Camarillo Turns Down Sammis Plan : Development: The council’s decision to reject the major project is called a victory for homeowners groups.

The Camarillo City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to block the construction of 1,100 homes, a neighborhood shopping center and a school on farmland off Pleasant Valley Road.

The decision on the proposal by the Irvine-based Sammis Co. was a victory for homeowner groups that had fought against changes to one of Camarillo’s most visible parcels of open space.

Mayor Stanley J. Daily said before the vote: “The project may be ready for Camarillo, but Camarillo is not ready for the project.”

More than 80 opponents and proponents turned out for the meeting, at which each council member spoke at length about how he or she had weighed the pros and cons of the issue. Vice Mayor Charlotte Craven said she had “lost several nights’ sleep over this issue.”

Craven, who is usually seen as being pro-growth, pointed out that “this is prime freeway-interchange property. I feel at some point it will be developed. But I think the feeling in the community at this time is this project should not occur.”

After the vote, many in the audience applauded. William Torrence, who is president of the Ventura County League of Homeowners, said, “we’re elated because this has been a long battle. We’ve prevailed after almost two years because of the public participation.”

Russell A. Goodman, regional president of Sammis, said he was disappointed. “I think we put our whole hearts and souls into this process. I thought it was as fine a plan as ever was presented in Ventura County.”

Sammis has owned 87 acres of the parcel off the Ventura Freeway for six years and has been trying to develop it for three years, Goodman said. The rest of the land on which the community would be built is owned by two farming families that support the project.

Although all five council members voted against the development, each praised Sammis during the meeting for working with the community to come up with its latest proposal.

In November, 1991, the company was forced to withdraw a plan for a factory-outlet mall in the face of opposition from the public and Camarillo staff. The city gave Sammis 18 months to return with an acceptable proposal.

This summer, a 21-member committee of city residents appointed by the firm came up with a housing plan as an alternative to the outlet mall.

Called the Camarillo Gateway project, the planned community would have included 1,129 homes, a 12-acre neighborhood mall, a school and public recreational facilities.

In a report drafted by the committee, Sammis promised to solve Conejo Creek flooding problems that affect Leisure Village and Camarillo Springs. Sammis also agreed to pay for a new elementary school in response to concerns that the building of new homes would further crowd schools.

The council’s decision was delayed for months until a council-appointed committee of 42 residents submitted a list of goals, which were approved Wednesday night, that will be used to update the city’s General Plan.

At issue in the Sammis proposal has been the city’s attitude toward growth and preserving agricultural land. The committee recommended that the city convert agricultural property only if necessary and that Camarillo’s small-town atmosphere be preserved.