County Issue / Selecting a University Site

A recent report sees problems with three sites proposed for a four-year university in Ventura County: the 350-acre Sudden Ranch in Ventura, the 308-acre Donlon property in Oxnard and the 320-acre Duntley/Chaffee property in Camarillo. Which site has the best chance of winning approval, both politically and environmentally?

Craig Walker, Ojai representative, CSU site selection advisory committee

I’ve looked through the environmental impact report, and the one I think has the best chance is the Duntley property in Camarillo, although my favorite has always been Taylor Ranch. Of the three final sites, the Sudden Ranch is my favorite because of its location. Camarillo and Oxnard wanted the college campus, and Ventura took a wait-and-see attitude. Politically, the Duntley/Chaffee property has the best chance of arousing the least public outcry and being in the area where the local agencies would welcome it. The Duntley/Chaffee property is in a greenbelt, which will cause some people concern because of its location. The Sudden Ranch site is a great location. I like it because it represents more of the center of the service area for the university. The university will serve students from Santa Barbara to the Conejo Grade. Students from Santa Barbara, Ojai and Fillmore will have a commute to Camarillo. We’re down to the point where we should let the Cal State University officials make that choice.

Bob O’Hollaren, Steering committee member, Voters Coalition of Ventura

The Duntley site is clearly superior both in terms of environmental impacts and political acceptability. The Duntley site minimizes the traffic impacts, it has easy freeway access and doesn’t route 20,000 daily car trips through a residential neighborhood. The Duntley site is centrally located to three major cities in the county and will allow all three cities to share in providing the 9,000 new houses that will be demanded to keep from affecting the environment in any one city excessively. It is already served by the state water project. The environmental impact report demonstrates how the greenbelt around the Duntley site can be maintained with a university there. Financially, the Duntley site is the least expensive overall. Politically, the Camarillo City Council already supports the university at the Duntley site. Many of the citizens of east Ventura feel very strongly about the negative impacts of the university at the Sudden Ranch site. Currently, the Duntley site is politically and environmentally the most acceptable site.

Maureen Lopez, Member, CSU site selection advisory committee

The Duntley/Chaffee site next to the California Youth Authority would probably have the least chance of being approved because of its proximity to that facility. I think the site in Ventura, Sudden Ranch, would be a beautiful location. It’s got relatively easy access, although I know about the concerns over traffic. Also, the Sudden Ranch site has closer bus access. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be buses to the Donlon or the Duntley/Chaffee sites, but there is already some service to Sudden Ranch, and it’s easier to expand from that rather than start from scratch. I think that elected officials would be extremely sensitive to hazardous waste on the Donlon site. Regarding the Duntley/Chaffee property being located in a greenbelt, people in Ventura County are very protective of the greenbelts. Politically, you may have a lot of concerns from people who say the university is the beginning of the end for the greenbelt. We need to work cooperatively toward getting a four-year university here because that is the priority.

Bob Tholl, Member, CSU Alliance

I’ve spent a great deal of time working with the alliance and a group in Ojai to support Taylor Ranch. A university is a statement in the community, and putting it out there on the bluff would have been the best thing. In terms of the political process, the Duntley site is the most likely to be approved. Everyone is going to have to get behind it or we will lose it. The reality is clear as you look at the state budget and consider there are other areas that are clamoring for a site. I would be happier if the California Youth Authority weren’t next door. If it weren’t adjacent to the CYA, then the university wouldn’t be referred to as the one by the CYA. I personally would prefer the Sudden Ranch site, since the Taylor Ranch is not one of the three final sites. I like the idea of having a university in an area where it isn’t attached to something. Taylor Ranch was a beautiful site and advantageous to the community. My primary concern is that we have a permanent site for CSU in Ventura County.

Pete E. Tafoya, Trustee, Ventura County Community College District

In terms of ranking the three sites, I would choose a site based on discussions I’ve had with various officials. The Donlon property is lowest because I’ve been told there are problems with the owner selling the property. Sudden Ranch will have problems with neighbors. It’s the “not-in-my-backyard” syndrome. They are concerned about increased water usage and traffic. That leaves the Camarillo property as the only property that doesn’t have problems with the community or the property owner. I’m a representative to the site selection committee. I join the rest of the committee in feeling united that Ventura County needs a campus. As far as the California Youth Authority facility being located next door to the proposed site, I feel it’s not a favorable thing from a constituent’s point of view. You might be able to move the CYA. It would certainly be a request, certainly in light of the recent escapes. People are now more aware of the crimes that these people have committed.