Category Archives: City News

City of Ventura earns national award for Public Works Project of the Year

Eric Berg, Principal, Pacific Coast Land Design; Stacey Zarazua, Parks Manager, City of Ventura; Phil Nelson, Public Works Director, City of Ventura; Buddy Jones, Construction Inspector, City of Ventura

The American Public Works Association (APWA) is proud to announce the City of Ventura has won APWA’s 2023 Public Works Project of the Year Award. Award winners publicly developed, owned, and maintained infrastructure projects that promote excellence in construction management and administration.

“Built in 1961, Arroyo Verde Park spans 129 acres of open space and features a large turf field area, playground, picnic area, hiking trails, and more. In 2017, the Arroyo Verde Park’s main play structure was destroyed in the Thomas Fire,” shared Public Works Director Phil Nelson. “Rather than simply rebuilding the former structure, our Parks Department sought to reimagine the space to make it the City’s first inclusive play area for children of all abilities.”

Primary playground features include structures offering social and play designs using movement and ability, uses topography as a natural playground, offers an open-ended sensory experience, music areas, native landscapes, and more.The American Public Works Association is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 30,000 members involved in the field of public works. The City of Ventura earned APWA’s 2023 Public Works Project of the Year Award in the Structures category, in the less an $5 million division. The recent July edition of the APWA Reporter, shared highlights of award winners across the nation including the Arroyo Verde Park Inclusive Playground Rebuild.

“Each year APWA receives hundreds of entries for our Project of the Year Awards. It’s always a challenging process to select the winners as so many worthy projects are submitted. The Project of the Year Awards highlights the best projects that showcase amazing collaborative efforts and vision. Congratulations to this year’s winners!” said APWA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Scott D. Grayson, CAE.

An awards and recognition ceremony will take place during the APWA Public Works Expo on Monday, August 28, in San Diego. APWA will recognize this year’s Project of the Year Award winners in a video posted to www.apwa.org on August 30.

 

Ventura’s Active Transportation Plan reaches the final phase

The City of Ventura is excited to announce the final phase of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). This comprehensive roadmap aims to enhance the City’s transportation landscape, providing increased accessibility and appeal for walking, biking, and transit across the community.

The City is seeking public input to prioritize projects and programs proposed in the ATP. To review and share your information, please visit the City’s website. The deadline for providing feedback is Sunday, August 20.

“In the last two years, we’ve seen active involvement from more than 4,000 community members who played a vital role in shaping the proposed Active Transportation Plan recommendations,” stated Mayor Joe Schroeder. “As we move into the next phase, we invite all community members to provide feedback on the identified priorities and projects created to establish a safer and more sustainable active transportation system for Ventura.”

In June 2021, this community-driven initiative gained significant engagement, with input from the Active Transportation Focus Group (ATFG), which provided valuable insight into City needs, shaped plan goals, and amplified outreach efforts. This group comprised various stakeholders from the City’s Public Works Department, Police Department, Environmental Sustainability Department, Community Outreach, Bicycle Advisory Committee, all seven Community Councils, and Bike Ventura. Additionally, the City of Ventura has been actively engaged with the Ventura Unified School District to update the city’s Safe Routes to School Plan. This collaboration further ensures the safety and accessibility of walking and biking routes for students and families in the community.

Throughout the planning process, the City has been dedicated to engaging with diverse groups, including low-income and minority households, homebound seniors, youth, young parents, and individuals with direct experience in walking and biking in Ventura. This inclusive approach has allowed the plan to address the unique needs of all community members.

“The City of Ventura invites residents to share their diverse perspectives to ensure the Active Transportation Plan reflects the community’s needs.

Whether you choose to participate online or in person, your input will play a crucial role in shaping a safer and better use for all road users,” stated Public Works Director Phil Nelson.

For more information and to submit your feedback, please visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/atp.

Ventura Water General Manager’s Message

During this past school year we hosted over 300 students from local public and private schools.

by Gina Dorrington

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” As a child, we get asked this question all the time and as we get older, we use this question to start a conversation with a child. Not many, if any, say “I want to be a water/wastewater operator when I grow up!”, but they should. A career in water is awesome and rewarding. We get to work outside, provide water for health and safety, protect the environment, and restore a critical resource to the community. And there is so much you can do; I started in this industry working in a water and wastewater lab, then performed food facility inspections for stormwater and grease compliance, moved on to cleaning and inspecting sewer lines, became an operator-in-training, and earned certification in water treatment, distribution, wastewater, and advanced treatment. This month we highlight one of our operators, Sol Clements, who has also worked in many areas of the wastewater industry and radiates her love of what she does for our city.

At Ventura Water we love to share what we do and help to spark interest in our youth about water. We highlight not only how water is treated and how important conservation is, but also how this could be a career for them. Our team works with local schools and environmental groups to outreach and educate. We’re proud to report that during this past school year we hosted over 300 students from local public and private schools for tours of the wastewater treatment plant, (see photo above). If your group is interested in a tour, please email us at: [email protected].

And if you, or someone you know may be interested in a career in water, see the current jobs at the City website.

Help shape the future of walking and biking in Ventura

After more than two years of community participation, a draft Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is ready for the next public input phase for walking and biking improvements throughout the city.

The ATP aims to create a roadmap for priority projects and programs that will make walking, biking, and taking transit great choices for all residents, workers, and visitors.

The ATP Public Input Draft is now accessible online at www.ActivePlanVentura.com for community members to review and provide feedback until Sunday, August 20. Your input will play a vital role in shaping the future of active transportation in our city. Residents may also attend an upcoming event in-person at the following locations and times:

Friday, July 28

  • 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Transit Center at Pacific View Mall 
  • 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Main Street at California Street 

Saturday, July 29

  • 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the Ventura Downtown Farmers Market 
  • 12:00-2:00 p.m. at Ventura College Weekend Marketplace (Swap Meet) 

Sunday, July 30

  • 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the California Street Mall on the Ventura Promenade 

Help get Ventura moving and share your ideas online or in-person!

Ventura Fire Department and Foundation organize memorial stair climb honoring 9/11 first responders and fallen heroes

The Ventura Fire Department, in collaboration with the Ventura Fire Foundation, invites local first responders and community members to participate in a Memorial Stair Climb on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza.

Participants will climb the equivalent of 110 stories, the height of the fallen World Trade Center towers. The stair climb is not a timed race and participants can climb at a level that suits their needs.

“More than two decades after the tragedy on September 11, 2001, we continue to honor the courage of the first responders who selflessly rushed into chaos and mourn the fallen heroes who lost their lives that day,” said Fire Chief David Endaya. “This memorial stair climb is a small way we can reignite the indomitable spirit that unites us and shows our support locally.”

Space is limited to 100 climbers, and those interested in participating are encouraged to register at www.VenturaFireFoundation.org. Residents who prefer not to climb can show their support by donating and attending as spectators.

The memorial stair climb pays homage to the 343 New York City Fire Department firefighters who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, as well as the 60 other emergency personnel who responded that day. Additionally, the event honors the 200 firefighters who have since succumbed to illnesses related to the attack.

By supporting the Ventura Fire Foundation’s mission to improve the lives of firefighters and their families, the Ventura Fire Department demonstrates its commitment to the cause.

For more information about the Ventura Fire Foundation and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, please visit www.VenturaFireFoundation.org.

VenturaWaterPure Ocean Outfall Project

Senior Community Outreach Specialist Jennifer Buckley

Regarding the mention of the WaterPure project in the latest edition of the Breeze I want to share some additional resources and information for your readers.

The parking lot is the location of temporary boat storage which will be in place throughout the upcoming VenturaWaterPure Ocean Outfall Project.

The Ocean Outfall Project is anticipated to start after Labor Day 2023 through summer 2024. The outfall will be constructed through a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) process to limit community impacts. The HDD will push a pipe through a hole starting in Marina Park and emerge approximately 2000- 4000 feet offshore.

The project will support the VenturaWaterPure Program, a purified recycled water project that will recover, treat, and reuse water that is currently discharged into the Santa Clara River Estuary. This project will divert treated water from Ventura’s wastewater treatment facility to a new Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF), where the water will be treated to drinking water standards and then injected into a local groundwater basin for storage, and later extracted and delivered to customers.

Residents can learn more and sign up to receive construction updates on the project at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/OceanOutfall

I hope this information is helpful for your readers and be on the lookout for a press release as we get closure to starting the Ocean Outfall construction in the coming weeks.

Ventura city and county emergency crews respond to structure fire with person on the roof

On July 13, at noon, fire units were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 3000 block of Porter Lane near the Pacific View Mall, with a person on the roof. Ventura Police Department quickly responded and apprehended the suspect on scene prior to Fire Department’s arrival.

Firefighters arrived within 4 mins of dispatch and found a single story/single family home with heavy fire and smoke showing. firefighters made entry to make an aggressive attack to extinguish the fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire with a coordinated effort of vertical and horizontal ventilation to keep the fire from spreading throughout the structure.

The fire was controlled 18 minutes after units arrived on scene and the house was confirmed to have no victims inside. Ventura City Fire units were assisted by Ventura Police Department as well as Ventura County Fire Department.

The 29-year-old man who was on the roof was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Jail for Arson of an inhabited dwelling.

Ventura City Fire respond to single family residence fire resulting in death and injuries

On July 21, at 8:45 am, the Ventura City Fire received a call of a reported structure fire in the 400 block of Nova Court. Upon arrival firefighters found a well involved single family residence with a report of a person trapped inside.

Firefighting crews immediately entered the building fighting fire and conducting a search for a victim. A deceased female was located inside the home. Firefighters extinguished the fire 14 minutes after arrival.

One adult male was treated and transported to the hospital for burns and smoke inhalation sustained while attempting to extinguish the fire with a garden hose.

 

 

Ventura’s Annual Street Fair & Parade

Bikes, scooters, strollers, and wagons were all welcome at the parade. Photos by Janie Tran and Shirley Lorraine

The City of Ventura’s 46th annual 4th of July Street Fair & Pushem-Pullem Parade was held on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Ventura’s Downtown District.

The Pushem-Pullem Parade, presented by the Rotary Club of East Ventura, began at 10:00 a.m. on Main Street in front of Cemetery Memorial Park and continue into the Street Fair in Downtown Ventura.

This year’s Street Fair featured artisan vendors, a car exhibit, food trucks, live entertainment, a kids’ activity area, and more.

A complimentary Bike Valet, courtesy of the City of Ventura Transportation Division and Bike Ventura, was located at the corner of Main St. and Chestnut St.

The Classic Car Exhibit featured over 80 beautiful vehicles. Live entertainment, included local bands and community group performances were enjoyed by the large crowd of attendees.

Ventura’s Annual Street Fair & Parade

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Ventura City Council appoints Don Penman to serve as Interim City Manager

As Interim City Manager, Penman will oversee the city’s day-to-day operations.

The Ventura City Council has selected retired City Manager Don Penman to serve on an interim basis as the city manager. Penman retired in 2011 after serving 14 years with the City of Arcadia. Since retirement, Penman has served as interim city manager for Ventura, Calabasas, Azusa, Covina, San Fernando, and Temple City.

“The City Council is confident in Don’s ability to lead the organization during this transitional period as we seek a new City Manager,” shared Mayor Joe Schroeder. “With his extensive experience in local government and prior interim managerial role in 2018 with Ventura, Don is well-suited for the position. He is committed to actively involving the Council, staff, and public in important decision-making processes.”

As Interim City Manager, he will oversee the city’s day-to-day operations and ensure that processes and services run smoothly. He will also work with the City Council to identify and prioritize key initiatives that will benefit the community.

“As I step into this role, my primary focus is facilitating and supporting a smooth transition. It’s inspiring to see the positive progress that has taken place in Ventura since my last involvement in 2018,” shared Don Penman. “I look forward to contributing to the community’s well-being and collaborating closely with the exceptional City Council and staff members. Together, we will work diligently to drive our city forward.”

Penman will work in a limited term appointment while the recruitment process for a permanent city manager is completed. It is estimated that it may take up to three months to complete the recruitment and hiring process for a permanent City Manager, which will include candidate interviews/selection, background investigation, negotiating an agreement with a candidate, and providing the new City Manager with the ability to provide sufficient notice to their current employer.

Assistant City Manager Akbar Alikhan served as interim city manager from February 13 – June 15, 2023, when he resigned to accept a position with the City of Thousand Oaks.

As the Interim City Manager, Penman will receive a salary of $132.50 per hour. There are no benefits for Mr. Penman pursuant to CalPERS requirements.