VENTURA : Residents Protest Fees to Dredge Waterways

Ventura Keys residents packed City Council chambers Monday to protest an annual assessment for dredging the silt out of their back-yard waterways.

The Ventura City Council was considering late Monday whether to tax an average property owner about $1,725 for periodic dredging and cleaning up debris. The maintenance district was formed in September, 1991, over vocal objections from many of the 300 Keys homeowners.

At the public hearing, Keys residents argued that the city and county should pick up the bill for the cleanup because the silt and debris comes with the runoff from the Arundell Barranca and city storm drains.

“It’s grossly unfair,” said Ric Mayta, who has lived in the Keys for 25 years. “We are a dumping ground for the whole city and they are expecting us to pay for it.”

But city officials say Keys residents benefit the most from the dredging, and should pay 75% of the bill. The city in the past has agreed to pay one-fourth.

The annual assessments will go toward paying last year’s $2.5-million dredging, as well as regular maintenance, city officials said. Dredgings are scheduled about every seven years. Once last year’s bill is settled, the collected taxes will be put into a holding account to pay for future dredgings, city officials said.

Keys residents have filed several lawsuits against the city contesting the maintenance assessment district. The cases are still pending.