Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment Medea Creek topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident says county clearing damaged Medea Creek habitat; requests after‑action review
Summary
A written letter read to the MAC alleged Ventura County Public Works contractors 'clearcut' roughly 250 feet of Medea Creek riparian habitat in Oct. 2023 without an applicable CDFW permit, prompting calls for transparency, jurisdictional clarity, and an after‑action report from residents.
The Oak Park MAC heard a written statement Oct. 24 from resident Steven Kozel alleging that county work on the northwest tributary of Medea Creek last October caused significant riparian habitat damage.
Kozel’s letter, read aloud by Chair Brian Trushinski, said contractors removed roughly 250 feet of streambed and riparian vegetation near Oak Hills Drive and that no flooding had occurred during Tropical Storm Hilary (August 2023). Kozel wrote that Ventura County Public Works appeared to rely on a CDFW permit that did not apply to that stretch of Medea Creek, that no biologist was observed on site during the work, and that requests for permit documents were delayed.
Kozel asked how the county will prevent similar outcomes, recommended an after‑action report, and offered to partner with Public Works given strong community knowledge of local open space. The letter tied Medea Creek health to the Malibu Creek watershed and the steelhead trout’s southern range, arguing local actions can affect downstream habitat.
MAC members and staff acknowledged receipt of the letter and discussed the need for county follow‑up. The transcript does not record a county Public Works response to Kozel’s allegations during this meeting; members asked that the Supervisor’s office and county staff provide clarifications and any corrective actions.
