The Colony Estate, a wedding and event property in Camarillo, has been hit with a public nuisance notice after Ventura County officials cited a mix of neighborhood and traffic problems tied to events there. The notice directs those responsible to immediately stop activities contributing to the nuisance. If the problems continue, the county says the matter could move beyond warnings and into civil or criminal enforcement.
According to a Tuesday statement from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the complaints include traffic congestion and blocked roadways caused by event and delivery vehicles, loud and unreasonable noise, and unsafe pedestrian crossings on Crestview Avenue.
The County Had Already Flagged The Venue
The new notice follows a county land-use case that was already headed to a public hearing. A June 18 Ventura County Planning Commission agenda listed an appeal by Jeffrey P. Tinsley of an amended violation notice describing the property as an unpermitted commercial event venue on land zoned Rural Exclusive, with a five-acre minimum parcel size.
County staff recommended upholding the Code Compliance Director's determination and denying the appeal, according to the agenda. The record also shows the county had compiled complaints and law-enforcement call information as part of the case.
County Rules Draw A Line Around Commercial Events
Ventura County's outdoor-event guidance says occasional social gatherings may be allowed on residential property, but residential land cannot be used as a commercial outdoor event venue. County code separately requires a conditional use permit for outdoor events that do not qualify for an exemption, according to the county guidance and the Ventura County code.
The Property Was Marketed For Large Celebrations
The tension is especially clear because the The Colony Estate website markets the property for weddings, celebrations, and productions. It describes the venue as able to accommodate gatherings ranging from intimate events to groups of up to 400 people.
For couples with deposits or upcoming dates, the immediate question is whether events can proceed while the nuisance notice is in effect. The district attorney's announcement did not provide a compliance timetable or explain what will happen to already-booked celebrations.
Criminal And Civil Enforcement Could Follow
The notice itself does not announce criminal charges against the owners or operators. It warns that the District Attorney's Office may pursue criminal and civil enforcement if the nuisance conditions continue, according to the office's statement.
Ventura County's Code Compliance Division says its mission is to protect public health, safety, and welfare in unincorporated areas by enforcing county zoning and building rules. For The Colony Estate, the next turn in the saga will depend on whether the cited activities stop or the property obtains whatever approvals are required to operate as an event venue.
