Ventura County has approved plans for an asphalt plant west of Santa Paula, which removes the need for a plant within city limits.

Granite Construction Co. plans to build an asphalt plant on a 35-acre property on Mission Rock Road, near the Briggs Road exit on Highway 126, according to a letter issued July 24 by Ventura County Planning Director Kim Rodriguez.

Unless Rodriguez’s decision is appealed to the county planning commission, it is the last approval Granite Construction needs.

The Granite plant should be up and running in early 2009, Granite officials said. It will produce up to 450,000 tons of asphalt per year, which is about half of the current demand in Ventura County. Only two asphalt plants operate in the county. Vulcan Materials Co. owns both.