Countywide : Local Hearings on Ahmanson Ranch Plan to Be Merged

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has agreed to consolidate hearings for reviewing the giant Ahmanson Ranch housing project in an effort to speed the planning process.

Despite objections from proponents of the eastern Ventura County development, the board voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to eliminate a hearing planned before the county’s panel of technical experts on the project’s environmental impact report.

Instead, the supervisors will hold their own hearing on the report, which is due at the end of the month.

Supervisor Susan Lacey, the only board member to vote against the proposal, said she would rather have the experts--and not the supervisors--publicly review the environmental report.

She said they would be better versed in asking the developers difficult questions.

The other supervisors disagreed, however, saying the staff would be on hand to assist with the key issues.

The board agreed to hold a hearing on the environmental report in late October. A joint hearing with the Planning Commission was set for Dec. 15.

Ahmanson Land Co. has proposed construction of 2,600 dwellings and an additional 500 low-cost rental units on the Ahmanson Ranch, east of Thousand Oaks.