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Smith and his allies argue that increased truck traffic would overburden the Depression-era Route 33 and endanger residents of the Ojai Valley. In one case, they have even linked raids at gun shops in Oak View and Compton accused of illegally arming gang members to one of the mining companies. The proposal has pitted the interests of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties against each other.

Backers of the projects, meanwhile, insist that opponents have adopted a not-in-my-backyard approach that could be risky if an earthquake or other crisis strains demand for already limited aggregate supplies. They claim that opponents are not being realistic about a resource essential for repairing Southern California highways and other infrastructure.

“I don’t think people understand the significance of the severe lack of aggregate materials,” said Cherisse Troesh, the general manager of Santa Maria-based Troesh Materials Inc., whose proposed Diamond Rock Mining and Reclamation project the Cuyama Valley will be the subject of a special Santa Barbara County Planning Commission hearing May 30.

If approved, Troesh’s project would supply gravel and concrete aggregate primarily to construction sites in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties using state Route 166, but it could also supply projects in Ventura County via Route 33 if demand arises.

“Because there’s such a shortage of construction grade aggregate we have to plan to keep the option open to travel south if need be to meet a demand,” Troesh said. “If there’s no demand, we won’t be sending materials that direction. Economically, if it’s not feasible for us to send any trucks that way, we won’t. It’s not going to be a standard business practice.”

Meanwhile, Ozena Valley Ranch Sand & Gravel plans to expand its operations in the northern reaches of Ventura County. That plan could be approved as early as May 24 when the Ventura County Planning Commission votes on the proposal.

The mine has operated the mine since 1997. It is seeking to extend its permit to 2011, open a 15-acre excavation pond and increase truck trips from 66 average trips a day to 132 (it currently is allowed a maximum of 100 trips and seeks a maximum of 200 a day). Ale Virgilio, the wife of Ozena Valley Ranch Sand & Gravel Owner Anthony Virgilio, said the mine has already made moves to work with the community. The mine used to begin operations at 3:30 A.M. Now it complies with a blackout time and trucks do not leave the facility until 5 A.M.

Virgilio said that Ozena bears the brunt of anger toward trucks from the Lima Gypsuma and GPS River Rock Services mines that she said are traveling outside of the blackout.

“They’re complaining about all the trucks in general, but it’s really hard to separate them,” Virgilio said. “It’s falling on us because we’re the ones up for a permit.”

Meanwhile, opponents of the Ozena project are expressing concern that two gun shops raided in March by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms--Boulevard Sales and Service in Compton and American Hay and Mercantile in Oak View--are owned by the same family in charge of the Ozena mine.

The Los Angeles Times reported March 23 that the stores allegedly sold guns linked to hundreds of crimes over the past five years. Both are owned by Ann and Mike Virgilio, the applicant listed on the proposals before Ventura County planners for the Ozena project. Stephen Patrick Virgilio, the couple’s 36-year-old son, was arrested during the raids.

“According to the ATF affidavit, we have a situation where a gun shop has been selling under the table to felons,” Smith said. “You obviously have a character that has demonstrated an ability to wink at the law for decades.”

Mike and Ann Virgilio were not arrested and no charges have been filed against them. Ale Virgilio said that although Mike Virgilio -- Anthony’s brother -- owns the land, her husband runs the mine.

“Those are two separate businesses, two separate deals, but we are family,” Virgilio said. “They may be owned by the same people but they’re not the same.”

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To the Editor: (published in the PCBT 5/4/07)

In his article, “Ojai Group Fights Plan For Trucks,” Bill Lascher left readers with the impression that the Ojai “Stop the Trucks” coalition has accused Mike Virgilio, owner of both Boulevard Sales & Service guns stores and the Ozena Valley Ranch gravel mines of criminal behavior.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

When Federal ATF Agents raided Mr. Virgilio’s stores in Compton and in the Ojai Valley they arrested his son, Stephen Patrick Virgilio and store employee, Carlos Rodriguez Castellanos. No charges were made against Mike or his wife, Ann Virgilio.

According to an affidavit filed in that case, during a five-year period, 897 firearms linked to a crime or illegally possessed were traced back to Boulevard Sales & Service. Of these traced guns, at least 29 were connected to murder investigations.

The search and arrest warrants stem from an undercover investigation into Boulevard Sales’ illegal sales of firearms and ammunition to known felons and prohibited persons. According to the affidavit, Stephen Virgilio and Castellanos both willingly sold firearms and ammunition through straw buyers to the informants, despite being told that the informants were convicted felons barred by law from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition.

If the allegations made by Federal agents are in fact true, and Mike Virgilio knew nothing of these activities, then the worst that can be said of Mike Virgilio, is that he was perhaps incompetent in totally failing to exercise reasonable oversight and management of his employees by allowing the these alleged felonies to take place.

It is Mike Virgilio’s apparent lack of oversight and management skills that should be of greater concern to Ventura County authorities.

Given the complaints citizens of the Ojai Valley voiced at City Council and in letters to the Ventura and Santa Barbara County Planning departments about gravel and trucking operations, the “Stop the Trucks,” coalition believe that county authorities need to exercise the utmost diligence and oversight not only in reviewing Mr. Virgilio’s application, but the ongoing operation of Ozena.

Last week critics of Mr. Virgilio scored a victory, forcing Ozena and the county to perform a full EIR analysis of the potential impacts of expanding the mine's operations.

Going forward we not only believe that Mr. Virgilio’s mining operations need to be held up to the highest standards of scrutiny to insure adherence to the existing CUP guidelines, we are also considering asking the county to either stop mining operations altogether while the new EIR is undertaken or, at the very least, burden Mr. Virgilio mine with the full cost of 24/7 independent monitoring of Ozena during the application process.

STOP THE TRUCKS!
COMMUNITY RALLY, MAY 15TH, 7:00pm
CHAPARRAL AUDITORIUM
414 E. Ojai Avenue

http://www.ojaipost.com/stopthetrucks.shtml