Adams Canyon CURB measure qualifies for ballot

January 26, 2007
Santa Paula News

It looks like development in Adams Canyon will be back on the ballot, after the Ventura County Elections Division certified that enough valid signatures of registered voters were gathered to bring the property into the city’s CURB line, according to City Clerk Josie Herrera.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesIt looks like development in Adams Canyon will be back on the ballot, after the Ventura County Elections Division certified that enough valid signatures of registered voters were gathered to bring the property into the city’s CURB line, according to City Clerk Josie Herrera. Herrera was notified by the county Thursday morning that “sufficient signatures” were qualified out of the more than 2,800 signatures gathered by Adams Canyon development proponents.“I don’t have the exact numbers now,” pending her own examination of the documents. Proponents had to gather at least 1,606 signatures - 15 percent - of Santa Paula’s registered voters to qualify the measure.“The City Council will discuss this item on their agenda” for the February 5 meeting, and has the option of calling for a special election or asking for a financial report on the proposed project for further study. Herrera does not believe that the Council can adopt the measure for implementation without an Environmental Impact Report.Supporters of development in Adams Canyon are hoping that three times is the charm to getting voters to approve bringing the property into the CURB line. Steve Smead and Jim Tovias, who led the signature gathering effort, delivered petitions to Herrera just a week before the county notified her that the measure can be placed on the ballot.
The initiative calls for the creation of 495 custom home sites, a resort, golf course and hotel, as well as parks, open space and a 40-acre school site in the approximately 6,500-acre canyon. Smead and Tovias - who each own Santa Paula-based insurance agencies - hope that the initiative will make the ballot in early or mid-April. Initiative supporters believe that the proposal would generate the most revenue with the lowest density and the least amount of negative impacts.Pinnacle Development Group of Scottsdale, Arizona sponsored the previous two measures. The first, in 2002, which would have created 2,250 homes, a 10-acre shopping center, schools, golf resort and hotel, was soundly rejected by voters. After a ballot measure similar to the latest initiative was rejected by 85 votes in April, Pinnacle representatives approached Ventura County to develop 35 ranches in the canyon.“Happy, sure! That was a lot of work. I never worked so hard for free in my life,” said Tovias. “We’re really pleased,” especially since citizens are “starting to see what we’ve seen all along,” a development that could boost city coffers without major traffic and other impacts. “Based on the current economic conditions, this would be a wonderful boost for the city of Santa Paula.”Tovias said that proponents have certified an economic projection and, “as we move forward in the campaign, that will be one of the focal points.” The potential increase in city revenues was the “motivation for so many people spending so many hours” to gather the signatures leading to the measure, he added.



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