Right-to-Farm Law Will Be Proposed
City Councilman Steve Bennett plans to introduce an ordinance Monday that would protect Ventura farmers against lawsuits filed by neighbors annoyed by the sounds and smells of normal agricultural operations.
Bennett said he is following through on promises made to farmers during 1995’s successful campaign for the Save Our Agricultural Resources city initiative, which was designed to preserve agricultural land.
“It makes sense that if we approved SOAR, we need to have a right-to-farm ordinance,” Bennett said Thursday.
Simply put, the proposed ordinance says residents cannot file nuisance suits against normal farming operations.
“For example, if you buy a house next to an orchard that runs wind machines, you can’t complain that they keep them on at night when they try to keep away the frost,” Bennett said.
After passage of the 1995 initiative, farmers asked Bennett to wait on a “right-to-farm” law until a similar ordinance was adopted by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.
That happened last month, when supervisors approved a law that applies to farming operations on all unincorporated land.
If the rest of the City Council members are receptive to Bennett’s proposal, they will direct city staff members to draft the city ordinance.
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