OXNARD : Council to Look at Ormond Beach Ideas

Oxnard City Council members will take a second look at revenue-generating development ideas for the Ormond Beach area of south Oxnard at a meeting Tuesday of the Oxnard Redevelopment Agency.

The study session will be the second in a month since the Orange County-based Baldwin Co. signed an agreement to renew payments to the city for the $1-million cost of environmental research and an option on 214 acres of land.

In 1987, Baldwin proposed building 10,000 homes, office buildings, a 1,600-slip marina and a golf course on 2,700 acres, but the project has since been scaled back. Baldwin’s present plan calls for the construction of 3,500 dwellings, along with commercial buildings and schools, on 1,200 acres.

Two years ago, the city asked a consulting firm, Impact Sciences of Thousand Oaks, to study alternative plans for the Ormond Beach area.

At Tuesday’s hearing, the Redevelopment Agency will review the alternatives, which include projects called “Twin Lakes,” “River Walk” and “Central Park.” Another proposal that sparked interest among council members last month calls for a theme park at Ormond Beach.

Councilman Michael Plisky said Friday that time is running out for Baldwin to come up with a proposal that suits the city’s interests.

“The ideal project would be a revenue-generator which, as a byproduct, would clean up the wetlands, restore them and maybe even expand them,” Plisky said. “What the Baldwin Co. ended up proposing was nothing but thousands of homes.”

Bob Burns, president of Baldwin’s Ventura Division, said he believes that the company and Oxnard will finally see eye to eye on what is needed at Ormond Beach.

“We fully expect that by the end, everyone will be in concurrence,” Burns said.