EAST COUNTY : SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS : Ahmanson Proposal to Be Discussed

The Ahmanson Land Co.’s proposal to swap open space for development rights will be discussed Wednesday by the president of the company and project’s critics at a meeting of the Ventura County Countywide Planning Program.

Ahmanson President Donald Brackenbush will join Margot Feuer and Siegfried Othmer, board members of the Save Open Space organization, in addressing the advisory group.

Members of Save Open Space have opposed the $1-billion proposal by Ahmanson to build a 3,050-unit residential community on 2,800 acres in Ventura County at the Los Angeles County line.

As a provision of the proposal, Ahmanson would turn over more than 10,000 acres of parkland in the Santa Monica Mountains to state and federal agencies.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the project’s 3,000-page environmental study Nov. 24.

A discussion of the project’s merits before the Countywide Planning Program will give the advisory body’s members a better understanding of the complex proposal, said Carla Bard, the group’s chairwoman.

“We will not have a debate, but listen to presentations by both sides,” Bard said.

The Countywide Planning Program serves as a sounding board and advisory body to the Board of Supervisors. Among its 69 members are representatives of the county’s cities, various county agencies and private groups such as the Ventura County Taxpayers Assn. and the League of Women Voters.

The meeting, which will begin at 1:30 p.m., will be held in the Multipurpose Room of the Administration Building at the County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura.