New Development Standards OKd

New development standards intended to keep dense, urban growth out of the county’s rural areas won the unanimous approval Tuesday of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

The standards, which only affect unincorporated areas of the county, stipulate that developments with more than one house for every two acres must be situated in or adjacent to cities. Previously, development projects in rural areas were allowed one house per acre.

Supervisors approved the changes despite objections from Moorpark city officials that the new rules were not sufficiently strict.

Moorpark Mayor Pat Hunter asked the board to consider establishing a standard of one house for every five acres, if not countywide then at least in Moorpark’s immediate area. Moorpark already has land along much of its border zoned for five-acre lots.

Many of the county’s residents, Hunter argued, moved to Moorpark to avoid dense development. “Our residents sought to escape the urban sprawl that engulfed neighboring communities,” he said.

Supervisor Maggie Kildee, however, said the two-acre standard represented a good compromise between the desires of different communities.

“We had cities that wanted 10 [acres], and some that wanted one,” she said. “The two-acre change will strengthen it.”

The new standards represent only the third time that the county’s 27-year-old Guidelines for Orderly Development have been revised. All Ventura County cities, except Moorpark, have approved the revision.