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LAFCO approves Ojai Valley Sanitary District annexation to serve Camp Ramah’s Mahone Village
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Summary
Ventura County LAFCO on April 15 approved a sphere of influence amendment and annexation so Ojai Valley Sanitary District can provide sewer service to a 1.7‑acre Mahone Village development at Camp Ramah; the commission also adopted the county’s mitigated negative declaration and conditions, including a deed restriction preserving the remaining 25‑acre parcel in perpetuity.
The Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission voted April 15 to approve an Ojai Valley Sanitary District sphere of influence amendment and annexation that will allow sewer service for a 1.7‑acre development called Mahone Village at Camp Ramah.
LAFCO staff summarized the project and recommended the commission "certify that it has reviewed and considered the information contained in the county's final mitigated negative declaration prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and adopt the county's findings and mitigation measures," and to adopt resolutions approving both the sphere amendment and the annexation. "The modified conditional use permit authorized continued operation and an expanded permit area, and the new development within the 1.7‑acre proposal area is what is prompting the need for annexation," staff said.
Why it matters: approving the annexation allows the Ojai Valley Sanitary District to extend sewer service to the new Mahone Village structures and cabins, removing a barrier to the proposed development while LAFCO recorded conditions intended to limit future growth on the larger parcel.
Key details: staff said Mahone Village would include a roughly 6,000‑square‑foot central gathering structure and about six sleeping cabins totaling roughly 4,000 square feet. The applicant agreed to record a deed restriction preserving the remainder of its 25‑acre parcel as permanent open space. "The deed restriction is intended to keep in perpetuity the rest of that area," staff stated during the hearing.
On CEQA, an online participant who identified herself as Caitlin Ernest clarified that the county's mitigated negative declaration (MND) "applies to the entire project area" while the county’s specific development impact analysis focused on the 1.7‑acre Mahone Village footprint. LAFCO legal counsel Jeff Barnes confirmed that the MND covers the project as a whole and observed that the recorded deed restriction precludes additional development outside the 1.7‑acre footprint.
Fire protection drew questions from commissioners. Camp representative Rabbi Joe Manashe described the camp’s reservoir and local hydrant infrastructure, saying the site maintains "between the 2 to 2 and a half million gallon open reservoir" used previously during major fires and available to feed hydrants for the new development.
Outcome and next steps: after commissioner questions and public input, a motion to adopt staff recommendations passed. The commission approved resolutions certifying review of the county MND, adopting the county’s findings and mitigation measures, and approving the Ojai Valley Sanitary District sphere amendment and annexation for Mahone Village. The record will reflect the deed restriction as a condition of annexation.
