Rural Development Guidelines Approved
Ventura County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt new development guidelines aimed at protecting farmland in unincorporated areas from being overrun with housing tracts.
The supervisors approved a policy saying that any residential project built on less than 2 acres and requiring a new or significantly expanded sewer system would be considered urban development, which traditionally takes place in or directly adjacent to cities.
As a result, the minimum lot size for rural development would be one residence for every 2 to 10 acres. Currently, the county allows one house per acre.
The board’s action must be endorsed by the county’s 10 cities before it is officially imposed.
If approved by all jurisdictions, the new guidelines could force Knightsbridge Holdings to cut nearly in half its proposed housing project in Somis. The British-based developer wants to build 159 houses on a 195-acre tract.
Under the new guidelines, the developer would have to reduce its project to 97 houses and install septic tanks, rather than a new sewer system as now proposed.
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