Camarillo Rejects the Projects of 3 Builders : Growth: The council cites a mix of concerns in turning down the developers. They had sought General Plan amendments to clear the way for their efforts.

The Camarillo City Council flexed its slow-growth muscles this week and rejected requests from three developers to amend the General Plan to make way for a golf course, commercial buildings and hundreds of homes.

The council declined to refer three of six development proposals to the Planning Commission for review, citing concerns on increased water use, erosion problems resulting from grading and the loss of agricultural land.

The proposals by Spanish Hills Development Corp., Seacoast Associates and Pardee Construction Co. were premature or inappropriate, council members said Wednesday.

“The city of Camarillo has never really been in a hurry to convert land,” said Tony Boden, planning and community development director. “We take a little bit harder look at things.”

The largest proposal to be turned down Wednesday was the Spanish Hills Development Corp.’s plan to build 236 golf villas and estate homes, and an 18-hole golf course on 236 acres near Beardsley and Wright roads, just down the ridge from another of the company’s projects.

Spanish Hills is building 186 single-family houses, an 18-hole golf course and a country club on 430 adjacent acres, and was hoping for a contiguous residential golf community, Paul Barton, Spanish Hills project manager, said Thursday.

He said he was disappointed but didn’t blame the council.

“We realize that the council is under a lot of pressure and gets asked (to allow) a lot of development,” Barton said.

Also turned down was a Seacoast Associates proposal to change the use of 76.7 acres off West Ventura Boulevard from research, development and office to general commercial.

Pardee Construction Co. proposed changing the designation on 68 acres east of Calleguas Creek south of Upland Road to allow for low- to medium-density residential units rather than mobile homes. It was rejected.

Vice Mayor Charlotte Craven said a lack of planning now could lead to “ticky-tacky development,” strips of fast-food restaurants and apartment buildings.

And Councilman Michael Morgan said the city should wait for a citizens committee to update the General Plan before reviewing requests to change land-use designations on large tracts. Applications for the 25-member committee, which will be appointed by the City Council, are due Jan. 30.

State law prohibits a city from referring more than four amendments to the General Plan to the Planning Commission each year, City Manager William Little said.

Earlier this year, the council rebuffed The Sammis Co., which had proposed building a factory outlet shopping center on 86.5 acres of celery fields. After a series of rancorous public hearings, Sammis withdrew its plan.

But the council did not turn down all the proposals Wednesday. Three were sent to the Planning Commission for review, one against the planning director’s recommendation. The commission will make a recommendation to the council, which will have the final say.

To Boden’s surprise, the council agreed to have city planners work with a group of property owners to determine how the property would be used and where sewer and water lines and roads would go on 230 acres north of the Ventura Freeway and west of Bradford Avenue.

The property owners, including Rancho Associates and Ran Associates, agreed to pay for a consultant to draft the plan. They told the council that they have no immediate plans to develop the agricultural land.

Council members also sent the Planning Commission a proposal from Mission Gelles I to change the land-use designation from office to commercial on 17 acres south of the Ventura Freeway and west of Las Posas Road. The change would clear the way for a 25-acre factory outlet shopping center that would extend onto an adjacent parcel.

The commission will also consider Pardee Construction Co.’s proposal to extend to an adjacent 14-acre parcel its 186-unit Las Palmas Townhomes development north of Mission Oaks Boulevard. Pardee is asking to change the designation from semipublic/office to residential uses with low or medium density.

Rejected Proposals The Camarillo City Council turned down three proposals to amend the General Plan:

* Golf course homes--Spanish Hills Development Co. proposed changing 236 acres of agricultural land near Wright and Beardsley roads to residential to allow the company to build a new 18-hole golf course and homes.

* Zoning change--Seacoast Associates asked to change the land-use designation on 76.7 acres off Ventura Boulevard from research, development and office to general commercial.

* Housing tract--Pardee Construction Co. proposed building low- to medium-density residential units rather than mobile homes on 68 acres east of Calleguas Creek south of Upland Road.