City Council votes unanimously to remove Fee
On Tuesday, July 16, the Ventura City Council voted unanimously to remove the Net Zero Water Fee Ordinance and impose an immediate moratorium on the collection of any Net Zero Fees while finalizing the amendment to the ordinance. This decision effectively removes a significant impediment for businesses unique to the City of Ventura. “There is an entrepreneurial spirit in Ventura that wants to be unlocked and the unanimous decision by City Council to repeal ‘Net Zero’ will be a big help in moving the ball forward for the local economy,” said Benedict Koenig IV, founder of Mothers Tacos. Koenig, a successful restaurateur, is expanding his brand and working to bring Mothers Tacos to Ventura. He was shocked to learn that he would have to pay $60,000 in Net Zero Water Fees alone.
The recently adopted Economic Development Strategy specifically pointed out the Net Zero fee as a threat to economic development. Many examples of these onerous fees were provided in the policy consideration brought forward by Councilmembers Doug Halter (District 2) and Mike Johnson (District 3). The Ventura Chamber of Commerce has been advocating for the repeal of this fee since its inception. “I believe the timing was right, with the release of the Economic Development Strategy, a focus from city leadership on customer service, and the continued improvements in the permitting process, this was the next logical step to help improve our city’s competitiveness,” said Stephanie Caldwell, President & CEO of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. “I commend the courage of Councilmembers Halter and Johnson to bring this forward and the leadership exhibited by the entire City Council to support it with a 7-0 vote. This is a win for business, a win for Council, and most importantly, a win for Ventura!”
The City of Ventura adopted the Water Rights Dedication and Water Resource Net Zero Policy, Ordinance No. 2016-004, effective on August 11, 2016. The intent of the ordinance was to provide a framework to address future water supply for future development within our community. At the time, a detailed analysis of the city’s water supply and demand concluded that the city’s water supplies were being used at or near full capacity. In 2016, total demand for water was 14,262 acre-feet (AF). The 2016 Comprehensive Water Resources Report projected that demand would grow substantially to 17,523 AFY (acre-feet per year) in 2020 and 18,657 AFY by 2030. Instead, demand has not increased but decreased and has never peaked above 15,000 AFY.
The Ventura Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization that advocates on behalf of the business community. With nearly 700 members, representing more than 24,000 employees locally, the Chamber engages on a variety of issues that help to drive a strong local economy as The Voice of Business. www.venturachamber.com.
