Decision on Freeway Overpass Puts Rose II Complex on Hold

City officials and a developer have agreed to postpone consideration of a massive retail complex on Rose Avenue until they resolve how to pay for a freeway overpass that would bring customers there.

At a meeting tonight, the City Council is expected to delay a ruling on the 120,000-square-foot Shopping at the Rose II. On Wednesday, the city will hold a public hearing on a possible revenue source for the new $16.3-million, six-lane bridge: a special assessment district charging businesses and property owners who would use the span.

City and schools officials argue that the existing two-lane bridge over the Ventura Freeway cannot handle the traffic that the expanded retail complex would generate.

Stan Rothbart, the Santa Monica developer who wants to build the shopping center, said Monday he will support the Oxnard City Council if it postpones a ruling on his project.

“I think some additional work still needs to be done,” Rothbart said. “Considering the circumstances, I think a continuance is in order.”

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A city staff member has recommended that the City Council deny Rothbart a construction permit until a plan for financing the new bridge has been prepared.

City Manager Tom Frutchey and the Rio School District had appealed last year’s decision by the Oxnard Land Use Advisors panel allowing the project to go forward.

In his appeal, Frutchey called it “premature” to give the project the thumbs-up without forming a special assessment district or locating another revenue source for the span.

Rio district officials said the traffic generated by the expansion might trap emergency vehicles and endanger the lives of children who cross the bridge to attend school and sports practice.

“Any kid could be pushed into traffic and be seriously injured,” said district official Sal Godoy.

Under the special assessment district plan, commercial developers would likely pay more than residential developers because their projects generate more traffic.

The proposed assessment district worries Rio school officials who plan to go to the voters in the next two years with a multimillion-dollar bond issue to pay for new schools.

“Our concern is long term: How will this impact future schools?” Godoy said.

The district initially requested that the council delay today’s scheduled ruling on the project to await the outcome of Wednesday’s public hearing on the special assessment district.

The district has been pressing the city to consider building a pedestrian walkway in addition to the proposed six-lane overpass. Officials say that although better than the existing bridge, the wider bridge would become a major thoroughfare, exposing children to high-speed traffic.

“You’ve got children who are going to be walking across and we don’t want them to become human bowling pins,” Godoy said.

The Land Use Advisors approved the expansion plan last year after an environmental impact report predicted the expansion would have no significant impact on the interchange.

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FYI: The Oxnard City Council meets tonight at 7 in City Council Chambers, 305 W. 3rd St. Wednesday’s meeting to discuss the proposed Rose Avenue Assessment District will take place in City Council chambers from 5 to 7 p.m.