PORT HUENEME : Environmentalists Protest at City Hall

Environmental advocates and RV resort critics demonstrated outside the Port Hueneme City Hall on Wednesday, accusing city officials of omitting study of development planned for the coastline in a revision of the city’s General Plan.

A small band of activists picketed outside the civic center before the start of a hearing on the revised plan and its effect on the environment.

Alan Sanders, chairman of the Los Padres chapter of the Sierra Club, said the protest was intended to focus attention on the city’s decision to omit much of the city’s beach from the environmental review.

“The significant part is not that people are carrying signs, but that people are not accepting the city’s statement that this is not controversial,” Sanders said.

Sanders said the residents were unhappy that the city had dropped from the plan any discussion of future uses at the 33-acre Navy Civilian Engineering Laboratory or the 10-acre site of the City Council’s proposed RV resort.

“To do a general plan that excludes the area of the coast is really a waste of time,” Sanders said.

The plan, which was last revised in 1977, spells out the future of development in the city through the year 2015.

In it, the city identifies 18 blighted properties totaling 61 acres that should be redeveloped.

Overall, the revised 20-year plan would allow 1,067 more dwelling units in the city, 390 units less than the previous plan allows. The plan also calls for 250,000 square feet of new commercial building, 419,000 square feet of light industrial facilities and 97,000 square feet of port-related businesses.

Without comment, the City Council directed staff to return with a final version of the report as soon as possible.