OXNARD : County Seeks to Buy Old High School Site
Despite concerns expressed by one official, Ventura County supervisors agreed Tuesday to apply for a federal grant to purchase the old Oxnard High School property to create a larger buffer zone around Oxnard Airport.
The supervisors voted unanimously to submit a grant application to the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire the 33-acre campus, which is in the flight path of the airport runway. The school is scheduled to close this summer and students will be moved to a new location on Gonzales Road.
Supervisor John K. Flynn, who proposed that the county explore purchasing the property, said its acquisition would provide more clearance around the airport, making it safer for aviators and residents.
But Supervisor Frank Schillo said he would prefer that the county look at other options, such as restricting the kinds of development that would be allowed on the property rather than purchasing it outright.
Flynn, however, said that it is important for the county to apply for the federal grant money now even if it decides later that it wants to pursue some other course of action.
In the event that money is awarded to the county, Flynn said the board would have the final say in terms of accepting the money.
“We can always turn it down,” he said.
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