Ventura council OKs eminent domain on Leland Street parcel for VenturaWaterPure wells

The Ventura City Council on April 14 adopted a Resolution of Necessity to acquire a Leland Street parcel by eminent domain for the city's VenturaWaterPure groundwater injection wells.

That resolution covers Assessor Parcel No. 138-0-230-700, owned by 6200 Leland Street LLC. Council voted to authorize a $3,628,000 condemnation deposit with the California State Treasurer's Condemnation Deposit Fund, the probable amount of compensation. The action also authorized $1,300,000 appropriations increases in each of the Water and Wastewater Capital Funds.

According to the April 14 agenda packet, the Resolution of Necessity required a two-thirds council majority, or at least five affirmative votes, under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1245.230. Council found that the public interest and necessity require the project, that the project is planned in the manner most compatible with the greatest public good and least private injury, that the property is necessary for the project, and that the offer required by Government Code Section 7267.2 had been made to the owner.

Ventura Water General Manager Gina Dorrington brought the recommendation. The agenda packet did not specify the size of the parcel, when the city's offer to purchase was made, or whether the property owner had responded.

For the underlying program, the agenda packet refers to the parcel acquisition as needed for the VenturaWaterPure Program's groundwater injection wells.

No further council action on the acquisition is currently scheduled; the matter now proceeds to court for the condemnation process.