Council OKs Eatery, Day-Care Center

A developer’s request to build a child-care center and a Taco Bell restaurant at the corner of Johnson Drive and Capri Avenue in east Ventura won approval from the City Council this week.

VGP Associates of Newport Beach wants to build a 10,200-square-foot Tutor Time child-care center and a 2,960-square-foot Taco Bell on 3 acres of vacant land off Johnson Drive. The developer also wants to build a 9,600-square-foot retail building on the site.

The proposed development would be built next to the Century 8 movie theater, which plans to expand from eight to 16 screens.

The proposal was unanimously approved, although Councilwoman Rosa Lee Measures abstained. The development still needs to come back for final approval next month.

Property and business owners in the area had appealed the Planning Commission’s approval of the project, saying that a fast-food eatery would hurt small businesses at the nearby food court.

But the appeal was pulled Monday evening before the City Council meeting. A representative of the property owners said they had been negotiating with the developer to avoid an appeal before the council.