City Poised to OK Growth Restriction

The Ventura City Council is poised to approve a policy Monday night that would require the city to restrict residential development in areas with overcrowded schools.

The policy would be added to the city’s blueprint for development, known as the Comprehensive Plan.

The carefully worded amendment is the culmination of almost two years of debate and discussion. It is the product of numerous meetings of a committee of two members of the Ventura Unified School District school board, two members of the City Council and two members of the Planning Commission.

Under the new policy, no figures for what constitutes “overcrowded” would be set. Instead, the school district would gather data annually on how full the schools are. That information, in turn, would be fed into planning and development decisions.

Although it would not halt growth in the city, it would slow it, officials say. And it would make sure schools are a central part of the planning process.

School board member John Walker, who was on the committee, said he was “very happy” with the amendment.

“This will force the city and the school district to work together--so that our schools have classrooms with enough seats for our kids,” Walker said.

Planning Commissioner Sandy Smith added: “From now on, the city will be hard-pressed to approve projects, if overcrowded conditions exist.”

Councilman Steve Bennett spearheaded the effort to make the city consider school capacity when considering new development.

He redoubled his efforts in June, when voters passed an $81-million bond measure to build two elementary schools, one middle school and a magnet high school to accommodate an additional 3,500 students by 2010.

“This was one of my major goals,” he said. “I’m happy to get this finalized before the council before my term ends.”