MOORPARK : Artifacts Discovered at Development Site

The remains of a former Native American village, a campsite and other artifacts have been discovered on 4,000 acres slated for development northeast of Moorpark, but the developer said the find poses little threat to its project.

The archeological remains were discovered during preparation of an environmental impact report to gauge the effects of Messenger Investment Co.’s proposal to build roughly 3,200 homes on the land.

Messenger Vice President Gary Austin said the company would be able to reconfigure its project in response to the discovery.

“Our intention is to either completely avoid the areas altogether or to make sure that the necessary investigations are conducted before proceeding further,” Austin said.

Consultants preparing the environmental document stressed that the nature of the discovery was not unexpected or sensitive enough to threaten development, Austin said.

“It was their opinion that this was not unique or new information,” he said. “It’s probably pretty typical of what you would expect to find over 4,000 acres that contain riparian habitats.”

Moorpark Mayor Paul Lawrason said the city would continue to monitor developments on the Messenger land and await more detailed information on the recent discoveries.

“Of course, we’re interested,” Lawrason said. “There are some real restrictions on development, depending on what you find there.”