OXNARD : Officials to Consider Harbor Plan Review

Ventura County officials on Tuesday) will consider spending $40,000 for an environmental review of a plan to redevelop the aging Channel Islands Harbor.

The Board of Supervisors in April approved in concept a massive $169-million redevelopment plan for the harbor, including the construction of a marine aquarium and a high-rise hotel.

The board’s unanimous action came despite protests from residents of nearby Silver Strand and Hollywood Beach, who feared that the project would tie up traffic in their neighborhoods and flood their beach side hamlets with tourists.

But a traffic study on the project has concluded that, as long as improvements are made to some intersections, surrounding roadways would be free of traffic problems.

Now, county staff members recommend paying $40,000 to Fugro West Inc. to study the potential environmental effects of the project. That work is expected to be completed in five to six months.

If given final approval, the project calls for the 30-year-old harbor to be redeveloped in three phases over a five- to 20-year period. In addition to the aquarium and high-rise hotel, the plan calls for the creation or renovation of public parks, fishing areas, parking areas, launch ramps and docks.

According to county officials, about $160 million of the project’s estimated $169-million cost would come from private funds from harbor lessees. An estimated $9.3 million would come from the county.