Protests Cause Firm to Pull Out of Park Deal

Bowing to protests from neighbors, a private firm is withdrawing from management of Foster Park campground near Oak View, officials said Tuesday.

Far West Resorts of Santa Paula has decided that it does not want to go to battle with nearby homeowners, who complained that the firm’s plans for the park would result in increased traffic and noise in their neighborhood, officials said.

“They called me and told me they didn’t want any trouble,” county parks official Andrew Oshita assured a dozen neighbors of Foster Park who turned out at the Board of Supervisors meeting to voice their concerns. “They said they want to be good neighbors . . . and that you should keep the park the way you want it.”

Barbara Garcia Weed, a 22-year resident of the Foster Park area who led the protests against Far West’s lease, said she was pleased with the firm’s decision to pull out.

“We got what we wanted,” she said. “We’re very excited about our victory.”

But Weed and other homeowners vowed to keep the pressure on the county to ensure that a similar lease agreement does not occur without their knowledge in the future.

“We’re going to watch them like a dog,” she said. “We’ve put the county on notice that we’re a viable force in the community.”

Far West officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The firm signed a five-year, $200-a-month lease agreement with the county last month and assumed management responsibilities for the 30-acre campground over the July 4 weekend, officials said. It was the sixth of nine county campgrounds to be leased by a private firm.

As is routine, the lease agreement was approved by officials in the county’s General Services Agency without the knowledge of the Board of Supervisors, said Blake Boyle, deputy director of recreational services.

Residents of the campground said they only learned of the agreement after seeing Far West signs posted on the property.

Weed said residents were upset to find out that Far West had plans to expand park facilities to attract more recreational vehicles. She said they feared this would create more traffic and noise problems.

Weed complained to supervisors Tuesday that the 200 homeowners who live in the area should have been notified before the lease agreement was signed and allowed to express their concerns in a public hearing.

Supervisor Susan Lacey, whose district includes the Foster Park campgrounds, said she was unaware of the lease agreement until last week.

In response to residents’ complaints, Lacey requested that supervisors consider changing their policy and require board approval in the future for short-term leases on park property.