Council to Review Plan for Sports Park

The City Council is expected tonight to review a proposal to build a 100-acre regional sports park in east Ventura--a project that could trigger a public vote under the city’s growth-control ordinance.

The project is proposed for Kimball and Telephone roads, but a citywide vote would be necessary before it could be built because the land is zoned for agricultural use.

Enacted in 1995, Ventura’s growth-control initiative requires a public vote on projects proposed for areas zoned agricultural or open space.

Mayor Jim Friedman said he doubts the city would purchase the land prior to such a vote, but he added that he believes the public will support the park.

“The nice part of the conceptual ideas here is that they have been proposed and brought forth by the residents themselves,” Friedman said. “I feel pretty confident this is what the community wants.”

The city held two public workshops last month to gauge public opinion on what sports facilities are needed in Ventura.

Residents named an aquatics center, additional multiuse fields for soccer and baseball and a community center as their top priorities.