Farmers Oppose Plans for Recreational Trail
A plan to create Ventura County’s longest recreational trail is pitting transportation officials against growers, who worry that the proposed path through the Santa Clara Valley could mean the loss of hundreds of acres of prime farmland.
Though still preliminary, plans for the 32-mile Santa Clara Branch Line Trail have made growers fearful that they may be forced to keep part of their land fallow to provide buffers between them and trail users.
“Quite frankly, this is one of the greatest threats to agriculture here in the county,” said Rex Laird, executive director of the Ventura County Farm Bureau.
Though agreeing that a number of issues remain to be settled, transportation officials said the trail would meet some of the area’s long-term transportation needs and would have only minimal effect on agriculture.
Beginning in Montalvo, the trail would follow the Santa Clara River through Saticoy, Fillmore and Piru to Rancho Camulos.
For the most part, the trail--to be located along the railroad tracks--would pass through some of the county’s most productive farmland.
Eventually, it is expected to be used by as many as 300,000 people a year.
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