is owned by David Murdock, a multimillionare who owns a 1,300-acre ranch next to the 150-acre lake.

Murdock recently bought the lake and 1,600 acres of surrounding land, on which he hopes to develop a golf course, condominiums, houses and a marina. The lake’s previous owner fought with residents over emptying the lake and a development plan for the area.