Governing Board OKs Wetlands Restoration Sites

A recreational vehicle park on the banks of the Ventura River and two areas near Ormond Beach are on a list of coastal wetlands projects targeted for restoration by a joint state and federal committee.

The 14-member governing board of the Southern California Regional Wetlands Clearinghouse met in Santa Barbara on Wednesday and approved 11 of 41 suggested sites, said Craig Denisoff , a spokesman for the state’s Resources Agency.

“As soon as the dollars are appropriated, we will begin moving forward on the initial projects,” Denisoff said.

Gov. Pete Wilson has proposed spending $6.7 million for wetlands restoration in the upcoming state budget, Denisoff said. The clearinghouse, though, will need to find more resources to help provide the several million dollars that will be needed, he said.

The clearinghouse hopes to buy, trade, or work agreements to acquire the Ventura Beach RV Resort at 800 W. Main St. in Ventura, Denisoff said.

The recreational vehicle park, which sits in a flood plain on the Ventura River, has been closed for repairs since February when an El Nino-fueled storm forced the park’s evacuation and sent 4 feet of mud roaring through the area, said park volunteer Pete Martin. The park is scheduled to reopen next month, Martin said.

Denisoff said the park is flooded by rains annually and that it is a prime spot for wetlands restoration. The park’s value has been assessed at $3 million but it is uncertain whether the owner wants to sell, Denisoff said.

The clearinghouse also would like to restore 145 acres of upland habitat and open fields south of Port Hueneme at Ormond Beach, owned by Southern California Edison. That site has been assessed at $1.3 million, Denisoff said.

Also slated for restoration are 270 acres of holding ponds and land located north of the northern boundary of Ormond Beach, Denisoff said. That site is owned by a private development company and has been valued at $4.75 million, he said.