SOAR Initiative

Forty years ago I chose to live in Ventura County because I did not want to live in an asphalt jungle like the San Fernando Valley or Orange County.

We have had sensible slow growth since the 1960s and ‘70s because the elected officials in our cities and county have, first, approved guidelines for orderly development that require development in and adjacent to cities and, second, established greenbelts adjacent to our cities to maintain agriculture as our major industry.

As a consultant to developers for more than 40 years, I do not believe that the Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) initiative, which would require voter approval to change agricultural zoning on property, is the right way to continue sensible slow growth.

Our elected officials should find ways to retain the existing greenbelts and reinforce the guidelines for orderly development, allowing for development on prime agricultural lands only when cities have no further areas for expansion.

I also believe that the properties zoned open space are not prime agricultural and should be developed first within and adjacent to cities.

So far in the ‘90s, our elected officials have changed the designation of rural zoning from one-acre minimum to two-acre minimum and last year appointed a task force with the mission to find ways to maintain agriculture in our county through the year 2030. Having attended one of its town hall meetings, I am sure the appointed task force will recommend to our Board of Supervisors and city councils a scenario that will preserve our prime agricultural land for the next 30 years or more.

During the ‘60s, developers bought agricultural land for development from the farmers by paying about twice the value of prime agricultural land. Now when prime agricultural land is approved for development, developers are paying four to six times the value of prime agricultural land. My recommendation to the task force is that when agricultural land is rezoned for development, for every acre of land rezoned, the developer shall donate an acre of prime agricultural land to be retained in a land bank or pay cash of equal value to be given to a special open-space district.

I do not feel that a sales tax is fair as a method to fund the preservation of prime agricultural land.

I am sure the citizens in our county will suggest many other ideas for consideration and recommendation to our elected officials. Hopefully they will approve a scenario that strengthens our existing policies on sensible slow growth.

EDDIE RAMSEYER

Ventura