Supervisors Ready to OK Guide to Control Growth

After months of negotiations, Ventura County supervisors are expected to approve a report today that would guide the implementation of a voter-approved growth control measure.

Supervisors John Flynn and Frank Schillo are asking their colleagues to vote for three recommendations related to Measure A, a growth control advisory initiative that passed in November.

The report recommends that a committee develop criteria for strengthening greenbelt agreements and explore the formation of a countywide land conservation district.

Additionally, Flynn and Schillo suggest that the county work with the League of Women Voters and the Sustainability Council, both county-based groups, to develop a public education program dealing with land use issues.

The plan, just three pages long, has the support of Supervisor Judy Mikels, who had criticized an earlier 35-page report as not calling for enough involvement by local officials.

“It appears they took to heart some of the discussion the board had,” said Mikels, referring to an hourlong debate by the board in April. “I’m very comfortable with it now.”

Mindful of broad public support for Measure A, which received 69% of the vote in November, and a companion initiative, an ordinance to protect open space that garnered 63%, Flynn and Schillo have urged the board to move forward quickly with proposals to implement growth control plans.

But the other supervisors have supported a more cautious approach, involving a wide variety of community members. Mikels, for instance, rejected the April report in part because the language dealing with greenbelts did not involve people in the cities that would be affected.

The revised report suggests that the county committee establish broad parameters for greenbelts and allow the home district supervisor, along with municipal officials, to work out details.