Hillside Development

* I strongly oppose the development being planned by the owners of 5,100 acres of undeveloped Ventura hillside land for these reasons:

* We do not need the beautiful, natural vista of our hills sacrificed to the construction of many large “executive homes.”

* The development would overburden already inadequate infrastructure: roads, water supply (remember the drought?) and schools.

* The location is a fragile ecosystem of chaparral with a thin layer of topsoil. Such development requires vast grading, leveling, filling and soil compaction, with removal of topsoil and all vegetation to construct roads, building pads and other improvements. This process kills off the most important source of beauty of the hills--the lush green growth we see in the winter, spring and early summer.

* This area supports many wildflowers, chaparral shrubs and vegetation, which are the home of bobcats, foxes, coyotes, deer, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels and numerous species of birds, including many that provide natural rodent control, such as owls, hawks and falcons.

* The natural rainwater absorption provided by the topsoil and vegetation would be lost during heavy rainfall, creating runoff erosion and possible flooding, mudslides, and slippage of existing lots and foundations.

All in all, the development would make Ventura look and feel more like Los Angeles, with its attendant problems of congestion, traffic, pollution and large expensive homes in high-risk fire areas with costly fire control.

Anyone interested in forming a residents’ leadership council to create an effective organization to deal with development, please contact me at 653-6160.

RON BLANCHETTE

Ventura