VCTC reviews St. Francis Dam memorial plan for Santa Paula park
The proposed monument at Railroad Plaza Park would mark the 100th anniversary of the 1928 disaster that killed more than 400 people.
The Ventura County Transportation Commission reviewed a proposal for a permanent St. Francis Dam memorial at Railroad Plaza Park in Santa Paula during its July 10 meeting in Camarillo, according to the meeting agenda packet.
The Santa Paula Historical Society is leading the effort to install the monument on the northeast corner of 10th Street and East Santa Barbara Street, near the existing granite ball water feature. The site sits on VCTC-owned Santa Paula Branch Line right-of-way, within an area subject to a master lease between VCTC and the City of Santa Paula executed in 1996 and amended in 2005.
The St. Francis Dam collapsed on March 12, 1928, releasing a flood that swept through the Santa Clara River Valley and killed more than 400 people. The disaster remains one of the most significant civil engineering failures in California history. Floodwaters traveled through Santa Paula and Fillmore during the early morning hours.
The Santa Paula City Council approved the project's conceptual design in April 2026 and directed staff to return with a memorandum of understanding with the Historical Society once VCTC and Sierra Northern Railway sign off. VCTC staff said an initial review indicates the proposed plans do not affect the operating right-of-way and would better delineate Railroad Plaza Park from the railroad operational area.
The proposal will next go before the Santa Paula Branch Line Advisory Committee, which includes commission representatives from Ventura, Santa Paula, Fillmore, and the two corridor county supervisor districts.
Sources
- VCTC Commission Meeting Agenda, Item 13 — St. Francis Dam Memorial Project on the Santa Paula Branch Line (commission meeting agenda packet)Jul 10, 2026
More from Civic
Ventura City Council set to consider permanent Tree Protection Ordinance Tuesday
The council will consider a permanent Tree Protection Ordinance on Oct. 27 after it was first presented in July and refined with community input. An emergency ordinance adopted in February protects monarch butterfly habitat while the permanent rules are finalized.
Santa Paula pauses RV parking enforcement while it rewrites rules
The City Council voted 5-0 on Oct. 7 to temporarily stop enforcing discretionary RV parking regulations tied to land use and neighborhood appearance, while health, safety, and emergency-access rules stay in force.
Ventura launches $340,000 in community grants for arts, culture, wellness
The city is accepting applications for its revamped Community Grants Program, which offers $340,000 across four categories: Arts Organization Support, Cultural Projects, Individual Artist Projects, and Community Wellness Projects.
Ventura holds first community meeting on permanent tree ordinance; second set for Oct. 20
The city is seeking public input on a proposed permanent Tree Protection Ordinance that would replace the emergency ordinance adopted in February after unauthorized trimming in monarch butterfly habitat.