by Ventura City Manager Alex D. McIntyre
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher
Right now, there’s an incredibly important initiative going on in the City of Ventura that will guide our future for the next 25 years or more. The steps that we take right now truly matter.
The Ventura General Plan, themed “Our Vision, Our Future,” is a long-range land use policy document that builds a framework for maintaining Ventura’s unique charm and character. It also identifies opportunities to enhance the community’s quality of life, economic vitality, and sustainability.
Cities are not static; they are constantly changing and evolving. The steps and actions we take through the General Plan will address important community needs like housing, transportation, economic development, climate change and environmental sustainability, public safety, arts, parks, and more.
Since its launch in 2020, the General Plan has collected thousands of ideas and suggestions from community workshops, public meetings, surveys, stakeholder interviews, and various activities. An additional way the City gathers public input is through the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), which meets publicly on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. Chaired by Councilmembers Lorrie Brown and Doug Halter, the 22-member GPAC is comprised of residents, business owners, educators, students, and other Ventura community members.
As part of the General Plan, the City is also actively working on updating other long-term planning efforts, including the:
Climate Action and Resiliency Plan: A Roadmap for how the community will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change impacts, future natural hazards, and increase resiliency.
Active Transportation Plan: Focuses on bicycle and pedestrian mobility and transit use. This effort will develop detailed policies, actions and implementation programs that will support the General Plan effort.
Housing Element: This is a state mandated document that is part of the General Plan and provides an analysis of Ventura’s housing needs and strategies to preserve, improve, and promote housing for all income levels in the community. In 2021, the City will update its Housing Element to meet the State’s deadline and requirements. This element will then be revised in 2022 to be consistent with the remainder of the updated General Plan.
These policy documents are ambitious long-term undertakings that will help our community thrive while maintaining its charm.
Please don’t miss the opportunity to help shape Ventura’s future and what it means to live, work, play, and do business here. Your participation is critical to the process and highly encouraged.
To learn more, visit www.planventura.com to learn about pop-up events, activities, surveys, GPAC meetings, and registering for email updates.
