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Taloma Drive neighbors urge Ventura Unified to relocate 20-foot solar canopy, citing tree loss and property impacts
Summary
Residents near Foothill Technology High School told the board the district placed nearly 20-foot solar canopies feet from property lines and removed mature native trees without adequate notice; they urged relocation or mitigation and cited zoning and environmental rules. The board heard the comments but took no immediate action.
Neighbors packed the Ventura Unified School District board meeting to press the district to move a newly installed solar canopy that they say was built just feet from their back fences.
"We support solar energy, but we believe it should be implemented in areas that do not directly impact homeowners' properties and their property values," said Kora Peterson, a Taloma Drive resident, calling the nearly 20-foot-high structures "overhead" and saying the district removed indigenous trees more than 25 years old without proper notice. Several speakers said they were not mailed the notices they believe state law requires and contended the installation may have lost the district an exemption from environmental review after cutting mature trees.
Other neighbors described the canopy's shading, light intrusions and the emotional toll of seeing the treeline removed. "This is our view now. Say goodbye to the sunsets," Patrick Van Horn said, then requested the district fund native plantings on the homeowners' side of the fence to restore screening. Brian Peterson pressed for design changes that might preserve solar benefit while reducing impacts on adjacent homes.
Public commenters cited local rules and state codes they say were implicated by the installation. Speakers referenced an administrative regulation they described as "218.35," a zoning provision they cited as "section code 53094," and a public utilities notice requirement they identified as Public Utilities Code 12808.5. Board members and staff did not confirm legal conclusions during public comment; staff said district staff and the superintendent's office have been meeting with neighbors and exploring mitigation options.
Superintendent Dr. Antonio Castro told the board staff had been in dialogue with neighbors and would continue to pursue options that could reduce the impact, including design changes and additional screening. "We tried to dialogue … to have a solution that works for everybody," one resident said when describing a follow-up meeting with district staff.
The board did not vote on relocation or removal during the meeting. Trustees asked staff to report back with follow-up on legal and planning questions, possible mitigation steps (planting, baffling lights, reconfiguring the array) and whether mailed notice and environmental-exemption issues were handled consistent with the district's legal obligations.
What happens next: staff will continue discussions with the Taloma Drive residents and return to the board with recommendations, including any code or permitting findings and cost estimates for mitigation or relocation.
