Residents Protest Medical Center Plan

Neighbors of Ventura County Medical Center restated their objections Wednesday to the expansion of the hospital, citing aesthetic and financial reasons.

Led by attorney Mark Pachowicz, about two dozen residents opposing the project’s design attended a meeting of the county’s Environmental Report Review Committee, saying it will mar their back-yard views and create pollution and noise.

Several residents also said a draft environmental impact report on the $50-million project was not thorough enough in looking at alternatives.

“They call it urbanization. I call it industrialization or commercialization,” said Bill Gray, an Agnus Drive resident.

H. Jere Robings, president of the Ventura County Alliance of Taxpayers, said the county should contract with private hospitals to care for indigent patients.

Susan Peters, who owns a temporary-services business, agreed with Robings: “Why do we need another facility? We can’t fill our other facilities as it is.”

Project manager Alec Pringle said financial concerns should be addressed by the Board of Supervisors, not in the environmental study.

The Environmental Report Review Committee extended the time for public comment on the environmental study because Pachowicz said he had not received proper notice of its completion and did not have time to reply.

The committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on the report Nov. 17.

The expansion would add a facility for mental health patients, an outpatient clinic building, quarters for the medical examiner’s offices, a morgue and a parking garage.

Hospital administrators have said the new wing would double the hospital’s outpatient capacity and replace old buildings and trailers that contain asbestos.

While the environmental study found that obstruction of views from Agnus Drive residences would be significant, it also said the impact on air quality from cars in the parking garage would be less than significant.