Board directs draft of ordinance to curb overnight parking and camping near agricultural lands

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 25 directed county staff to draft an ordinance that would restrict camping and overnight parking on or near agricultural lands in unincorporated areas of the county.

The proposal, introduced by Supervisor Matt LaVere, asks county council and relevant departments to craft rules aimed at protecting farmland, agricultural workers and public safety from the safety and sanitation risks supervisors and members of the agricultural community described during the meeting.

"Allowing this type of parking and camping near, or directly adjacent or even on our agricultural lands raises a whole host of issues," LaVere said, citing traffic and safety hazards, dumping and trespassing risks and a fire hazard that can threaten farmworkers and crops. "We need to get ahead of something horrible happening."

Brianne Whitcomb, representing Ventura County CoLab and the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, testified in support during public comment and said farmers have reported sewage, hazardous materials, trash and safety incidents around encampments near crop fields. "Farmers and ranchers across Ventura County are facing escalating challenges due to the continued presence of encampments near agricultural fields," she said.

Supervisors said the ordinance will be drafted in consultation with the agricultural commissioner, the sheriff’s office, the planning department and other stakeholders. The board discussed interim tools such as targeted roadway resolutions to restrict parking while a county-wide ordinance is crafted, and supervisors encouraged the sheriff to identify enforcement approaches that would be effective under local law.

Board action and next steps: Supervisor Long moved the item and Supervisor LaVere seconded; the motion carried unanimously. Staff were directed to work with County Counsel, Agricultural Commissioner Corinne Bell, Sheriff’s Office, Planning and other partners to prepare draft ordinance language for future hearings and to consider short-term measures for areas with acute problems.

Why it matters: Supervisors framed the measure as an effort to protect a major local economic sector — agriculture — by addressing biosecurity, public-safety and worker-safety concerns that local farmers and ranchers say have increased alongside encampment activity.

Speakers quoted in this article appear in the official transcript of the Feb. 25, 2025, Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting.