CAMARILLO : Hearing on Mall Project to Resume

Sammis Co. officials will respond to critics of a proposed factory outlet mall tonight, when the Camarillo Planning Commission resumes a hearing on the project.

The 7:30 p.m. meeting will be held at Camarillo City Hall, 601 Carmen Drive.

The response by Sammis comes on the fourth night of hearings on the proposed 927,700-square-foot Rancho Camarillo Plaza. Commissioners do not expect to make a recommendation on the project until next week.

Sammis officials say the project would generate up to $2.3 million in annual tax revenue. In addition to the factory-outlet stores, the center would include specialty shops, a hotel and a family-oriented recreation center.

Opponents have criticized the Sammis proposal, saying that 86.5 acres of prime farmland would be lost. They have led demonstrations at City Hall and turned in more than 7,500 signatures of residents who oppose the project.