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Ventura County Planning Commission approves unlimited-term permit for camp, adds tree-house protection and improvement language
Summary
The Planning Commission approved application PL 21-0019, granting an unlimited-term conditional use permit for a camp while revising conditions to require a tree protection plan (TPP) that will evaluate whether improvements can allow safe retention and use of an existing tree house; the motion passed 4'0to'0.
The Ventura County Planning Commission on a 4'0to'0 vote approved application PL 21-0019, granting an unlimited-term conditional use permit for a camp while adding a condition that the Tree Protection Plan (TPP) evaluate whether improvements may be made to an on-site tree house to allow safe retention and use.
The applicant said the request involves no physical expansion, no grading and no planned tree removal, and that the operation supports roughly 35 to 50 jobs depending on the season. “We are super grateful for planning; they have been gracious in walking us through this process,” the applicant said during the public-hearing presentation.
Commissioners focused discussion on a tree house constructed within a protected oak adjacent to the site's pool. Planning staff and commissioners said a qualified arborist has inspected the tree and will determine whether removal, retention, or improvements are appropriate. Under the revised condition 24, staff will require a TPP that avoids impacting protected trees where feasible, identifies mitigation or offsets for any damage, includes two years of monitoring, and "shall evaluate whether improvements may be made to the tree house to allow retention and use of the tree house, such that these improvements are done for public health and safety," language that commissioners requested and staff drafted during the meeting.
Commissioner Cushing moved approval with revisions to conditions 1 and 24; Commissioner Ayala seconded. The motion passed 4'0to'0. The commission's approval grants the unlimited-term CUP subject to the updated TPP requirement and other standard conditions of approval.
The revised condition delegates a factual safety and health determination to the qualified arborist and to county staff review of the TPP; commissioners emphasized their intent that retention include the ability for children or camp participants to use the tree house if the arborist and TPP show improvements can protect tree health and public safety. Staff said the final arborist recommendations and any required permits will control whether the tree house may stay, be improved, be fenced to prevent use, or must be removed.
Next steps: staff will document the commission's revisions in the conditions of approval, the applicant will comply with the TPP and any arborist recommendations, and county staff will process the zoning clearance and required monitoring tasks.
