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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- In the northernmost reaches of California's Ventura County, a two-lane rural road called Highway 33 runs into the rugged and mostly undeveloped Transverse Mountain Range. Though it's mostly raw wilderness, a few businesses catering to adventurous explorers have long existed there, some for more than a century.
But now the local government is shutting those businesses down, one by one, using arcane zoning and building-code laws to get the job done.
"If there isn't someone complaining, and there isn't really a serious public health and safety issue, why do they spend so much of their time pursuing these kinds of cases?" asks Lynne Jensen, executive director of the Ventura County Coalition of Labor and Business (COLAB).
Tom Wolf owns the Pine Mountain Inn, a restaurant that's been serving biker groups and local community organizations since the 1930s. Wolf temporarily had to shut the doors when he suffered a heart attack in 2002, and he was never able to reopen when the county informed him that his property had been rezoned as an "Open Space" back in the 1980s without his knowledge.
"[The county] wanted everybody out of here," says Wolf. "And they wanted a complete open space with nothing but deer and frogs... and no people."
No matter how hard Wolf tried to comply with the ever-changing codes, the county just wouldn't relent, at one time even ordering him to remove a chicken coop that had never actually existed on the property.
Wolf isn't alone, says Jensen. Several other small businesses along Highway 33 have been hit by multiple county agencies for no apparent reason.
"They had every department hit us with violations to make sure that they shut us down," says April Hope, who, along with her husband Bob, owns a bed and breakfast called The Wheel, which has existed in the area since the 1890s.
Since the Hopes purchased The Wheel in early 2000, they've never been able to open it to the public. While officials from the county supervisor's office and the planning department refused to speak with ReasonTV for this story, Jensen says that the county is using code enforcement to drive these businesses off the land without compensation.
"This rezoning is really a way to get around eminent domain, because eminent domain means you give up your entire property. And here, you only give up part of your rights," says Jensen.
Invoking eminent domain to seize private property would not only require the county to compensate landowners, but also to demonstrate that the taking served a "public use."
"They have been very successful in taking people's property in a number of different ways without compensation as long as they don't take ownership of it," says Jensen.
About 5.30 minutes.
Written and Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Alex Manning, Tracy Oppenheimer, and Weissmueller.
Go to www.reason.tv for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv's TH-cam Channel to receive automatic notifications when new material goes live.
As a kid and young adult living in Ventura county in the 70s and 80s, I spent a lot of time in this area. Being raised among motorcycles I remember they heydays of "The Wheel," "Pine Mountain Inn," "The Halfway Inn," and several other establishments along Highway 33. My family regularly rode motorcycles to these places and camped at them. They are some of my greatest memories and these places need to be free to reopen and serve those who want to visit them.
Unauthorized use of solar panels on my property? Really?
What a fail of a state.
Unauthorized use of solar panels? In California of all places. What's next, unauthorized recycling of farts?
My Dad Tom Wolf and my Mom both did everything in their power to take back what was justly theirs but Ventura County was and is crooked. I thank my Dad for giving the experience and memories of Pine Mountain to myself, my children, our family and those patrons who were a part of my Dad's pride in his place. If he was alive today to tell you thank you for letting him share his Dream with you, he would. Over a beer and bowl of chilli! God bless.
I was at the Inn today on a ride. I've passed it my whole life growing up in Ventura and always wondered that the history was. I'm sorry Tom was never able to see it come back. Looking at the old photos of its hay day, It looked like an awesome place.
Shameful what was done. They say cheaters never win but that certainly doesn't apply to politicians and the games they play that ruin peoples lives.
I'd like to speak to you.
"This is how the game is played, it just never stops." Truer words were never spoken.
I read that Highway 33 runs through some of the densest deposits of dilithium in the solar system.
And the Ventura County zoning commission has the densest bureaucrats in the country.
My family and I have been dealing with this from our city for nearly 7 years. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
Drove by this place the other day. It’s a real shame what the county did here.
This is truly a shame, especially since Ventura County used to be a haven for those looking to escape the draconian zoning regulations of Santa Barbara County.
Revenue collection shakedowns; one thing the County excels at.
I was raised in Ventura County and am very familiar with both of these establishments. It is a crime what the county is doing. I was talking to a friend who still lives in Ventura and he told me that the city is not allowing the residents of Ventura rebuild some of their homes after the Thomas fire. They are saying that the lot sizes are now to small for two story houses.
It wouldn't surprise me if they are trying to force the owners to resale to increase their tax revenues.
There ought to be a Grandfather Clause for those already there.
I've lived here my whole life and used to stop at the Pine Mountain Inn with my Dad when we went fishing. While I agree that we should protect the open space and agricultural land that makes Ventura County such a great place to live, this is an absurd use of resources and the law. These places are literally "in the boonies" and aren't causing anyone any trouble. A damn shame I probably won't be able to take my kids there someday.
A lot of this is due to pressure from the environmentalists. Matilija Hot Springs is being shut down to the public. Cherry Creek was shutdown to camping because of a newt. Now they are trying to stop all shooting for "lead" contamination. Rose value is pretty much shut-off from the public for many recreational purposes such as hunting and off roading.This despite the fact it is not county land but National Forest Land.
Maybe when some citizens revolt the elected officials will catch on that It's WE the people, not we the politicians that run this country. It's time to stand up and Restore our Rights.
But what about the legacy of the Kelo case at the other end of the country?
does anyone remember this country ever being free? i was told growing up that it WAS free, but i dont remember actually seeing any freedom here...
This whole country is a load of bullshit
@@justinratcliffe947 lol wow that post was from 10 years ago, and it sure as hell hasn't become any freer in the meantime
this is my grandpa lol, family trips to pine mountain are still funny, no chickens though
In the early 50s during the building of the "L.A. clover leaf part of the 101 freeway", the house that I lived in with my grandparents was taken by "eminent domain" This was done by the State of Calif. We were forced to move from the house I had been born in due to this law. They used the "freeway project" as the reason. The funny part is that the freeway never came up to that house so in the end, it was not used. It later became the location of the Chandler Pervillion!
"we need to have regulation there's no question about it" NO, You don't let them put their foot in the door, regulations are not needed so long as everyone's Rights are protected: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Hapiness, and PROPERTY.
Not certain if the Hope's still owned The Wheel, but it and all of the surrounding buildings were consumed in the recent Thomas fire. Some recent activity at Wolf's: brand new metal/plastic picnic tables out in front. Tom Wolfe passed away recently.
Reason, please continue to follow up on this!
Pretty sad; I just rode by there on my bike a couple of weeks ago. Too bad Ventura County @CountyOfVentura is so anti-common sense and anti-business.
Good work! Those public officials need to be investigated (or I hope they were and duly fired). You can't zone a property to allow commercial uses (like a bar) and then have regulations that make it infeasible to operate. They need to zone that land for conservation, grandfather-in those owners, and then buy out their land if they want the use to be consistent with the zoning. The county must have gotten sued over this.
No we need to do what the bible says put those leaders to death its up to us to arrange their trip to Hell
If a business has been there for years, should not that business fall under the "grandfather" clause?
Here in NJ, there is a story of an adult video store and a township that wanted them gone...
There is an adult book store on a main road of town. It is a county road and the township has no say on the road itself. But one day the township decided to build a school across the street from the adult video store.
The township thought they will just bully the owner to closing forever.
But the adult video store was there first and the school was not even being started to be built. The township tried even changing the ordinances but because the adult video store was there before the ordinance changed, they were allowed to stay under court order.
The township tried eminent domain but with most clauses on business the township has to locate another place for the business. Everywhere they tried to put the adult video store, they could not under new laws that stated that the adult book store can not be near a church, school, a bus stop , and an intersection with a crossing guard.
So the owner took the township to court and used the grandfather clause to keep the store where it is now. And to this day, there is an adult video store across the street from an elementary school.
When you said "California", that's all that needed to be said.
Ventura government center is super fancy. The egos have landed.
Soon there will be eagles and swastikas.
I have been in business 46 yrs. lettering trucks and making signs. I have had in recent months attacked by code enforcement, creating dozens of regulations and fees which will bankrupt me and my kids business. $100,000 in improvements n a 20 yr. old building is demanded, floor drains for oils spills, I don;t fic vehicles, I stick decals on mostly brand new trucks. I never had a customer spill/leak a drop of oil in my place in 46 yrs. but now $40k for floor drains, they measure my dumpster, attach a fire dept. basedo size, the fee to finance dumpster fires. I checked, 9 fires in last yr. they collect $300k in fees for dumpsters, so over $30k to extinguish a dumpster fire is the cost. Then I had a foam block partition to block noise from machines/tool noise in the office, fined for that no permit for the foam. Then I have a paint room they called a spray booth, have no air compressor, no fans, vents etc. strictly to keep dust off my water based painted letters. They fined me. Then saw a spray can of Krylon paint, said I need a permit, licenses and fees for a spray booth to use a can of Krylon spray paint, I said I was painting a part on my van bumper, I was told I will be fined for using it indoors or outdoors to paint the brackets. I sas cited for yard ebris. We have a hot rod project, we are not allowed to have the car in our parkinglot. They fined my sign, 20 yrs. it has been up, I need to conform to new sign bylaws, they claim authority to ban my constitutional grandfather clause because I didn't sign a letter they claim to have sent to maintain my grandfather clause. I informed them local laws can't ver rule constitutional laws, and not signing some fake form to keep it is not possible or constitutional. Grand father laws are federal protection and not required to sign anything to maintain the status. Then I told them I am out about $100k from this weeks visit, just take my keys and give me the address for the welfare office, I quit! I also got a traffic ticket for letters on my personal vehicle, for my co. name. WTF?
Help the Democrats sell Drugs and maybe they'll help you. Seems our Government wants us to die and surrender everything, I'm fighting Code Enforcement in Los Angeles county over anything on my property. We need another Revolution to Restore Americans RIGHTS as given on the Bill of Rights. I'm running for President in 2020 as an Independent. Google my name. By the way, I'm 92.
What's really so DESPERATELY painful about these stories is how CENTRAL property and homes are to our personal finances. These sorts of arbitrarily vindictive property games can BREAK people financially.
Let me tell the reason! If you study what happen in Afghan and Pakistan, it the same reason!
There mineral in your land! It is much easier to get you out!
This is step 1.
Ventura has been doing this for decades.
They force people out then sit on the area for awhile.
Then it gets sold for far more to the highest bidder.
Eminent Domain was the old go to for them.
Now they are trying to do it with zoning.
Magrath state beach use to have houses. People were paid horibly and forced to leave. Now talks about selling it are happening. As Eminent Domain laws have been leaning more toward the owners getting fair prices this seems like the new version
Any updates?
YOU HAVE RIGHTS UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION. THE RIGHT TO OWN PROPERTY WITH OUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE. STAND UP TO THESE SCUM BAGS. IT'S YOUR PROPERTY THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE IT AWAY OR TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH IT. NEXT TIME ONE OF THEM COMES OUT TO YOUR PROPERTY, TELL THEM TO GET OFF OR FACE BEING SHOT. READ THE CONSTITUTION AND SEE FOR YOU SELF. ONCE YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHTS, THEN IT'S HARDER TO GET IT BACK. DON'T ALLOW THEM TO BULLY YOU. YOU HAVE RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY OUR CONSTITUTION.
I've seen so many stories now about how bureaucrats are screwing over small business owners, and indirectly the public.. I just get sick anymore when I see this.
Justification of pay checks
I second that thought process.
I guess we agree here, brother. I think that's the biggest thing to unite "left" and "right" in the debate about how to fix things.
Hi, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you go out of business and never come back.
there WILL be a night of the longknives on those brownshirts.
I'm not saying that they should kill any one, just hold them at gun point and force them to do the right thing and leave people alone.
Disobey, resist, and ignore. Open the doors to the business and sort the notices from the county into the dust bin. Act as if it were a "land of the free". If the entire Transverse Mountain Range simply did not try to comply, they'd have a hell of a time trying to shut them everyone down.
4 yrs. ago and I knowing this now...
Welcome to BIG government
This is when Government starts to not serve the people. What is the reason?
I was about to say the same thing!
ReasonTV have you looked into doing a documentary on the Bundys and the Hammonds? Several people are losing properties in the Southwest. Definite government overreach by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and local governments.
In light of its recent actions, I'd say that non-governmental BIG business is on their side.
Small and medium businesses don't give kick-backs to government officials, big ones do. They also lobby and do fundraising! They also employ less than small and medium businesses...but bureaucrats and politicians are good with letting that, and the fact that they outsource, go unchecked.
The system is just as messed in Canada.
I used to live on Hwy 33, there is NO VALID REASON for this shit!
I think they main reason they do this is mostly to justify there existence. If you create more rules and regulations it will require more bureaucracy to manage and enforce it.
I maintain my position on concern for wrongs that might happen being misplaced when:
They have already been happening;
Are continuing to happen; and,
If present trends continue, are about to become very, very much worse.
I think that dimantling will be accomplished by the collapse itself; what things look like on the other side will be for the survivors to determine.
AGENDA 21
I'm in Orange county, & I grew up here,
it was 80% farmland when I was young 5yrs old, now it's all suburb,
I often say how I miss the quaintness of mom & Pop" Businesses
They slowly got torn down & replaced.
From Irvine on almost every shopping centers a Cookie cutter of the rest, it's sad, all Franchise businesses & strip malls,
one mans rights ends where the next begins
I hope these people can secede from ventura jurisdiction,& somehow overcome, this isn't the intent of our founding fathers
"Government has no other end than the preservation of property."
"Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience, and are left to the common refuge which God hath provided for all men against force and violence." -- John Locke, the father of Classical Liberalism (1632-1704)
that's why we have laws, that someone in government is abusing those laws is why one can sue the government or vote them out of office, change the laws etc
So how is that idea working so far? War without end, war without authority, NDAA, the end of posse comitatus, annual deficits larger than the entire budget of ten years ago, the effective suspension of the bill of rights, laws passed without debate against popular will, before and after the most sweeping change in congressional membership.
I know they refused to be interviewed, but I think the story would have been better if you guys profiled some of the Ventura gov't people responsible for this.
What's the song at the end? 5:36
Still looking for this answer 8 years later
This is why governments need to remain localized and the Federal Government needs to be all but eliminated. Never mind the internationals. Criminals in local government get live high and mighty on Federal dollars whilst stripping everyone else not employed by the state of every type of livelihood. Instead of being accountable to the ones they are supposed to be accountable for they become their masters. This needs to stop.
I never said it was ok for the government to steal,
Citizens have to bear costs to constrain their agents (politicians, bureaucrats, police) from operating opportunistically, using their power of regulation and taxation to extract wealth from their constituents. It seems that there is a point at which agents cannot be restrained, and this point is any time the agent is granted a monopoly.
I saw it too ... Chemtrails are EVERY-where
Very little freedom in the land of the free, all over America.
Probably sitting on huge lithium deposits.
The reason they are doing this is simply because the city can not tax citizens outside of the city limits, as well as the city can not push a lot of fines on them that most would unknowingly break within the city limits.
You know I know there is a need for government, and I know people need governance, but what the government is doing insane! These laws aren't meant to drive people of business they're meant to keep people safe and protect the business. They can't ban something, but they make it impossible to do business. You don't like a business well let the market decide whether it survives. A bureaucrat shouldn't be able to ruin your life because they feel like it.
There needs to be mechanisms put in place where tax-paying citizens can hold unelected bureaucrats to account. It is crazy to see how counties and various jurisdictions are finding weaselly ways of pushing forth their agenda, avoiding pitfalls that private citizens or businesses would have to face in terms of litigation. Is there any way to hit them where it hurts and regulate them?
What is the name of the song at end of the video?
County officials are overpaid! Public records should display all high officially pay and life retirement benefits.
Revolt I say......
Google Ventura County and Antelope Valley code enforcement.
There are also a number of videos here about it.
There is some shady shit going on there.
someone in goverment has plans in mind for that area and they do not include you find that person and make them answer why.
Since you seem to know so much about Africa, tell me this:
a)how many countries in Africa actually have capitalist Governments (not dictatorships in disguise) those with fair rights, free elections, and strong individual liberty
b)of those countries, what is the average income per person
c)of the aid money that each county receives, what percentage of that actually reaches the population
Nicely produced video, but no answer as to why. Not even speculation as to reasoning or agenda.
What's happening to our land...
ps. what's up with the color correction, dude? The editor had too much visual-altering "herbal" enhancements before he/she sat down to work or something?
"we need to have regulation, there's no doubt about it"........
I have doubt.
I would never consider starting a business in California.
Many reasons why I don't live in California
Only two and a half words are needed to explain why this is happening: It's California. That state is determined to commit slow suicide in every way possible.
You need a fucking permit for solar panels???? Get the pitchforks out.
So does anyone on here know the owners? I have some friends up in Ojai and have asked them to contact, and see if they are up for a bunch of us dirty bikers rolling in for a overnighter. There are ways around the county BS. We just need to work on it!
my family owns it! thats my grandpa in the video!!! we used to allow overnighters and renters for awhile!! unfortunately a lot of people have stolen and straight robbed the place, but we’ve been doing small renovations and we’re trying to fix it, im sure my aunt would love some people to enjoy it now!!! she works so hard up there!
Peacefully VOTE to make this tyranny STOP, in the ONLY way that counts. Withdraw your capital from the banks and stock market and refuse to participate in this "system" until a free, limited, constitutional government is restored
And we think were free lol
Those people bought a business they cant even open. Sad
Might makes right is the essence of government. True, if resources are left up for grabs in a Hobbesian world, life will surely be "nasty, brutish, and short." Such a world is pure Hollywood. It is common for people to spontaneously self-organize rules that assign benefits and costs to their actions. Without government to defray the direct costs of conflict, rules are organically created to define and enforce property rights and encourage peaceful trade; order prevails.
THATS MY GRANDPA
"Regulatory Taking".
4:52 is why this kind of crap will never end.
Rules are for slaves. Laws are for free men and women.
This is what you get for being ignorant. Joan Veon told us years ago that the building codes were international. Paul Andrew Mitchell told us how to beat them. Did you listen? Apparently not. Now you pay the price. Who is to blame? Look in the mirror.
Where is the Sheriff?
WTF? I've read about this place in a Motorcycle mag years ago and put in on my list of places to visit at some point. After moving to LA, I've was planning a trip this summer. This is Bullshit.
but rules need to be based in true principles. A rule by virtue of being a rule is not something that is necessarily good. Rules/laws can only be good if based on good principles. Freedom is a principle, and forcing people to give up land, and forcing people out of their businesses for "the greater good" is not for the greater good, it damages society and the faith in the government.
Needs investigation bye the federal government, take our country back, we are not slaves in our own country. We pay our bills ! Fire those pigs
and that is why we have democracy so a few people do not have the option to be self serving. You must serve the people or be canned. Democracy is what mitigates human corruption.
Anarchy is not and never has been an answer for corrupt government
You are still conflating a lack of rulers with a lack of rules. More government is assuredly not the answer, less government has been tried and it turned into more government, so it seems the only way to get rid of government corruption is to get rid of government.
EMINENT DOMAIN USE IS EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE.
rules and laws are the same thing in this context
and no one is truly free
Local governments need to be limited from the federal level, and have there power regulate nerfed
As california goes, So goes the country. This will spread nationwide as local governments get more and more under the yoke of the tolitarian gov in washington. The locals want money, They must conform to federal manadates.
MORE KENNEDY!!!!
Big-business is government business. Corporations are a creation of the state for their rich buddies.
ventura county wants grouth inward however money talks
To think Government was created as a public good.
This is all part of a multiple government, multiple agency bid to make the transition from regular tax revenues to profit driven policing policies. People are not getting any richer, the revenue from taxes now is not what it used to be. But the agencies all want to stay at their current level of employees. So, they have to find ways to bring in extra money. Fines are the most common way to get money for the profit driven police. But now they are seizing anything that has auction potential, including cell phones and TV sets, and any amount of cash they can find. A pitiful $500 is the most common amount taken by the police. They'll say it's from drug sales and take the money and you are innocent. You have to prove that it's NOT from drug sales. City governments are seizing assets now when a homeowner cannot fix something in the time they're given. All kinds of offices in city, county, state and federal jurisdictions are doing this. They say they MUST get the proceeds from anything they seize. They are paying their own salaries with what they seize. Tell your congressman you do not support eminent domain and civil asset forfeiture. It's the only thing we can do to stop this.
a ruler is a person or group of persons who make and enforce rules,
without rulers there are no rules other than 'might makes right' anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool
I never said it was ok for the government to steal, that's why we have laws, that someone in government is abusing those laws is why one can sue the government or vote them out of office, change the laws etc
Anarchy is not and never has been an answer for corrupt government
This is big government.