MOORPARK : College to Sell Land It Received as a Gift

Moorpark College is trying to sell nine acres donated to it seven years ago, an official says.

College officials had planned to develop the parcel on the east side of the campus into an animal park, but decided to locate the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program elsewhere, said Tom Kimberly, vice chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District.

The land and $20,000 were donated in 1983 by Bruce, David and Robert Strathearn and Thousand Oaks developer Ralph Mahan, Mahan said.

Part of the land is hilly terrain considered unsuitable for the animal park, Kimberly said, and district officials decided that it could be sold for about $212,000.

Mahan said he had no objections to the sale and is interested in purchasing the property if it is offered to private companies.

The district, which runs colleges in Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura, is required to allow government agencies to bid for the land before it can be sold to private companies, Kimberly said.

At least two private companies have shown an interest, he said.

The city of Moorpark also may be interested in purchasing it, City Manager Steven Kueny said. The land could be developed into a park or an affordable housing project, he said.

Kimberly said the community college board has not decided whether money gained from the land sale would be used to renovate classrooms at the 116-acre Moorpark College campus.