Countywide : Review Committee Procedures Changed
Despite opposition from environmentalists, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved procedural changes Tuesday dealing with the county’s Environmental Report Review Committee.
In the past, the committee has held a public hearing to scrutinize all environmental impact documents on proposed projects to see that they comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
The changes, recommended by the county’s Planning Division, call for the committee to be bypassed in cases when county staff has determined no significant impact on the environment. Review of full, detailed environmental impact reports would still remain a duty of the committee.
The changes would also eliminate appeals of the committee’s decisions to the supervisors.
The changes were proposed to save time and money, according to planning officials. But Patricia Baggerly of the Environmental Coalition of Ventura County opposed them, contending that there would be less opportunity for public input at hearings.
The changes were approved in a 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and Vicky Howard opposed.
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