Housing Plan in Oxnard May Be on Indian Site

OXNARD — Ambitious plans for converting a swath of southeast Oxnard into a housing development and theme park could be stalled while a Chumash representative explores the implications of what could be a burial ground on the site.

Despite objections from the plan’s promoter, the Oxnard Planning Commission granted John Tommy Rosas, who is a member of the Santa Clara Valley River Chumash Nation, a 45-day extension to review and provide comments on the controversial plan that could bring 3,165 homes, two schools, restaurants and a fire station to the semirural area.

For everyone except Rosas, the final comment period on the environmental impacts of the project ends Monday.

Armando Lopez, president of the Pacific Ag Expo--the brainchild of project applicant Ag Land Services, a Somis orchard management and development firm--said he is optimistic people’s concerns will be addressed.

“Things will be dealt with at the appropriate time and hopefully everybody’s issues will be answered,” said Lopez. “Let the public discourse take its place. . . . What I would like to think is that these debates will take place among reasonable people.”

Rosas is a member of the state’s Native American Contact List, which is compiled by the Native American Heritage Commission. Rosas told the board that state law mandates that he receive a copy of the draft environmental report. He, along with other Native Americans, are listed as consultants who are asked to examine potential impacts of developments in sites that could have Native American archeological value.

The Native American Heritage Commission is a state agency that consults with city agencies and developers to ensure that Native American cemeteries, religious sites or sacred shrines are not disturbed.

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Rosas said Friday that he intends to provide the Planning Commission with significant new information about the site. Though he offered no evidence at this point of any burial grounds, Rosas said it was highly likely that Native American remains could be found in the area.

“I felt the Planning Commission and the city of Oxnard acted correctly and were sensitive to our needs,” said Rosas. “I think it will be a miracle if they don’t find a burial area there.”

The 815-acre project--which would be bounded by Rice Avenue to the east, Rose Avenue to the West, 5th Street to the north and Pacific Coast Highway to the south--is being watched by several other individuals and agencies.

City planners say the proposal, which is part of the city’s 2020 General Plan to accommodate population increases, will help alleviate growth problems in Oxnard by building new schools, enlarging overtaxed sewage lines and broadening streets.

One agency that is crucial to the approval process is the Local Area Formation Commission, which must approve annexation of the land that is currently outside Oxnard city boundaries and part of a greenbelt agreement with Camarillo.

LAFCO officials have submitted comments on the draft environmental impact report saying that one of their most important responsibilities is “the protection and preservation of agriculture and open space.”

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In addition, the statement reads, the plan could have a “significant impact” on the county’s air quality by adding a large amount of traffic to the area. The plan calls for the proposed expansion of Rice Avenue to a six-lane expressway.

Some LAFCO board members say they are leery of the plan, though it is only in the preliminary stages.

“In all fairness, I haven’t seen the plan in detail, but I am extremely concerned,” said Ventura County Supervisor Judy Mikels, a LAFCO board member. “It seems to me that the cities need to start working with the county as partners in the preservation of farmland. Eight hundred and fifteen acres of prime land is a heck of a lot of ag land.”

Fellow board member Bernardo Perez, a Moorpark city councilman, added: “Greenbelts are typically understood to be non-annexed areas. You are talking about intruding into ag space. I’m sure there are going to be some significant issues raised.”