Director approves use permit for Ventura County Christian School at 246 North Kimball Road

Assistant Community Development Director Maruja Klense, acting as hearing officer, approved a use permit on May 11 for Ventura County Christian School to operate at 246 North Kimball Road in the Guana Maria community, allowing a maximum enrollment of 170 students, documents and staff testimony show.

Principal planner Jared Rosengren told the hearing the school was established in 1994 and recently moved to the site. "This is a request for a use permit for the Ventura County Christian School," Rosengren said, adding that the permit would set a maximum enrollment of "a 170 students, although it's expected the total to be 155 based on current enrollment." He said no exterior building or parking changes are proposed and that staff posted a supplemental update adding fire-department conditions.

Klense said the site has a long history of school use dating to an original 1964 permit and that a lapse of more than six months since the prior school required a new use permit even though the current proposal involves no physical construction. She approved staff's recommendation to grant the permit and noted the hearing record includes a new condition to capture the fire department's requested improvements. "Weadded that new condition," Klense said. She said the fire-department inspections and any occupancy requirements must be addressed prior to the start of the 2026–27 school year.

No members of the public spoke on the item, the clerk reported. The director's hearing closed the public portion of the file at the meeting and was adjourned at 4:07 p.m. Klense said the next director's hearing is scheduled for June 15 at 4 p.m.