Planners Back Weldon Canyon Landfill : Waste: County staff supports the dump proposal as long as it shrinks to a third of its originally proposed size. But many residents are still opposed.

Bringing the embattled Weldon Canyon landfill proposal a step closer to its fate, county planners on Monday recommended approval of the dump, provided it shrinks to a third of its originally proposed size.

In keeping with suggestions made during an environmental review, the planning staff’s report recommends reducing the landfill’s capacity and its life span. Instead of handling nearly 60 million cubic yards over 60 years, the report recommended the dump take in only about 20 million cubic yards over 30 years.

Under the limitations suggested by planning staff, the landfill also would be part of a comprehensive program to recycle waste. All trash ending up in the landfill would be concentrated in the northern end of Weldon Canyon, away from the closest neighbors in Casitas Springs.

But an opponent criticized the staff report as “complete and sheer folly” that will lead to a dump guaranteed to clog the area with traffic and air pollution, harming the residents of the Ojai Valley.

Meanwhile, a Simi Valley resident reiterated his community’s support for the Weldon Canyon landfill, saying east county residents do not want trash trucks from the western part of the county to travel through their neighborhoods and dump their loads in the Simi Valley Landfill.

In recent years, most of the annual 500,000 tons of western county trash has gone to Bailard Landfill in Oxnard. But the 32-year-old dump is scheduled to close in December.

The Ventura County Planning Commission on Thursday will hold a public hearing on the Weldon report. They will wait until June 17 to decide whether to adopt it, said Scott Ellison, the county planner in charge of the report.

After the Planning Commission’s ruling, the matter will go before the Board of Supervisors for a final vote, tentatively scheduled July 6.

Supervisors Maria E. VanderKolk and Susan K. Lacey have said they oppose opening a Weldon Canyon landfill, while Supervisors John K. Flynn and Vicky Howard said they favor it as a way for the county to meet state regulations.

Last week Supervisor Maggie Kildee, considered the swing vote on the landfill, announced serious doubts about supporting a new dump as a means to solve the county’s waste problems. She said the county should consider better recycling programs or shipping the waste out of the area.

Opponents of the landfill praised Kildee and criticized the report, saying they have been preparing alternate plans to comply with state law, which they will present at Thursday’s hearing.

Ojai City Council member Nina Shelly called the report “an unacceptable, self-serving maneuver to get approval any way they can.”

Although Ojai has no legal jurisdiction over the 551-acre canyon area five miles south of the city, the council has come out strongly opposed to the dump, arguing that it would bring traffic congestion and air pollution to Ojai.

Shelly said the council plans to discuss the report at its meeting tonight.

“We are talking about the health and well-being of the community,” Shelly said. “The negative impacts go far beyond what they have considered.”

“The last great battle is now shaping up,” said Michael Shapiro, a member of the Coalition to Stop Weldon Canyon Dump. “This report is a complete and sheer folly, and we’re going to prove it” at Thursday’s meeting, he said.

Among its alternatives, Shapiro said his group will suggest hauling some of the western county’s trash to the Simi Valley dump.

But Steve Frank of Simi Valley, an active Weldon landfill supporter, said he opposes that idea. “Everyone should be taking responsibility for their own trash,” he said.

Under state law, cities have until 1995 to cut landfill waste by 25% and until 2000 to reduce it by half or face fines of up to $10,000 a day.

Frank said he is pleased with the planning report and hopes it is approved.

“The landfill will save hundreds of trucks rolling through Moorpark into Simi Valley,” Frank said. “That means less traffic, less pollution and a longer dump life at Simi.”