PIRU : Woman to Demolish Illegal Dwellings

A Piru woman who has been the target of Ventura County code enforcement officers for years pleaded guilty to eight building and safety violations Thursday and agreed to demolish a migrant worker camp in her back yard.

Maria Lopez pleaded guilty in Ventura County Municipal Court to building and safety code violations ranging from faulty wiring to illegal dwellings in the back yard of her home in the 800 block of North Main Street.

The plea bargain that Lopez struck with county counsel stipulates that she demolish all illegal sheds and other dwellings on the property, remove all illegal trailers and camper shells, disconnect all illegal electrical outlets and bring all other aspects of the property up to code by July 20.

In return, at least 11 other violations against Lopez were dropped. Terms of her probation include a $10,000 fine, which could be dropped to $1,000 if compliance is achieved, County Counsel Robert Orellana said.

County officials cut electrical service to the property in February after Lopez refused to demolish a migrant worker camp housing more than 20 people.

The decision to cut the power came after schoolchildren living in an illegal shed complained to their principal that they were not bathing out of fear of electrical shocks from a faulty shower.

Since then, Lopez and her husband, Quintel, have been living without electricity.

Code Enforcement Officer Liz Cameron said she hoped that resolution of the case would be a signal to other Piru residents to clean up their properties.

“She is a prominent person out there, in that this has been going on for so long, and we hope that the severity of this will serve as an example to other people who are renting out shacks and trailers,” Cameron said.