Wilson Aide Solicits Views of Board on Jordan Ranch

An official from Gov. Pete Wilson’s office has met individually with each member of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors to discuss their views on the proposed Jordan Ranch development, officials have disclosed.

Richard P. Sybert, director of the governor’s office of planning and research, met with each of the five supervisors Wednesday after taking a helicopter tour of the ranch and surrounding area.

“I think he was just trying to see where everybody is at, to gather as much information as possible,” Supervisor Maria VanderKolk, who opposes the development, said of her meeting with Sybert in her office at the County Government Center.

Last month, the governor called a meeting of the developer, members of the board and National Park Service officials to try and resolve the issues surrounding the development and the controversial land swap to which it is tied.

A land swap involving federal parkland is necessary to provide an access road to the 750-home development and golf course planned for Bob Hope’s Jordan Ranch.

The proposal calls for the National Park Service to exchange 59 acres of land needed for the roadway for 864 acres of the 2,308-acre ranch. Hope has also offered to sell and donate an additional 4,836 acres in the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains to park agencies for a below-market price of $10 million.

However, a majority of the board of supervisors has indicated that it will not support the project because it goes against county development guidelines.

Sybert said the governor is interested in the matter because there are state and national interests involved.

Members of the environmental group Save Open Space, which opposes the Jordan Ranch project, said they also met with Sybert on Wednesday and were disappointed with the outcome.

“It became clear to us that his mission is to make this development happen,” said Mary Wiesbrock, director of the group. “I feel it is scandalous that a state official is using the taxpayers’ money to do the developer’s lobbying.”