VENTURA : Planners Cite Flaws in Proposed Project

A proposal to build townhouses and business offices on a 77-acre parcel near northern Ventura Avenue hit a snag this week when Ventura’s planning commissioners said the project may contain major design flaws.

The property, most of which is zoned for industrial use, is largely owned by the Neel and Huntsinger families and Kinko’s, the national copy service headquartered nearby. The families plan to turn the vacant lots and industrial businesses on the lemon-tree covered property into a neighborhood of townhouses, business offices and industrial buildings.

Planning commissioners, however, worried that the homes were planned too close to the freeway and an industrial area on the property’s north side. On a 4-2 vote, with commissioners Sandy Smith and Al Okuma opposing, the commissioners voted to reconsider the proposal at a meeting later this month.

The project’s developers had hoped to finish the commission review process before the City Council meets Wednesday to begin considering which proposals will get housing allocations this year.

City planner Mitch Oshinsky agreed that having the commission approve the project would have been an advantage, since none of the other proposals before the council are as far along in the approval process.

However, he added, the delay will not be a disadvantage for the developers in trying to get housing allocations.

For their part, the developers said they were flabbergasted by the commission’s criticisms.

“Obviously, this is a very surprising, stunning thing,” said Bill Neel, saying he was especially taken aback by a suggestion to drop the housing altogether and replace it with commercial businesses. “For five years, no one has recommended abandoning the residential zone. Now, I’m not sure what we’re doing.”

The 77 acres are north of Stanley Avenue and south of Seneca Street. The property is bounded on the east by Ventura Avenue and on the west by the Ojai Freeway. The proposal includes construction of 330 residential units, a park, bike trails and business offices.