CITY WILL ALLOW DISPUTED DAM TO MOVE AHEAD.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Daily News Staff Writer

The city has dropped calls for further study over Lang Ranch dam, allowing the controversial county project to proceed but pledging to try to relocate 47 ancient oak trees.

The City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday against studying possible alternatives or holding a workshop on the issue, reversing prior unanimous votes in January, saying the planning process was nearly complete.

``I guarantee there is a better place to put it,'' said Mayor Linda Parks, who was joined by Councilman Dan Del Campo in voting against the motion. ``We need to go out there and look for alternatives.

``I agree we need to take care of flood-control issues, but we could do it in a better location. I am positive in my heart,'' she said.

The proposed $2.9 million detention basin is being built to help protect downstream properties from catching Lang Creek's runoff, which is expected to increase due to a 2,257-home development in the area.

Councilman Andy Fox, in his motion to direct staffers not to pursue hiring a consultant to look at alternatives, said the estimated $100,000 for the study was a ``reckless waste of tax dollars.''

Council members also acknowledged that numerous studies have been done on the project, an 11.5-acre basin west of Westlake Boulevard, and noted that the plans were already in the permitting process. The project includes a debris basin on the east side of the street.

Parks also unsuccessfully attempted to call for a motion to hold a workshop to inform the public about the project. Fox called her motion out of order, and City Attorney Mark Sellers said he was not sure what a workshop would accomplish, if the council already voted to go forward with plans to work with the county on possibly transplanting the trees.

``The original workshop was to look for feasible alternatives,'' Sellers said.

Parks finally gave in and said she won't force the issue.

Fox also included in his motion for the city to send out a letter to the public listing facts relating to the basin.

Parks said she opposed sending out a letter, which would ``say what we say the facts are and not allow for open discussion.''

She said the letter probably won't tell residents that the proposed project would be the third-largest dam in Ventura County or how much concrete would be used.

Lang Ranch resident Jerry Lewi, who said residents are being taxed under a Mello-Roos district for the project, supported the proposal for ``an outside, independent analyst'' and for a workshop to take place.