Rural, Urban Differences Endanger Tri-County Plan

A proposal to form a new regional coalition among Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo is in jeopardy because officials of the two northern counties say they have little in common with the more urban Ventura County.

“I just don’t believe there’s a rationale for hooking up,” said Michael G. Powers, deputy director of planning for the Santa Barbara County Assn. of Governments. “We have a few issues in common: air quality, beach erosion, water exchanges. But there are really no significant urban government issues.”

Powers said the staff of the Santa Barbara association will suggest to its board of directors in January that the proposal to form the tri-county group be turned down.

Last month, Camarillo officials sent a letter to each city in Ventura County urging local officials to pull out of the Southern California Assn. of Governments and form a coalition with the two counties to the north.

Camarillo officials said they fear that if the state Legislature passes a bill giving regional governments more power, Ventura County will be stuck in SCAG, which includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and several others in Southern California. They say that since Ventura County is not as urban as its southern neighbors, it would be overlooked when crucial decisions, such as where to build dumps, are made.

“Our representation will be nil,” Camarillo City Councilman Michael Morgan said.

Although Morgan said he was disappointed to learn of Powers’ comments, he said Camarillo officials will continue pushing for tri-county government.

Earlier this year, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) introduced a bill that would have created regional agencies in the seven largest areas of the state to handle land-use planning and infrastructure development.

In the face of stiff opposition from local governments, Brown withdrew the proposal in August. But he said he would introduce a modified bill when the new legislative session convenes in January. Complicating the matter is that SCAG officials are drawing up their own bill that would force cities within its jurisdiction to abide by its rules.

SCAG now serves as an advisory committee that has little power.

No other Ventura County city has voted to leave SCAG, although some officials have expressed an interest in forming a tri-county coalition.

Sunday, the mayors of Simi Valley, Ojai and Camarillo are expected to meet with officials from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to discuss the issue.

Dan Herron, a planner with the San Luis Obispo Area Coordinating Council, said officials there are intrigued by the idea of forming a regional government. But he also questioned whether Ventura County would fit in with San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

“It does seem like there are more differences than similarities,” Herron said.

Powers said that if Santa Barbara County joined with Ventura County, the northern county would be in the same position Ventura County now finds itself in with SCAG.

“If we joined, Ventura County would have 62% of the population,” Powers said. “They would have a great deal more authority. We would be concerned about that. It is the staff’s position that we would be well advised to go at it alone.”