Yes on Measure F

Now that Ventura County’s SOAR anti-sprawl measures give voters the power to say yes or no to specific development proposals, what sort of projects should get the green light?

The March 7 ballot contains a good example, called Measure F.

Just east of downtown Ojai, the Brothers of Saint John of God religious order seeks to expand its St. Joseph’s Health and Retirement Center. The group cites growing demand for housing for the elderly and a need to modernize its facilities as reasons for the project. The plan would convert the existing 28-bed building to 12 independent living apartments and add a second building with room for 60 skilled nursing beds.

A complete design has been drawn up and modified to address neighbors’ concerns about traffic, noise and light pollution. The plan would require the removal of nearly 500 orange trees from 5.84 acres of land but the developers have arranged to compensate for that loss by replacing each of those trees with at least two new ones, to be planted on 10 acres elsewhere in the Ojai Valley.

The theory on which the Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources measures won the support of two-thirds of Ventura County voters is this: If developers know they need to win the favor of a majority of registered voters--not just a majority of a five- or seven-member city council--they will propose much better projects. They will need to convince the public that their proposal is good for the entire community, not just for the builders.

We believe this proposal meets those standards and should be approved by voters countywide. The Times endorses a yes vote on Measure F and encourages future development proponents to emulate the careful, sensitive way it was put together.