OXNARD : City Refuses to Pay for Report on Center

The Oxnard City Council rebuffed a request Tuesday to pay for a $50,000 environmental impact report for the Zoe Christian Center, saying it is the homeless shelter’s responsibility.

Zoe has been operating without a conditional-use permit since a Fire Department report called the site unsafe because it is near storage tanks containing hazardous materials. The council passed a resolution in December to proceed with reinstatement of Zoe’s permit, of which the environmental report is a necessary part.

City Manager Vernon G. Hazen said the city needs the report to “properly protect the city’s liability.”

Mohammed Hasan, a consultant for Zoe and the city’s former utilities superintendent, asked the council to pay for the environmental report as an act of humanity.

“(The) homeless issue cannot go away unless we do something about it,” said Hasan, who has conducted a preliminary environmental report for the site.

Referring to a letter from Housing Director Sal Gonzalez, Hasan said the city promised $100,000 in Oxnard Redevelopment Agency funds to develop a new site for the shelter. He suggested that the council use that money to pay for the report.

But the council denied Hasan’s request after City Atty. Gary Gillig said the council would create the appearance of impropriety by funding the report because the shelter is privately run.

Gillig said using redevelopment money for the report would be a conflict of interest because council members are also agency members.

Hasan said he did not know how Zoe would pay for the report.

“We have to take a look at whatever funding is available,” he said.