OXNARD : State Funds Won’t Be Used for Beach
The Oxnard City Council has scuttled a proposal to shift $331,000 in state funds intended for a community park to improve Oxnard State Beach, agreeing instead to ask the state for more time to spend the money.
Facing a June 30 deadline for spending funds the city received from a statewide parks bond approved by voters in 1986, the council considered several options at a meeting earlier this week.
Oxnard parks officials had hoped to purchase land in the northwest area of the city, which is slated to receive a community park. But they were unable to reach an agreement with the owner of property the city had targeted.
But the idea of using the money to improve an already existing park on the city’s west side met with resistance from several council members, who said the money should be used to create a park in an area of the city that still needs one.
“It’s better for us to address these other parks than to improve Oxnard Shores, because the beach is already pretty much developed,” said Councilman Manuel Lopez.
Complicating the decision is a freeze the council has placed on new parks because of a shortage of funds to maintain them.
Despite the freeze, the council agreed to ask state officials to extend the deadline so the city can study other possible uses for the funds.
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