Paving of Campus Parking Lot Sought

An unpaved parking lot at Moorpark College is stirring up more than dust.

Neighbors are complaining that cars using the overflow parking area kick up dirt and clouds of dust that cakes their homes, clogs their storm drains and makes them physically ill.

They want the Ventura County Community College District to pony up $325,000 to pave the parking area. But district officials have been unable to come up with the money to pave the patch of hillside.

“I just can’t tolerate it anymore,” said Ellen Estrada, who lives on nearby Kernvale Avenue. “Back in ‘92, I had valley fever. I couldn’t understand why I was getting sick all the time.”

A handful of residents took their concerns to the college district board meeting late Tuesday, complaining that a recent attempt to quell the problem failed miserably.

Two weekends ago, Moorpark College President James Walker ordered the area sealed with a temporary sealant to prevent dust from being kicked up by cars. But that solution has proved futile, according to neighbors.

College board trustees directed staff to find the money to pave the parking area somewhere in the budget.