Category Archives: City News

Are you a City of Ventura resident interested in making an impact in your community?

The City of Ventura is inviting residents to apply for 20 openings across the City’s boards, commissions, and committees. All applications are due by Monday, May 8 at 5 p.m. Per San Buenaventura Ordinance 2019-003, no citizen may serve on more than one committee, commission, or board.

One opening on the Mobile Home Rent Review Board. This is a five-member advisory board that meets quarterly (March, June, September, and December) to receive, investigate, hold hearings on, and act on issues related to mobile home park rent stabilization.

One opening on the Ventura Port District Board. This five-member board meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. to oversee governance of the Ventura Port District according to the provisions of the California Harbors and Navigation Code.

One opening on the Housing Authority Board. This seven-member board of commissioners meets the second Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. to review tenant applications and assess both their status and financial standing.

Two openings on the Historic Preservation Committee. This five-member committee meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. to make recommendations for designation of historic districts, landmarks, sites, and points of interest significant to the heritage and development of the City Mills Act contracts. The committee also provides recommendations for applications affecting identified or potentially historic resources.

Six openings on the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee. This seven-member advisory committee meets on the third Thursday of the month at 3:00 p.m. to advise on parking management strategies and programs in the Downtown Parking District area. This includes capital budgets, hours of operations, parking pricing policies, valet programs, and employee commuter parking policies.

One opening on the Design Review Committee. This five-member committee meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. to review, consider, and provide recommendations for design review applications, assist staff with architectural or landscape design input, and consider new or revised design standards or guidelines.

Three openings on the Arts and Culture Commission. This seven-member commission meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. to advise and make recommendations on matters pertaining to the City’s arts, culture, and cultural tourism.

Two openings on the Parks and Recreation Commission. This seven-member commission meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m. to assist in recommending and promoting public parks and recreation programs, facilities, and events. It also reviews and recommends portions of long-range capital improvement programs pertaining to developing parks and facilities, beaches, golf courses, playing fields, and recreation centers.

Three openings on the Water Commission. This seven-member commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. to review and make advisory recommendations regarding water rates, water resources infrastructure projects in the five-year capital improvement program, water supply options, and other water resource issues.

For questions or to apply, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 805-658-4787 or you can email Deputy City Clerk Darrick Ryser at [email protected].

Want to learn more about the City of Ventura’s boards, commissions, or committees? Visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Recruitments.

Open house held at the Grand Jury

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko was among those at the open house. Photos by Patricia Schallert

The Ventura County Grand Jury invited the public to its annual Open House on Thursday, February 23, at the Grand Jury Chambers located at 646 County Square Dr.

The Grand Jury is a panel of 19 Ventura County citizens who conduct investigations into the operations of local governmental entities within the county. Investigations originate either from a public complaint or from within the Grand Jury.

Visitors were able to tour the Grand Jury Chambers and offices, meet current Grand Jurors, learn about Grand Jury functions and the application process. They also enjoyed the food table that we available.

The primary function of the Jury is civil oversight accomplished through on-site or protocol visits, interviews, briefings, investigations and research.

The Jury publishes reports on its conclusions from their investigations and may make recommendations.

Jurors are paid $25.00 per meeting plus mileage. Therefore, they serve as a service to the communities they serve in Ventura County.

Juror Lori Macdonald told the Breeze why she became a juror. 

“Early in my retirement I felt the need to do something meaningful.  I already volunteered in a number of ways in our community but I wanted something that would be challenging for me and make a difference.   I read that the Ventura County Grand Jury was looking for jurors and decided to apply.  I strongly believe that the work that happens within the Grand Jury is important.  It is a way for the citizens to voice their concerns and feel heard.   It is the intrinsic rewards of knowing that what we do matters that make this experience valuable.”  

If you are interested in applying for the Grand Jury or want more information, please visit the Grand Jury website at: https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/

For questions, please email [email protected]

Complaint forms are available at ventura.org/grand-jury/forms.

Coffee with a Cop

Photos by Michael Gordon

Despite the rain Coffee with a Cop (and dog) was well attended at Cafe Ficelle at 390 S. Mills Rd.  Police officers (and chief) shared coffee, stories and conversations with Venturan’s in this informal gathering.

 

 

4th of July Street Fair: Vendor and sponsor applications open

The City is seeking vendors and sponsors for the 46th Annual 4th of July Street Fair and Pushem-Pullem Parade. This year’s event is themed “Celebration by the Sea” and will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Ventura’s Downtown District.

Vendor applications and sponsorship forms are available on the City’s website at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/StreetFair. Eligible groups include arts and crafts, non-profits, and food vendors.

Vendor applications will be accepted beginning Wednesday, February 1, 2023, through Monday, April 3, 2023, before 5:00 p.m. PST. Applications can be submitted by mail, email, or dropped off in-person at City Hall, located at 501 Poli Street, Room 226.

Entertainment is being scheduled by the Downtown Ventura Partners (DVP). If you are a musician or entertainer interested in participating in this year’s event, please contact DVP at: [email protected].

For questions and more information, contact City of Ventura Recreation Coordinator Allyson DesBaillets at [email protected] or (805) 654-7749.

Ventura had a significant decrease in property crimes

Ventura’s crime statistics are based on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Uniform Crime Re- porting Program (UCR), defined as the number of crimes committed per 1,000 population. Part I Crimes are comprised of eight offenses, broken down into two categories. Violent crime includes homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault; property crime includes burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

The City of Ventura experienced a 13.3% reduction in reported Part I Crime in 2022. Overall, Part I Crimes totaled 2,881, which was 443 fewer offenses than were reported in 2021.

Despite the overall reduction in Part I Crime, violent crime saw a small increase of 2.6% in 2022, with 10 more offenses reported than in the previous year. Aggravated assaults increased 21.7%, with 51 more assaults being reported. There was one homicide in 2022 compared to none in 2021. Sexual assaults had a decrease of 28.6%, with 12 fewer incidents than last year, and robberies decreased by 29.7%.

Property Crime dropped by 15.4%, with reductions in every category except arson when compared to 2021. Burglary dropped by 18.5%. Larceny and vehicle theft saw reductions of 15.8% and 8.1% respectively. Arson showed the only increase, with 2 more arsons reported than the previous year, an increase of 10%.

For 2023 the Ventura Police Department is transitioning away from the traditional UCR (Uniformed Crime Reporting) and implementing NIBRS (National Incident-Based Reporting System) as recommended by the FBI. The UCR system captures crime data based on only eight categories while NIBRS collects data from over 50 categories. The UCR program utilizes a hierarchical system to prioritize and categorize offenses. The hierarchy rule requires that an incident with multiple offenses or charges be narrowed down to a single offense, usually the most serious charge. NIBRS collects more detailed information, provides greater specificity in reporting criminal offenses, and provides more data points for analyzing crime trends. The Ventura Police Department started collecting NIBRS data in July of 2022 and will utilize this format for all future reporting. For more details about NIBRS refer to: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-helpyou/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr/nibrs

With this new format, crime rates will look significantly different, and at first glance, crime will appear to have increased significantly. The appearance of increased crime is due to the NIBRS mechanism of data collection and reporting as noted above. These new categories include crimes that existed under the UCR standards; however, under the UCR standards, they were not reported out.

Looking Back—and Ahead–with Ventura Police Chief Darin Schindler (Part one of two)

Chief Darin Schindler has led the Ventura Police Department since April 2020. The Patrol Task Force is responsible for restorative policing while also offering support to people experiencing homelessness. Photos courtesy of the Ventura Police Department

by Amy Brown

Chief Darin Schindler is a career law enforcement professional, having started with the Port Hueneme Police Department in 1989, and then serving in a wide range of roles in the Ventura department since 1995, culminating in taking the reins as Chief of Police in 2020. When asked what drew him to a career in policing, he shared that he’d grown up watching shows like Adam-12 and Starsky and Hutch, and that in the 1980s, when crime rates were soaring, he wanted to choose a career where he could make a difference. “I liked the idea of doing good things that would benefit the community, putting bad guys in jail and helping people,” said Schindler.

Today in Ventura, certain types of crime are on the decline, according to Schindler. Ventura’s annual crime statistics are based on the FBI’s National Uniform Crime Reporting Program, defined as the number of crimes committed per 1,000 residents. The crimes are broken down into categories, and the report comes out each spring for the previous year. Schindler reports that preliminary numbers indicate that 2022 had some of the lowest reported crimes in 30 years. “That being said, it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Schindler. “What we see so far is a reduction in Part I crimes which include burglary, theft, robbery, homicide, sexual assault, larceny and arson. What we’ve seen happening over the last few years, however, is a more visible increase in quality of life issues.” Many of these issues are directly related to homelessness, which rose by 25% during the pandemic, according to the county’s Point in Time Count in 2022.

Schindler emphasized that homelessness is not a crime—however, some behaviors that can be affiliated with it are. “We focus on the behavior, not the homelessness. Sometimes these behaviors are criminal in nature, and when they are, it’s usually lower level crimes like trespassing, sleeping in public, and a lot of the crimes that you would attribute to vagrancy,” he said. “We do everything we can to do to help the homeless.” The police department has a range of resources to help address the public health and safety impact of homelessness issues in the area, with a more holistic approach that partners with Behavioral Health and local organizations to provide outreach, support and advocacy. The department has a Patrol Task Force which is responsible for both restorative policing, and is focused on engaging to provide connections to services and outreach. Schindler said has the Patrol Task Force officers have relationships with nearly all unhoused individuals in the area. “We always try to offer assistance first. Sometimes we can’t because they’ve committed a crime, and sometimes you have to offer assistance 20, 30, 40 or even 50 times before they’re ready for it,” said Schindler. One resource is the Community Intervention Court, which is focused on providing possible solutions for those caught in a cycle of arrests, and provides defendants charged with repeated vagrancy-related crimes the opportunity to participate in treatment and social service programs. According to Schindler, his officers frequently encounter the same people, often with mental health and/or alcohol or drug issues, who repeatedly come to the department’s attention because of lower level crimes. “We will take enforcement action, but we understand that arresting somebody because of an alcohol problem and perhaps urinating in public, when they have nowhere to stay, doesn’t solve the problem. It may solve it for that day but not long term. We’re hoping to come up with a better long term strategy to deal with the issue.”

Through the program with the court system, individuals can agree to a structured plan for assistance—for example if they need recovery treatment, they can opt for that instead. “They’ll come up with the plan, and the idea is the person has to be willing to do it, and if they successfully complete the program, their charges can be dismissed. That can give them the opportunity to start fresh, while helping themselves get back to where they want to be,” said Schindler.

Firefighter spouses representing six local fire departments came together for a daylong course on Peer Support for Spouses.

During the day, the spouses acquired supportive skills designed to help them assist their fellow fire families who are experiencing a variety of life-crisis situations, and who may feel most comfortable talking to someone that has “been there”, understands the fire service family life, and stands with them as a family on the frontline.   

The course was conducted by Tiffany Atalla, firefighter spouse and licensed marriage and family therapist with First Responder Wellness, and made possible by a grant from the Fire Family Foundation. 

Based on the positive response, Ventura Fire Foundation plans to schedule additional programming for firefighter spouses and children. 

Westpark Skatepark Expansion Project moves into design phase

The City Council approved a contract with Grindline Skateparks on January 23 to design and construct the Westpark Skatepark Expansion Project. The agreement is the City’s first-ever design-build contract and will increase the facility’s size by more than six times from 3,200 square feet to 20,000 square feet.

In 2022, the City received a $2 million grant from the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) to expand the 29-year-old skatepark at 450 W. Harrison Avenue.

“Skateboarding is an iconic outdoor recreational sport in California, and our local community has long vocalized a desire to improve our skateparks,” said Mayor Joe Schroeder. “Once this project is completed, it will be one of the best in the region, attracting locals and visitors alike.”

The City conducted seven public meetings in 2019 and 2020 to gain the community’s feedback and insights into what elements they would like upgraded at the skatepark. After the City was awarded the grant, two additional meetings were hosted to help staff develop criteria for a Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP sought qualified skatepark design-build companies who could incorporate the community’s feedback into their proposals.  

Grindline Skateparks has been operating for over 20 years, since 2002, and is based in Seattle, Washington. They have designed and constructed over 300 successful Skatepark projects nationally and internationally. Regional examples of their work can be skated in Anaheim, Bakersfield, Oceanside, and San Diego.

“We’re excited to move into the next phase of this project and bring the community’s vision to life,” said Parks & Recreation Director Nancy O’Connor. “This project not only provides an upgraded design to the park, but also improves access to the park, additional landscaping, public art elements, and new lighting.”

The City will host two more community meetings in the coming months to gather public feedback to create the skatepark’s final design. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Westpark Community Center.

This project is managed by the City of Ventura Parks & Recreation Department in partnership with Pacific Coast Land Design Inc. Project funding is provided by the Statewide Parks Development and Community Revitalization Program, California Department of Parks & Recreation, and California Natural Resources Agency.

Learn more about the Westpark Skatepark Expansion Project and upcoming community meetings at www.westparkskatepark.com.

City approves applicants for commercial cannabis business permits

The three retail businesses that have been conditionally awarded permits are Responsible and Compliant Retail Ventura, located at 1890 East Main Street; TAT Ventura, located at 2835 E Main Street; and ZASA, located at 4591 Market Street. The only industrial applicant in the process has been awarded to Ventura’s Finest, located at 3037 Golf Course Drive.

“The City embarked on an extensive evaluation process that included feedback from an outside consulting group, staff, and community members. All applications were carefully reviewed to allow for responsible commercial business operations in our community,” said City Manager Alex D. McIntyre. “This is an extremely regulated area. These businesses were selected because they provided thorough neighborhood compatibility, security, and safety plans. They also demonstrated a strong desire to be responsible partners that would invest in community groups and local organizations.”

Cannabis retail permits will not be awarded until after the appeal process. Applicants have 10 calendar days to file an appeal. Any applicant not selected for this application period may apply during the next application period, which has not yet been set.

In November 2020, voters approved a ballot measure for the taxation of cannabis in the City of Ventura. City Council approved an ordinance on February 24, 2021, and authorized the City Manager to initially grant up to five retail storefront or non-storefront cannabis permits and 10 industrial permits.

Appeal hearings will likely start the first week of February, but officials are still reaching out to the appellants for scheduling, said Christopher de la Vega, assistant city attorney. They will take place in front of a hearing officer and likely won’t take longer than a day, he said.

Five appeals were filed with the City regarding the commercial cannabis business permit selections. The city is still in the process of scheduling the appeal hearings. They will be decided by a neutral third-party .”Depending on the outcome of the hearings, finalists could be asked to go through the application process again, effectively starting over,” de la Vega said.

‘I think it’s going to be difficult to do anything other than speculate at this point until we know how the appeals go and what the results are,’ de la Vega said. ‘There are a lot of moving pieces.’

Some applicants have been baffled by the city’s process. Salzer’s Records co-owner Brandon Salzer, who partnered with Safeport Dispensary in Port Hueneme to open a potential business at the Salzer’s Video building at 5801 Valentine Road, was not selected and has filed an appeal.

“I think everyone is somewhat confused,” Salzer said. ‘What’s been frustrating about the entire process is there’s never been an opportunity just to discuss our proposal with anyone in the city. I feel we have the best physical location of all the companies involved.”

“The process is taking so long that Ventura is losing potential tax revenue to cities that have approved cannabis dispensaries such as Port Hueneme, Ojai, Thousand Oaks and, most recently, Oxnard,” Salzer said.

Zahur Lalji, CEO of Zasa Inc., which owns Wheelhouse in Port Hueneme, was selected for a permit in Ventura. He is waiting for the appeals process to wrap up and wants to open as soon as possible.

“I just think the city should let the winners move forward,” Lalji said.

“If all appeals are denied and the city’s selection stands, no City Council action would be necessary,” de la Vega said.

“If a decision is made in favor of one of the applicants, that’s a whole different ballgame,” he said.

Cannabis businesses are expected to generate between $600,000 to $700,000 to fund city services in the first full year of operation, according to city estimates.

Three Ventura businesses honored as part of the City’s new Business Recognition Program

Mayor Joe Schroeder pictured with representatives from Island Packers, Cafe Ficelle, and Scrubs on the Run.

Café Ficelle, Island Packers, and Scrubs on the Run were among the first three local businesses recognized by the City Council during its meeting on January 23, 2023, as part of the City’s new Business Recognition Program.

The program, a partnership between the City’s Economic Development Division and Ventura Chamber of Commerce, was created to honor local businesses for special achievements in the areas of growth, environmental stewardship, community enrichment, business resiliency, and industry innovation.

“The City of Ventura is committed to promoting a vibrant economy that supports local businesses,” said Mayor Joe Schroeder. “It’s truly inspiring to see the hard work of our many business owners. Their commitment to innovation and growth is a testament to the spirit of Ventura and I am proud to celebrate their successes.”

Three business owners will be honored every quarter during a City Council meeting and presented with a certificate of recognition. To be eligible for the Business Recognition Program, businesses must be:

Located in the City of Ventura

Open for at least five consecutive years

A for-profit business

Have at least two employees

Business nominations are open to the public and accepted on a rolling basis.

Learn more about the Business Recognition Program, eligibility requirements, and the nomination process at www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/BusinessRecognition.