Developers Need Controls

The lawsuit filed by Ventura Alpha Ranch Corp. partners and Orange County-based Lusk Co. against the city and county of Ventura (“Families Sue for Right to Develop Farmland,” May 9) is the latest attack by California developers to undermine the planning, development, zoning and permitting authority of local government.

If successful, Alpha Ranch and Lusk, and their supporters, the Building Industry Assn. and the Pacific Legal Foundation, would precipitate planning and development anarchy and eventual gridlock throughout California, sapping the vitality of our communities, economically and environmentally.

Speculative developers oppose local governments managing development, and its costs and adverse impacts on their citizens. Developers would rather use their political influence (and contributions) to induce local politicians and bureaucrats to approve their projects and ignore stringent local general or comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, traffic limits and environmental standards.

Now, with California courts packed with conservative judges who seem to place property ownership above a community’s responsibility to protect public health, welfare and the environment, developers want the courts to intervene to undermine local government.

NEIL A. MOYER, Environmental Coalition, Ventura