OXNARD : City Does Not Plan to Ban Construction

The city of Oxnard plans to adopt a water rationing plan next month, but city officials said Monday that the plan will not include a moratorium on new construction, such as one adopted by neighboring Ventura.

The Oxnard City Council will discuss today how the drought and the economic recession could affect the city’s finances. The issue was brought up by Councilman Michael Plisky, who said he is worried that the city will be unable to meet its financial commitments because of the slowdown expected from the water shortage and the slumping economy.

A building moratorium is out of the question for the time being, City Manager Vern Hazen said. He said the city must average 400 new residences a year over the next decade to collect enough money in developer fees to pay off bonds for construction of a $12.4-million library, which is scheduled to open in the spring.

Hazen said the financing of the River Ridge Golf Course and the city’s waste-water treatment plant are also dependent on developer fees.

“Unless some of the water agencies we are dependent on declare a moratorium, we have no plans of making that decision on our own,” he said.

Because of the recession, only 375 housing units were built in Oxnard last year, and an even smaller number is expected this year, Hazen said.

The city, however, will be able to meet its financial obligations, Hazen said.

“If we drop below 400 units a couple of years it’s no big deal, as long as the average holds throughout the decade,” he said. “I have confidence in the market, I think we’re going to pull out of the recession.”

Over the past decade, Oxnard averaged 433 housing units per year, Hazen said.