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Ojai residents complain of trucks on Highway 33
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Rob Varela / Star staff A coalition of opponents, whose members include leaders of the Chamber of Commerce, maintains that Highway 33, a two-lane road designated as a scenic route, is unsuitable for heavy trucks.
"Our desire for the town of Ojai is to keep it from being a wide-open industrial trucking zone." Michael Shapiro, Stop the Trucks chairman
Rob Varela / Star staff Michael Shapiro watches as a gravel truck drives down Highway 33 near Nordhoff High School in Ojai last week.
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More from Other NewsUntil last year, it was common for Bob Walker to wake up before dawn to the sound of grinding engine brakes, as a caravan of gravel trucks passed his house.
"When they're coming through at 2:30 or 3 a.m., and you're sleeping, it gets pretty loud," Walker said during a recent interview at his home, just north of Ojai on Highway 33. "At one point, it was an everyday thing."
The truck traffic has lightened recently, and the trucks no longer start before dawn, in part because the slump in the construction industry has lowered the demand for concrete and other products that use gravel from the mountains north of Ojai. But many Ojai residents still chafe at what they see as enough truck traffic to turn their bucolic city into a loud, smoggy, congested mess.
Ventura County, they say, has ignored their concerns. Walker filed three complaints against one mining company, starting in 2005, and said the county never acknowledged any of them until a few months ago.
The trucking opponents have banded together in a group called Stop the Trucks, though Walker is not a member. The coalition includes some veteran environmental activists, but some of its most prominent members come from the business community, including current and former leaders of the Chamber of Commerce.
Irreparable damage seen
Last week, Stop the Trucks wrote a letter to the county accusing one sand and gravel mine, Ozena Valley Ranch, of routinely violating its permit last year by allowing trucks to travel down Highway 33 outside of the permitted hours.
The Virgilio family, who own the Ozena mine, denies that charge, and the family is fighting back. This spring, the Virgilios sued the county over the Planning Division's new policy of strictly enforcing the hourly restrictions on truck traffic.
The company has also applied for permission to expand its mining operation, though it says the expansion won't raise the limit on truck traffic through Ojai, currently set at 100 one-way trips a day maximum, and 66 one-way trips on average. The new traffic will all head northeast to Bakersfield, or northwest to Santa Maria, according to the company's application.
But that could still leave hundreds of trucks from the various mines heading down Highway 33 every day.
Stop the Trucks maintains that the highway, a two-lane road designated as a scenic route, is unsuitable for heavy trucks. Members also worry about the effects on road safety and air quality in Ojai.
The mine owners argue Highway 33 is safe, and they're supported by a study by the California Department of Transportation last year that declared it a safe route for properly sized trucks, with no evidence of increased accidents caused by truck traffic.
"Our desire for the town of Ojai is to keep it from being a wide-open industrial trucking zone," said Stop the Trucks Chairman Michael Shapiro. "I really believe the character of Ojai, the quality of life, the safety, the health and welfare, and the economy and lifeblood of this town will become irreparably damaged if that happens."
A question of timing
Ozena is one of four mines in the mountains far north of Ojai, near the intersection of Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern counties. Two more mines are in the planning stages, both in Santa Barbara County.
Ozena has drawn most of Stop the Trucks' ire, because it's the biggest operation that falls under the jurisdiction of Ventura County planners. It's the main supplier of gravel and other aggregate material to concrete plants in west Ventura County.
The mine's county permit states its "normal hours of operation" for trucks traveling on Highway 33 in the Ojai Valley are from 6 to 7 a.m. and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. That keeps the trucks off the highway during the morning and evening rush hours.
However, trucks are allowed to begin loading at the mine as early as 3 a.m. and as late as 5 p.m. For years, both the county and Ozena interpreted the permit to mean that the only forbidden hours for travel through the Ojai Valley were rush hours: 7 to 9 a.m., and 3 to 6 p.m.
In December — after months of complaints from Stop the Trucks members and other Ojai-area residents — the county told Ozena it would begin strictly enforcing the permit. Trucks would be allowed on the highway only when they are specifically authorized.
Three months later, Ozena sued, arguing that the new enforcement amounted to a unilateral change in the conditions of the company's permit.
"I don't think there was a change," said Patrick Richards, a manager in the county Planning Division. "I think there was a clarification that was provided ... a clarification that no, you're not doing it correctly, here's how to do it."
No notices of violation'
It's because of that disagreement that Stop the Trucks, the county and Ozena don't agree on how often the company has broken the rules. Stop the Trucks studied 649 weigh tickets — the receipts that are issued to every truck coming or going at Ozena — from last summer and concluded that about 40 percent of them show a violation of the county's hour restrictions.
But that accusation is based on the strictest interpretation of the rules. Under the interpretation in place at the time, just 4.5 percent of the tickets showed violations, according to a May 29 letter from Richards to Stop the Trucks.
"The county has issued Ozena no notices of violation," said John Hecht, the president of West Coast Environmental and Engineering and a consultant to Ozena. "We were in sync with the county at the time, and the county, when they issued that letter (in December), said they weren't going to issue any retroactive violations."
Since that letter, Ozena has been complying with the new, stricter enforcement, Hecht said. That's another reason Bob Walker and his neighbors along Highway 33 are seeing and hearing fewer trucks.
A potential thaw
On a Sunday in early June, leaders of Stop the Trucks met for the first time with Ozena's owners, in a conference room at Ojai City Hall. Both sides brought their lawyers.
Kate Neiswender, an attorney for Ozena, said the meeting was "productive." The Virgilios agreed to install a camera at the mine's loading zone, so there will be hard evidence in case of any alleged violations in the future. The county doesn't have the manpower for such monitoring; it responds only to complaints.
"We're willing to do anything that's reasonable," Neiswender said.
"I was glad we had the meeting," said Shapiro, the Stop the Trucks chairman. "It's always nice meeting people and putting a human face on them."
But the chances of an agreement that will satisfy both parties seem slim. Shapiro said he won't be happy until Highway 33 is closed to all through truck traffic, except in emergencies.
Instead, he said, trucks from Ozena should head east on Lockwood Valley Road, then south on Interstate 5 and west on Highway 126.
That would add about 45 miles to the 65-mile trip from Ozena to the Associated Ready Mix concrete plant in Oxnard.
Not going to go away'
But under state law and court precedent, only Caltrans can decide whether trucks can use the highway. The city of Ojai can't impose any travel restrictions beyond the ones that Ozena agrees to. And the company isn't likely to agree to a complete truck ban.
Walker, whose 38-acre ranch overlooks Matilija Canyon on one side and Highway 33 on the other, doesn't expect the trucks to ever stop. He worked in the aggregate mining industry himself for years in Palmdale, and for a few years he owned the Ojai Quarry, which lies just a few hundred yards from his driveway.
"It's not going to go away," Walker said. "They'll always need sand and gravel, and if this is the cheapest place they can haul from, that's where they're going to go. ... My biggest concern is just to get them operating according to the rules."
Posted by lrgvanman on June 27, 2008 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
With all good intentions in mind, whatcha gonna do when those construction materials rise as well due to higher freight cost?
Posted by kosmoz13 on June 27, 2008 at 6:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The truck traffic on HWY 33 is extremely busy. On any given day, you can pull out onto this HWY and see one or two trucks go by every second. There was no mention of the bridge that collapsed on HWY33 last year. How a windy two lane highway through a small mountain town is the best route is beyond me. Especially when CA mountains are so known for collapsing.
Posted by pfariseo on June 27, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree that these huge trucks should not be traveling the 33 northbound for many reasons. When it comes to safety, however, it seems to me that the only time I hear of accidents and fatalities it always has to do with motorcycles and an occasional bicycle at the wee hours of the morning!!
Posted by Schoolbusdude01 on June 27, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've overheard some of these truckers talking and the last thing they want is the CHP to set up an inspection stop. That tells me that some of the trucks and amybe a few of the drivers are not operating legaly. So, get the CHP involved and let them set up an inspection station and start taking a closer look at the condition of those trucks to make sure they are truely safe. It wouldn't surprise me if several of those trucks were pulled out of service.
Posted by rebel123 on June 27, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The roads are torn up because of these trucks beyond what is normal. I've got a nice chip in my windshield from a piece of gravel bouncing out of one that I had to follow all the way up into Ojai. I hate them. They are noisy as heck and belch smoke.
Posted by CatInAHat on June 27, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And again, why was all rock and gravel mining stopped in the Santa Clara river bed? No one complained about those trucks on "made for industrial use" highways.
The citizens set themselves up for this one, not the construction industry. Santa Clara river bed mining was absolutely no problem. The alternative, upper Ojai mining, is a problem.
Posted by BeaHappi on June 27, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What's the alternative? Other than mining the river beds? If the mines are in the Ojai mountains there aren't many options for getting in and out of there.
As for getting stuck behind trucks, that could happen anywhere.
Posted by ridgewalker101 on June 27, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a highway !
Move in next to the airport and then complain about the noise.
Posted by joefox on June 27, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Another biz trying to get shut down!
WTF ~ people we need the work have you seen all the empty places in Ojai or in Ventura County? Keep it up and Ojai will be lost! Look how much money is lost with out the Ojai Ford over $200,000 in tax revenue per MONTH alone and 40 jobs lost! That means 40 less people eating at a local lunch stop every day!
So maybe we should stop the trucks and since a golf ball might hit a Condor so lets work on closing down the 2 golf courses too!!!
Posted by kljinusa on June 27, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the Santa Clara riverbed is out as far as a quarry is concerned. Hopefully, it's to be restored to it's former rapian environment, the Nature Conservancy has already bought some parts of it. I like Schoolbus' idea of a CHP checkpoint for safety reasons. If the trucks are not safe, they will detour. I don't live in Ojai, so have no further opinion.
Posted by thernandez on June 27, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So towards the end there where the suggestion is made to send them down the 126, how exactly do you think that's fair? Fillmore, Piru and Santa Paula are small communities in their own right but you think it's fine to send them up our way. Wouldn't that extra trip also add to the pollution you are so concerned about? Can't have your cake and eat it too. Good luck but keep them off the 126.
Posted by celtcwrtr on June 27, 2008 at 6:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember when trucks like that were banned from PCH (they'd use it to bypass the Conejo Grade). The highway was deemed too small for large industrial trucks.
Isn't 33 too small, too?
Posted by heyniceart on June 27, 2008 at 7:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I definitely understand the disruption from traffic noise because I live very near a main intersection in Ventura. However, you're talking about truckers that are working. What needs to really be addressed is the illegal exhaust pipes on motorcycles that fly thru town (Ventura, Ojai, etc.) at all hours of the day - in groups of 20 or more sometimes. Many a quiet morning, afternoon, evening or night's sleep has been completely ruined by these people who are NOT doing work - they just like the sound of their ear-splitting pipes. I'm all for peace & quiet but let's start by coming down on the people who are ruining the peace for the sake of their little joyride.
Posted by kosmoz13 on June 28, 2008 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
These trucks may be "working" and that's fine and good. BUT they are traveling down a two lane highway at some points that they don't fit on. When the road narrows down to one lane for them and they don't fit, guess what they do? They use both sides of the road! Going into the oncoming traffic lane. So safe right?. The 126 isn't 2 lanes is it? This is not like living near an airport and complaining about traffic from planes. The airspace the are flying in isn't travelled by families in much smaller vehicles daily. The planes aren't crowding out some other vehicle that belongs there. The 33 was never intended to hold so much traffic and parts of it are collapsing. Oh but it's just Ojai.
Posted by figment on June 28, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RE: "Instead, [Shapiro] said, trucks from Ozena should head east on Lockwood Valley Road, then south on Interstate 5 and west on Highway 126."
Ventura County's narrow winding Lockwood Valley Road is a far worse alternative to State Hwy. 33. Lockwood Valley Road is narrower with sharper curves than Hwy. 33--making it even more difficult for large trucks and trailers to stay within their own lane! Unlike a state highway, Lockwood Valley Road is a small county road. A patch of road at the summit just west of Lockwood Valley has remained bare for many years because the mountain continues moving several feet per year across this section of the road.
Hwy. 33 is far more suitable for use by large truck and trailers than Lockwood Valley Road. Plus, the slower and longer route from Ozena through three counties to Ventura suggested by Shapiro requires far more time and fuel to reach Ventura--then even more time, fuel and associated environmental impact continuing from Ventura north on Hwy. 33 to nearly complete the large circle for deliveries to Ojai--a relatively short 43 miles south of Ozena.
Posted by wolf9walker on June 30, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I searched the Ventura star web site. For about 10 mins. I didn’t see any accidents involving trucks in ojai(I sure there has to be at least one) but many with cars, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. I wonder, dose anyone knows how many truck accidents and how many car accidents have been on hwy 33?
Maybe cars should be banned. Common sense says you stop what ever is hurting or killing people the most. What they should do is build a truck only bypass to protect the truckers from the car drivers.
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