An abandoned industrial site just off Highway 33 in West Ventura is going to get a major restoration, turning it into natural open space.
For more than a century, the land known as Crooked Palm has been home to oil facilities and an agricultural fertilizer plant. But now, the 100+ acres of property have been purchased through the efforts of conservation groups, so it can be preserved and restored as open space and recreation.
"We are standing at 4777 Crooked Palm Road, which is Ventura Land Trust's newest acquisition," said Melissa Baffa, Executive Director of the Ventura Land Trust. "We are here, in the industrial portion of the land that was once an agricultural fertilizer plant, and then was a petroleum refinery, and now is ours."
The Land Trust, the Trust for Public Land, and the California Natural Resources Agency teamed up to buy the rectangular piece of property, which runs parallel to Highway 33 and the Ventura River. You can see it off Highway 33 as you leave West Ventura, headed toward Ojai.
It took about a decade for the sale to happen.
"It's 101.5 acres, in total," said Baffa. "The purchase price from an industrial flipper was $7 million. Four million was paid with a grant through Proposition 68 funding that got administered through the California Natural Resources Agency. Then, $3 million was contributed by an anonymous conservation partner."
The Trust for Public Land initiated efforts to buy and preserve the land more than a decade ago.
It doesn’t look like much now. As you enter the property, you see six buildings, some the size of warehouses, in disrepair and covered with graffiti. But, to the west of them is more than 50 acres of natural watershed, which includes a section of the trail along the Ventura River.
"First, we're going to assess the property," explained Baffa. "We're going to see whether the buildings have any leftover pollution, which might be lead or asbestos. We're going to do some basic evaluation...what's here, what needs to take priority. We're going to consult with the community and see what their hopes and dreams are for the property. The long-term vision is that this gets restored to a beautiful riparian habitat with trails people can enjoy."
Those involved in the project said this is the first big step in an effort that will take time.
"I think that you have to look at opportunities, said Russell Galipeau, a member of the Ventura Land Trust’s Board of Directors. "Where we've concentrated some of our work before has been in the foothills. Now, we have a chance to restore a block of land that, as you can see, is badly bruised, but can provide some recreational opportunities in the future for West Ventura. How many opportunities do West Venturans have for open space?"
He added that preserving the land was an important first step, but they now face several challenges. They include developing a plan for the land, raising money to clean and restore it, and then actually doing the work.
"Everyone who comes out and uses open space in Ventura...helps us meet those operational needs by becoming a member (of the Ventura Land Trust)," said Galipeau. "We know you are using these properties, so now you can be a part of making the solution happen for everybody."
The west edge of the property is undeveloped. There are shrubs and brush, a combination of natural and invasive species. The goal is to remove the non-native plants. The area is already a thriving habitat for wildlife and insects.
According to Baffa, the land is still zoned for industrial use. But the purchase will permanently preserve, restore, and protect it as a natural habitat for wildlife and as recreational areas, such as trails, for their human neighbors.
"It's going to be about a decade before this plan comes to fruition," predicted Baffa. "The thing I keep saying is that it's going to be an amazing Cinderella story. We're starting with something really ugly, and battered, and it's going to be so beautiful."
