A year after storms pummeled a rural Ventura County neighborhood, residents may get a reprieve

Nearly a year after severe winter storms, residents of a small enclave north of Ventura still can’t access a creek crossing to get to their homes.

The mud and debris first built up along the stretch of Coyote Creek near Camp Chaffee Road last winter. With little room for water to flow in the creek, residents worry the flooding could be worse in future storms, and they have just the one alternate, narrow route in and out.

That likely won't change at least until this winter ends, but residents may soon get a bit of a financial reprieve.

Before work could start on a project to clear the creek, they had to come up with $94,000, county officials said. That was their share of an estimated $1.5 million grant-funded project. Over the past several months, residents pledged their own money, held fundraisers and put on a benefit concert.

Now – with a little under $25,000 to go – county Supervisor Matt LaVere has proposed filling the gap.

With a section of the creek located on private property, the county had said it could not pay for the work. But in this case, the project also could benefit county parkland just south of the neighborhood, LaVere said.

Project could dig out creek

Later this month, the Board of Supervisors is expected to consider providing the remaining funds out of the county's general fund. LaVere said he is confident his colleagues will agree it is an important project to help fund.

Around 75% of the project’s cost will be covered by a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The California Office of Emergency Services is expected to pay for much of the remaining costs other than the $94,000 local match.

Plans call for clearing sediment along 3,300 feet from the confluence of the Ventura River to 500 feet upstream of Camp Chaffee Road, according to the county public works department. Along with the stretch along private property, part of the proposed project runs through county parkland.

Crews would dig out a channel roughly 25-feet wide and 5-feet deep. In all, the work would remove an estimated 21,400 cubic yards of sediment.

In 2017, a similar project happened on the creek when the area flooded but not to the extent currently proposed.

Neighbors raise nearly $70,000

Residents had hoped the work could be finished before the new rainy season started. But officials said there wasn’t enough time for the work even if all the funds were available when the grants were approved this summer.

Resident Nikki Katz, who spearheaded much of the efforts, said she was "above and beyond grateful" for LaVere's proposal. She has concerns about this year's storms but knowing the project can move forward will be a relief.

"I am just relieved that it is going to be done," she said.

Residents’ fundraising efforts started once the grants were approved. They reached out to local businesses, held bake sales, applied for more grants and organized a benefit concert. In all, they raised nearly $30,000 in addition to $40,000 residents pledged to pay themselves.

“That neighborhood came together like I haven’t seen in my experience in public life,” LaVere said. “They all came together to support each other.”

Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura County neighborhood up for reprieve year after storms