POINT MUGU : Board May Change Base Airport Pact

In an attempt to appease city officials working with them for a new airport, Ventura County leaders will consider changing the text of a joint powers agreement that would govern a proposed military and civilian airfield at the Point Mugu Navy base.

Before approving the agreement at its Jan. 31 meeting, the Board of Supervisors added an amendment giving it the final say over whether the joint-use proposal would be submitted to federal authorities for consideration.

At that meeting, Supervisor Maggie Kildee cast the only dissenting vote against the agreement. Since then, however, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks and Ventura officials have expressed an unwillingness to approve the amended document.

They said that members of the joint airport authority should be able to decide on their own if they are ready to seek Navy and Pentagon approval for the project.

“We added that clause to get Supervisor Kildee’s vote on the airport,” Supervisor Frank Schillo said. “It didn’t work, and she voted against it. So at this point all that amendment is doing is slowing the other member cities from approving it.”

Only Port Hueneme has approved the amended agreement.

Oxnard, Thousand Oaks and Ventura--all of which approved the first version earlier this year--have balked at the amendment.

In a memo, Supervisor John K. Flynn urged his colleagues to approve deleting the amendment.

He said the county could still exercise its authority when it is time for the board to consider changing the zoning designation on land surrounding the Navy base to accommodate the proposed joint-use airport.

Camarillo’s City Council, which went on record last year opposing the joint-use plan, decided against joining the joint authority at a meeting in February.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the item at its meeting Tuesday at the County Government Center.