Opponents argue against proposal for former Petrochem site; no decision made yet

Opponents of a proposal to convert the site of a closed refinery into vehicle storage and equipment yards urged planning officials to reject the idea Monday at a hearing in Ventura, arguing that truck traffic would increase air pollution and hurt the nearby westside community.

"It is disadvantaged communities of color that are often targeted for facilities like this," said Lucia Marquez, policy advocate for CAUSE, or Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.

Marquez was one of 25 speakers who balked at the proposal to build the facilities on land near Ventura that holds the remnants of the Petrochemical Co. oil refinery and an ammonia plant opened by Shell Chemical Corp. Speakers also expressed concerns about measures to keep cars and equipment from floating into the Ventura River during floods and pollution-related health problems. They urged moving away from such projects in an era of climate change.

More:Critics fighting proposal for Petrochem site in Ventura, citing air quality issues

After listening to 80 minutes of testimony, Ventura County Planning Director Dave Ward said he would consider the speakers' comments before making his decision. He said he would decide within 40 days whether a permit for the new uses should be approved.

Although hearings before planning directors sometimes result in decisions on the very day of those events, this is a contentious issue that requires more time for deliberations, planning officials said.

Officials said individuals who signed an attendance sheet, who included a reporter from The Star, would be notified about the decision when it is made.

A county review of the project found that the proposal for reusing the former Petrochemical Co. refinery would not produce any environmental effects that could not be lessened to less than significant levels. No significant effects on air pollution or traffic were found.

But speakers urged planning officials to take another look during the testimony at the standing-room-only hearing at the County Government Center, which was attended by about 30 people.  Some said the event should have been held in a larger room and during the evening when the people who would be affected by the proposal could attend.

The hearing was held to consider a permit that would allow the owner of the site to open a 21-acre storage lot for automobiles and a seven-acre equipment yard on 38 acres off Highway 33. 

New cars would be trucked to the site, stored for 14 to 90 days and prepped for market before being delivered to dealerships in the county, says a staff report from the Ventura County Planning Division. The lot would operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily with as many as 20 truckloads of cars allowed to come in and out each day.

The other part of the project calls for a 7-acre equipment yard. That space would be rented to general contractors, oil field support operations and the fishing industry for storage of roll-off bins, building materials, pipe, commercial fishing gear and other equipment. Tenants would have access to the site 24 hours a day and could deliver up to 30 loads each day.

Two officials from the Port of Hueneme spoke at the hearing to make it clear that the port was not involved in the proposal. 

More:Tanks on shuttered Petrochem site proposed as historically significant

Under the initial project description submitted in 2016, new cars would have been trucked from the port to the Petrochem site. Consultant John Hecht told The Star last week that no discussions had been held with the port, nor had any deal been reached. He apologized to port officials at the hearing Monday and said the port had been taken out of the plans.

"We have a lot of options," he said, saying the space could be used by car dealers or car museums. "The port is not connected in any way."

A representative for applicant and property owner Petrochem Development 1 of Moorpark declined to comment after the hearing.

Kathleen Wilson covers the Ventura County government, including the county health system, politics and social services. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.