Regent Properties took a giant step forward towards the eventual development of 55 homes in the hillsides above Ventura.  On Nov. 30, the Ventura City Council approved the prescreen application submitted by the developer and previously approved by the Planning Commission.

At the special council meeting, which lasted more than 8 hours, the council voted 4-1 to allow the developer to move forward in what will be a very long and very expensive application process  to build  the luxury houses. Regent has named the development the La Viera Project.

Contrary to what some of those opposed believe, the City Council did not approve the specific drawings presented by Regent but just the concept of this development.

To start the meeting, Community Development Director Jeff Lambert very carefully explained what the prescreen process was and what its approval would mean. He stated, “It is allowing the developer to file a formal application.”

As also explained by Councilmember Carl Morehouse, he said this is not the approval of a project but just a concept, a process, a beginning.

Only 5 council members were allowed to vote because members Tracy and Weir were asked to recuse themselves from participating because of where they currently live. Mayor Cheryl Heitmann, Deputy Mayor Erik Nasarenko, Neil Andrews and Carl Morehouse voted yes and Jim Monahan voted no to proceed with the prescreen.

This will allow Regent, and the City to have CEQA-EIR reports and many other reports, studies and documentation created that will need review and approval by the planning department, design review and City Council before this project is ever approved.  This process could take another 3-4 years. There will still be many opportunities for both those opposing and supporting the project to be heard.

In approving the prescreen, the council members made it quite clear that they had many concerns about the final plans for the project and that they were just approving the very general concept of the proposed development.

Member Eric Nasarenko said, “What I lack is impartial, third-party data. This is the process, this is the vehicle by which we collect that information.”

Based upon his concerns, and to take the public’s comments into consideration, he made a second motion to include a list for Regent to consider in preparing their next stage of drawings. Other council members and planning staff added to the list which was approved 5-0 by the council.

Items included in that list were:

Minimize grading and artificial creation of steep slopes through low terracing and retaining walls and varied lot and pad sizes.

Allow roads to exceed 15% grade in short stretches if it improves the overall design.

Allow development within areas of over 30% slope as long as it results in better overall design & is instituted only when necessary.

Daniel Gryczman, President of the Regent Land division, told the council the proposal would be good for Ventura. He said the “state-of-the-art” development would create $164 million in economic output for the city and that “the project over many years will create millions of dollars of new money in the general fund.”

Regent is not expected to submit a formal application until 2017.

Although she didn’t vote, member Christy Weir told the Breeze, “Ventura will benefit in many ways from the addition of executive housing — increased tax base, high-income homeowners who support our local businesses and non-profits, and the availability of homes for business owners who would otherwise locate in other areas. Every city needs a healthy balance of homes to provide a “full-service” community. We don’t want our lower-wage workforce or our highest-income individuals to have to commute. “

“We have two under-construction hospital facilities that are in the process of hiring many new physicians. The majority of these health professionals are purchasing homes in surrounding communities because of Ventura’s small supply of executive housing. As we consider where high-end homes could be located, the lower hillsides within the city limits are one option. However, stringent levels of review, including attention to public input, are essential to ensure safety, neighborhood compatibility, environmental sensitivity, aesthetics and community benefit.”

Photo by John Ferritto

Part 1 of 2
By Rebecca Wicks

More than two years ago I wrote an article outlining “10 projects that will change the face of Ventura.”  Since then, the publisher of the Breeze has received periodic inquiries about these and other projects in Ventura.  Follows is an update on these and other projects in City.

While Ventura has seen significant growth in recent decades, it isn’t a city that shows up on “fastest growing cities” lists.  That said, Venturans definitely have an opinion about how our relatively small city grows.  From commercial developments aimed at boosting tourism and specific economies, to infill projects and annexing land to build out entire communities – the City has plans to do all of this, and more.

“The City of Ventura needs to move forward on some of these projects,” says resident Lynn Hiller who believes the City should be focused on residential infill construction in midtown and downtown specifically.  “There is a real need for new housing in Ventura, which is full of ageing, sub-standard housing, but what seems to happen is that instead of infilling areas in the city where  streets and sewers already exist, the building is done on what is probably the most valuable and productive farmland in the world.”

The “Infill First” strategy, which is part of the City’s General Plan adopted in 2005 outlines how Ventura aims to be a city that avoids suburban sprawl.  One issue, according to City Planning Manager Dave Ward is many of the projects currently going into construction today were in the City’s planning pipeline before 2005.

“Many projects, especially those on the east end of Ventura were in city planning phases pre 2005,” explained Ward.  “Some stalled during the recession and were revived post 2010.”

While the City doesn’t control developers, it can and has made attempts to prioritize infrastructure fixes to help support the type of projects the City would  like to see.  Recent efforts include waterline and roadway improvements in existing parts of the City.  In addition City officials are also working to review the zoning laws in each of the “priority” areas in the General Plan to ensure they line up with the development wanted.

“We want it to make sense for developers,” explained Mayor Cheryl Heitmann.  “If the General Plan says we want an area to be residential but it’s currently zoned for industrial, that doesn’t make sense and we’re working to fix that now.”

In 2013, the Breeze outlined 10 projects that had the potential to have a big impact on the City.  Here is an update on projects 1 through 5::

Number 1.  Sondermann-Ring – Now 15 years in the making, this project which promises a “residential seaside village” at the Ventura Harbor is extremely close to breaking ground according to Ward who estimates the developer could begin construction as early as late spring.  This project which includes 300 residential live/work apartments,  21,000 square feet of commercial space and private indoor/outdoor recreational facilities including a 2.4-acre park and waterfront promenade has seen it all in its planning stages from lawsuits and revisions galore, to a recession and even personal crisis.  With only a single outstanding landscaping item to get through city planning,  it still may face one final hurdle next year– El Nino.

Number 2.  County Memorial Hospital – With the hospital itself well under construction and an opening date set for Fall 2016, new construction recently began on the hospital’s parking garage.  The 320,000 square foot building is part of what the City is calling its “Wellness District.” And, while a parking garage may not seem exciting, Mayor Heitmann believes it is something to take note of.

“Parking is key to stimulating this wellness corridor,” said Mayor Heitmann.  “Prospective merchants and retailers may choose to locate in the area based on this factor alone.  “

Once the new hospital opens, the vacated hospital building which represents 121,000 square feet of space will be open for non-essential hospital support services.  City officials are hopeful this move will have a catalytic effect on the area, drawing additional restaurants and retailers to support the area.

Number 3.  The Ventura Downtown Housing (VDH) project and the Mar-y-cel project are two downtown projects that promise to bring housing to the area.  The VDH project includes 257 apartments, while the Mar-y-cel project is a mixed-use project, which proposes 6,800 square feet of commercial space and 138 apartments.

The VDH project was approved on appeal by the City Council in September, while the Mar-y-cel project was approved with no appeals.  Both projects sit with the developers now who will need to take their planning documents and work to transform them into construction documents – a process that is expected to take several months.  Both developers also have other projects they are working on in Ventura.

Number 4.  Parklands – Covering a sizeable 67 acres, which has served as farmland, the 499-units community includes apartments, single-family homes and condominiums as well as commercial space.  Located at the southwest corner of Telegraph and Wells Roads in East Ventura,  planning for this project began almost 12 years ago.  The 173-apartment component of the plan is currently in final plan check and according to Ward could begin construction “any day now,” with the developer needing only to finalize the pulling of their building permits and paying fees.

Number 5.  The Grove –  Another project that began before the recession, the community includes between 198-250 townhouses, apartments, courtyards and open space.  Located on Telephone Road near the 101 and 126 Freeways across the street from Barnes & Noble, the project sits on 25 acres of farmland.  The project has finished the planning process and is now about 70 percent done with environmental review, according to Ward.  Once this is completed, the report will be made available for public review and comment.  Ward expects the City and the developer to work through traffic, water and sewer elements in the summer months, and spend winter 2016 months responding to public and other agency comments.  Once this is completed, it will go through the Design Review Committee and the Council before the City will file to annex the land after which time the project will enter phase development.

See the next issue of The Breeze to read Part 2 of State of the state of development in Ventura where you can read the rest of the updates on development projects in Ventura.