VENTURA : City Delays Debate on Rezoning Plan

Bowing to pressure from a group of neighboring landowners, the Ventura City Council has agreed to delay for six weeks consideration of a plan to rezone 58 acres off North Ventura Avenue.

Council members made the decision Monday after a representative for the three applicants agreed to the postponement to give him time to discuss a possible compromise with his clients.

Consultant Steve Perlman, whose clients include Kinko’s Corp. and the Neel and Huntsinger families, said he would meet with Citizens to Preserve Industry, a coalition of nearby businesses that oppose the rezoning.

“We are willing to continue to work with the Citizens to Preserve Industry,” Perlman said. “We may end up having a whole new [public] hearing anyway.”

Group members oppose the plan to rezone 58 acres of mostly industrial land to commercial and residential use. About 27 of the 58 acres would be later annexed into the city.

The applicants already are developing plans for scores of new homes and businesses in the area and a 60,000- to 100,000-square-foot expansion of Kinko’s north of Stanley Avenue.

But owners of the oil-related industries nearby are concerned that homes would be built too close to their businesses, which are noisy, pungent and operate around the clock.

Councilman Jim Monahan, who for years has owned a family business on Ventura Avenue, has opposed the project.

“This is a first step in forcing these people out,” Monahan said. “It’s a slap in the face to local business.”

The council is scheduled to consider the plan June 26.