Developer Fees Urged for Weigh Station

The Moorpark Planning Commission is suggesting that the City Council consider building a weigh station with developer fees that had been earmarked for a bypass around the north side of town.

As part of its approval Monday of a 43.3-acre industrial park near Gabbert Road, the commission suggested that developer fees from the park, as well as the $12.8 million in fees from the developer of Hidden Creek Ranch, be used to build a permanent weigh station within the city limits on New Los Angeles Avenue.

The $12.8 million comes from an agreement between the city and Messenger Investment Co., which wants to build 3,221 houses near Moorpark College.

So far, the fees have been earmarked for a bypass that would force trucks around the north side of town--but they also can be spent on other traffic improvement plans.

According to state Department of Transportation statistics, 3,900 trucks travel New Los Angeles Avenue each day between Spring Road and Moorpark Avenue.

The city included the bypass in its long-range development plans when it amended the General Plan in 1992.

Some, including Planning Commissioner Keith Millhouse, think that most of the trucks drive New Los Angeles Avenue to avoid the weigh stations on the Ventura Freeway.

The weigh stations west of the city limits on California 118 are not staffed permanently, and Millhouse argues that if a permanent post is built, it would substantially reduce the trucks that take New Los Angeles Avenue.

But City Councilman John Wozniak said truckers will still go through Moorpark because, unlike the steep grade on California 23, New Los Angeles Avenue is relatively flat.