Harbor Panel Rejects Demolition Proposal

The Port of Hueneme won’t become a temporary movie back lot, despite an Oxnard broker’s offer to find film crews that would blow up local surplus military buildings free of charge.

While calling the idea “interesting,” the Oxnard Harbor District Board of Commissioners on Monday assailed the idea as environmentally unsound. Many of the dozens of vacant buildings on a 33-acre site the port recently received from the Navy are laced with toxic asbestos and lead-based paint.

“We didn’t want to create an environmental hazard out there,” port spokesman Kam Quarles said. “We’re not going to go blowing asbestos all over the local community just to make a movie.”

Gilbert Beezley had proposed the unusual demolition method for buildings scheduled to meet the wrecking ball to make way for warehouses and parking lots. Demolition costs are expected to reach millions of dollars.

But port officials turned down the idea for reasons that included incompatibility with port operations, deed covenants restricting the property’s use and possible adverse environmental impacts.

Beezley contends that such activities are strictly regulated and that asbestos would be removed from buildings before detonation. He cited the rejection as an example of Ventura County’s unfriendly business attitude toward Hollywood.

“This is not like kids playing with matches,” he said. “These are production people who do this on a regular basis.”