•   We have an article in this issue about the passing of Jim Mangis. Even though I didn’t see him often, I considered him a friend. That was just his personality, all who met him felt this way because he cared and was so genuine. I last saw him a few weeks ago at a get together of volunteers at City Corps. We talked about many things including making compost and using red wigglers worms because was an organic farmer. Sadly enough, he was going to write an article in this issue about organic farming. He will be missed by all who knew him. And only 62, life is a strange creature sometimes.

•   The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB) has completed the construction of their 39-unit $11.6 million apartment project (see articled in this issue). Spending this kind of money on 39 very small studio units just doesn’t make sense to me.

Why not take $9.6 million and purchase (25) $400,000 homes and put aside $2 million for maintenance.

25 homes would provide about 75 bedrooms with yard areas and the pride of living in a home – not small studio units. And this would be a much better investment.

•   A program to cap home construction, criticized by members of the business and housing communities, and strongly rejected by the Ventura Planning Commission, was recently rejected by the City Council.

If approved, the Residential Allocation Program (RAP) would have allowed no more than 1,050 new units in a three-year period, with a ceiling of 450 units in a single year (with some exemptions).

I think that this was a smart decision by the Council. Ventura now has several ordinances and procedures that can be followed to control growth and just adding another layer would further discourage developers ( the dreaded D word) from building in Ventura.

The Council plans to revisit how the planning process works overall. Including design guidelines (which we desperately need), zoning and the general plan definitions, which sets out what type of development goes where and how.

The council also will have joint meetings with the Planning Commission and the Design Review Committee to discuss strengthening building standards.

I hope that they will also make it easier for developers to really understand the process. Developers need to have a way of obtaining preliminary approval from the Council so that they don’t spend thousands of dollars and many years obtaining other department approvals just to be ultimately shot down by the Council.

•   Well, Einstein has been proven to be correct one more time. New findings have proved him to be correct about gravity having waves – I don’t even understand gravity and can one surf in these waves? This was done by observing light emanating from the merger of two black holes “about” 1.3 billion light-years away. I’m glad that they said “about” because they could be off by about 10 zillion, trillion years give or take a few. How can one even fathom this kind of distance?

•   I find it interesting that the most violent terrorist organization on earth gets so little interest. Boko Haram’s atrocities make ISIS look like Boy Scouts (if anything could). The northeastern Nigerian Islamist group has been much more deadly than other Islamic State terrorist groups and even more violent in killing school children. Could it be that their atrocities involve poor Nigerian’s and their lives just don’t matter as much as those of Westerners?

•   In our last issue, I spoke about the large amount of important decisions to be made in the November elections. The list just keeps growing. There might be 2 different SOAR initiatives and up to 20 State initiatives (6 have qualified so far). So probably best to vote by mail or spend an hour in the voting booth.

•   Very happy to see that the entrance to Ventura Harbor has reopened to all boating traffic. The closure (including moving the tall ships to Channel Islands) cost merchants and fishing vessels a large amount of money. SBA loans might be available for merchants who lost money.

•   The City has executed a Lease Agreement between Brooks Institute and the City of Ventura to use some of the office space behind City Hall (see article). Getting Brooks to become part of our downtown is wonderful for merchants.

Two council members voted no. Tracy, because he feels that Brooks should pay market value for the space and Monahan because of parking concerns. I certainly agree with Monahan and hope that Brook faculty and students are made to park in the upper parking lot.

Existing tenants of the space that Brooks will be occupying, will be able to move to another floor (if it provides them with enough useable space). FOTM (Focus on the Masters) will need to move a huge amount of material and files so the space available may not be adequate for them. If any of our readers have room for this non-profit supporter of the arts at a really low rent, please reach out (they need about 2,000 square feet). Does not need to be a retail location.

•   Sorry that the Ventura BMX track located at the Ventura Community Park was closed down. Was a great idea and nice addition to Ventura, but after they lost their sanctioning body approval, the track was closed.

The Ventura Parks & Recreation Commission has voted to demolish the track which has become an eyesore and a gathering place for the homeless. I wonder who will be paying for this?

•  Congratulations to Ventura Breeze Senior Account Executive Breezy Gledhill who is celebrating her 6-year anniversary with us. I knew she’d be a wonderful addition when she told me that her nickname has been “Breezy” her entire life. I didn’t make her change it as some have thought.

•  This November’s elections is shaping up to be a very busy one for Ventura voters; if all of things in the works end up on the ballot. National elections of course, revisions to our city charter, a possible sales tax increase and voting for three city council members.

There are many charter revisions that have been suggested to our city council for consideration by a Charter Review Committee. Selected by the council, a group of concerned Ventura residents spent more than a year studying various options for changing the way our government operates. The council has voted to have city staff draft language for a charter initiative that could appear on the November ballot.

The council can’t directly alter the charter, but can bring proposed changes to the electorate for a vote.

There are too many revisions to consider at one time, so only some of them will be included on the ballot.

They may consist of:

1. City Council members have received the same monthly pay for the last 30 years. $600 plus an additional $100 for the mayor.

The Committee recommends raising the pay of council members from $600 to $1,200 and the mayor from $700 to $1,500 with automatic increases tied to an as-of-yet undetermined index.

The council has concerns about including a pay increase on the ballot at the same time a sales tax increase may be proposed. I think that an increase in their compensation is long overdue. Altruism is nice, but a dedicated council member puts in at least 30-hours of work per week.

2. Eliminating the current at large voting system to be replaced by designated council districts. I am in favor of this but think that there should be four members from specific districts and three at large members that represent the entire city. Our city attorney would need to be very involved in this because lawsuits under the California Voting Rights Act have occurred in other cities. Cities with significant minority populations that lack proper council representation have proved especially vulnerable.

Ventura has a large Latino population and the council members are all non-Hispanic whites.

3. A law limiting council members to three consecutive terms, followed by a four-year break before being able to run again. I am very much in favor of this. New blood brings new ideas.

Other amendments discussed would be to hold a direct election for our Mayor. Currently, our Mayor is selected by other council members from a sitting council member.  I’m sure that this proposed revision will not be considered by the council as they feel that the current system has served Ventura well. I agree with them.

The City staff will return with a final proposed list to be considered by the council to be voted on by Venturans.

•  Speaking of the presidential election, if a Democrat wins, the new president would be either our first female President or first Jewish President.

•  Cities in California have been hastily passing new marijuana ordinances. The State had mistakenly passed legislation that set a March 1 deadline for cities to either adopt their own regulations or comply with new state regulations that may have been more lenient than cities would have wanted. To rectify this, Governor Brown has given cities more time to develop their local regulations on the commercial selling and distribution of medical marijuana.

Included in the regulations, and approved by the City Council, was to disallow the delivery of medical marijuana in Ventura.  I am opposed to this (as were some City Council members), and I hope that they will revisit this restriction. In addition to being unfair, it is just not enforceable by our police department and would be a waste of their time.

•  I’m disappointed that on First Fridays (when our many art galleries hold open houses) the only WAV (Working Artists Ventura) studio open is that of St. Pierre. During the last First Friday, a young lady, Marianne Turner, walked in with a guitar and was asked to play. She gave a wonderful short concert, and St. Pierre also played.

•  This was one of the funniest real estate ad I’ve seen (was in a local paper). Below a photo of a kitchen it stated, “Kitchen includes a basic set of appliances including refrigerator and stove.” Wow, I’m sure people are lining up to buy a house that includes a refrigerator and a stove in the kitchen. It didn’t say anything about a sink, so I hope that’s included as well.

•  Recently, the Ventura Police Department made a presentation to the City Council regarding gang membership in Ventura. This raised concerns from many people who didn’t realize that we had so much gang activity here. The presentation might have made gang activity seem worse than it actually is, so in a future issue we will include an article from the VPD discussing this situation.

•  I have always been against vaping and assumed that it would be a gateway drug to cigarette smoking. New studies show that I was correct. Teens who said that they have “Vaped” are far more likely to try regular cigarettes than those that didn’t.

•  I have always wondered why fast food restaurants (other than Wienerschnitzel) don’t sell hotdogs. That will soon change, as Burger King will begin selling them. I’m sure if they are successful other fast food outlets will also give it a try.

• The Ventura City Council has voted against (7-0) medical marijuana businesses and the delivery of medical marijuana in Ventura. This is in keeping with other county cities. Cities have until March 1 to set their own laws before State regulations take effect.

Neal Andrews and Carl Morehouse were part of the 7-0 vote but still expressed their concerns about not allowing medical marijuana delivery (such as for products like blackberry cheesequake, to name an example) that was included in the action. I certainly agree with their concerns.

The City of Moorpark City Council has wisely removed the mobile delivery portion of their ordinance banning the selling of marijuana there. They will allow the delivery of medical marijuana and other beneficial medicine such as various private label cbd oil products and likewise, to qualified patients by a primary caregiver (now they need to figure who is a primary caregiver).

To deny delivery is “cruel and unusual punishment.” Isn’t that against the constitution? Hopefully the Ventura City Council will revisit this in the future and will allow delivery, just as those who get evaluated online for an Arkansas MMJ card are able to get such deliveries.

In fact, the entire opposition to marijuana bothers me. The harmful effects that marijuana has on society do not begin to compare to those of alcohol.

• Have I mentioned that I hate the California Coastal Commission? I voted in favor of their creation years ago thinking that their job would be to provide assurances of beach and to protect our beaches and oceans. Their “concerns” have gone so much further than that charter. I think they interfere with the rights of citizens and cities to make decisions regarding projects that have absolutely nothing at all to do with the coast.

• Since its original construction in 1872, the Ventura Pier has been a popular attraction in the County. In December, the Ventura Pier sustained extensive damage caused by 20-foot high surf.

The John S. Meek, Inc. cost proposal to repair the Pier is $1,173,990 and is based on the existing contract’s schedule of compensation. The Option to Extend the contract for good performance has been executed by the City Council and the current term of the agreement will expire June 30, 2016. The Council felt that it is in the best interest of the City to negotiate an extension without competitive bidding based upon satisfactory performance by Meek and their emergency response during this year’s El Nino. The council felt that the negotiated prices are fair and reasonable.

It is anticipated all repair and maintenance work will be completed by the end of February at which time the Pier can be reopened to the public. We shall see.

The Ventura Pier has Wave Wash Property Insurance with a $100,000 deductible per event. Staff met with the insurance adjuster to inspect the damage to the Pier, and the City was authorized to proceed with the stabilization and repairs. It is anticipated that the Wave Wash insurance will cover the entire costs of the emergency repairs, less the deductible.

• The newly remodeled NOW Ventura Italian and Seafood Restaurant is open at 185 Santa Clara St. This site has been the location of several restaurants over the years. Breezy Gledhill, our senior account exec, and I recently had dinner there. The food, service and ambiance were excellent. The owners did a wonderful job of remodeling the interior which includes a lovely outdoor patio and a large room that can be used for special events.

• Under the Charter adopted by the citizens of Ventura in 1934, the City Manager is “the administrative head of the City government . . . responsible to the City Council for the administration of all City affairs” including hiring and firing department heads, preparing the annual budget and ensuring the effective implementation of the City Council’s policies and priorities. The City Manager advises Council on strategic direction for the City and responding to changing community needs. The City Manager is hired (and fired) by the City Council. Most of all, the City Manager provides overall organizational leadership to ensure the effective daily delivery of services, projects and programs, guided by the City’s 2005 General Plan.” In other words Mark Watkins is the boss. His compensation is in keeping with other city managers in Ventura County. I think that he is an excellent city manager.

Moorpark $261,000
Thousand Oaks $261,000
Camarillo $255,000
Ventura $228,000
Simi Valley $227,000
Ojai $193,000
Fillmore $187,000
Santa Paula $183,000

• You will be happy to know you can now sing “Happy Birthday to You” without feeling guilty because, now, you don’t have to pay royalties. Judge George King recently ruled that none of the companies that have been collecting royalties for the last 80 years were entitled to do so.

• There is not an updated status regarding the proposed opening of the full nude “gentleman’s club” planned by Hala Enterprises LLC. Since the City Council set rigid conditions for this proposed use, the applicant has not contacted the city departments required to proceed with the project.

I don’t know if Hala felt that the conditions were too difficult to make the business profitable, just changed their mind or have just not submitted the required documentations yet to the City.

• We are not the only city with financial problems. In order to have sufficient funds to repair infrastructure, Thousand Oaks is considering selling city property, increasing city fees, and sales tax by a half cent along with other measures (these actions would generate $14 million but need voter’s approval). Venturans may be asked to approve a sales tax increase in November.

• For whatever reason, 2015 was Earth’s hottest year on record and it appears that this trend will continue in 2016. If it does, this will be the first time that this trend has continued for 3 straight years.

•   I want to wish Ventura Breeze writer Pam Baumgardner a speedy recovery from her full right knee replacement surgery. I’m sure she will be shooting hoops again above city hall very soon.

I also wish my lovely wife Diane (who needs to put up with me) a happy birthday on Jan.20.

•   I certainly agree that the homeless is a serious problem here (and everywhere) but being homeless (or dirty) is not against the law. And being mentally ill certainly isn’t. I understand that some homeless do commit criminal acts and should punished for it or obtain treatment if they are mentally ill.

Those who say “why don’t the police and city get rid of them” need to realize that unless they are breaking the law they cannot just be picked up and removed from Ventura or jailed.

I would love to hear your solutions to this problem.

•   Every year California enacts new laws. I understand that as technology and everyday life changes we need some new laws to address the changes. But 807 are new this year which seems to be a ridiculous number. These aren’t guidelines or suggestions but laws that the legislator had to write, study, discuss and pass.

These are some of my favorites. I’m not saying that they aren’t swell ideas, but laws?

“Beer tasting events can be held at certified farmer’s markets.”

“California community colleges can suspend or expel students accused of sexual assaults that occur off campus.”

“Non-citizens in high school may serve as election poll workers.”

“The word ‘alien’ will be removed from California’s labor code as a description of those not born in the United States” (it may still be used to describe those born on Mars and living in the United States).

“Electrically motorized boards may be ridden wherever bicycles are ridden—within bicycle lanes, pathways and roadways.”

“The State Department of Fish and Wildlife has new power to take action to conserve monarch butterflies and their habitats” (my wife Diane raises monarchs so this will make her very happy).

“Lace lichen commonly known as Spanish Moss is designated as California’s official lichen” (this is probably my favorite). A lichen is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria or both living among filaments of a fungus in a symbiotic relationship. The combined life form has properties that are very different from the properties of its component organisms. Lichens come in many colors, sizes, and forms. (I am trying to get the Ventura Breeze designated as California’s official newspaper.)

•   I know that I said I wasn’t going to comment on the proposed 55-unit hillside project until further action is taken. This isn’t specifically about the project but about “some” of the vindictive and insulting emails/letters I’ve received.

As you know, I currently support the project.

I have been accused of many things because of my support, so I want to speak to some of these comments.

“I have been bribed to support it.” Okay I fess up, I asked Regent to give me 3 of the new homes to support the project but they only offered me 2, but I decided to support it anyway. Actually they didn’t even offer me a cup of coffee.

“I have some hidden motivation.” Yes, I was hoping that I can get a free upgrade in the bathroom tile when I buy one of the homes. I have no hidden agenda. I will not personally gain in any way if they should get built. And, I couldn’t afford to buy one anyway.

“I think that you support it because the new home owners will take out ads in the Breeze.” In 5-6 years if/when these homes are available I don’t imagine that I will still be the publisher of the Breeze. It would be nice though if the new owners brought businesses, and money to Ventura. Then the project would be ultra-successful.

•   In a previous issue describing the portrait of Howard Boroughs by Johanna Spinks, we stated, in part, “Thanks to their generosity, we have The Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library at Ventura College.”

We received this comment from a reader; “While we appreciate the Burroughs and their civic engagement, they did not pay for the Ventura College Library, or even a significant part of it, as your recent article implies. Clearly the taxpayers paid for the $25 million library.”

To clarify, the Burroughs did not donate the $25 million to construct the library, it was just named after them for the contributions they have made to the library and to Ventura.

•   In keeping with several other Ventura County cities, the Ventura City Council, by a 7-0 vote, has banned the commercial cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana in Ventura.

The City Council felt it was important to take action before state laws become effective in the future. Cities have until March 1 to adopt their own ordinances. The uncertainty of what the eventual state laws will be is why cities are taking action now.

Patients will still be allowed to grow medicinal marijuana for their own use. Speaking at the meeting, Ventura resident Carlos Landeros-Angel, who is a medicinal marijuana user, urged the council to allow local delivery.

Even though I do not have a strong opinion (not like me) regarding this action, I do agree with council members Carl Morehouse and Neal Andrews who expressed concern for those who aren’t able to grow their own medicinal marijuana, and who will not be able to obtain it if both dispensaries and delivery are both banned.  I don’t think that having to drive up to an hour to purchase needed medicine is appropriate.

And enforcing a “no delivery” policy would be nearly impossible and certainly not worth the time required by our police department .

•   Some reflections from previous articles we ran in 2015.

Our April Fools issue was a great success because some people are still mad at me about the fake articles.

CMH new hospital construction moving right along and construction started on the new hospital parking structure.

Proving that concerned citizens can make a difference, their input resulted in the recycle center located in the Von’s Marina Village Shopping Center being shut down.

Dr.  Trudy Tuttle retires as head of VUSD, and the school administration facility is named the Trudy Tuttle Education Center.

The Ventura County Fair was wonderful as always.

The Ventura Botanical Gardens signs lease with the City of Ventura and made further improvements and additions to the trail. Dr. Joe Cahill appointed as the first VBG Executive Director.

Former Ventura City Council member Steve Bennett announces he will run for a fifth term as Ventura County Supervisor.

Dignitaries from our sister city Loreto, MX. (in Baja) visited Ventura.

Council-member Erik Nasarenko selected as new mayor by the City Council replacing Cheryl Heitmann. Neal Andrews selected as Deputy Mayor.

The City Council approves the Regent Properties proposed 55-unit hillside development prescreen which will allow Regent to continue with submitting further plans and documentation for city approvals.

The second murder of 2015 occurred in December. The first one was in January. Not great book ends to the year, but thankfully a small number.

The Ventura Breeze launched a new website with all kinds of goodies.

Ribbon cutting held at the Museum of Ventura County for the new Evelyn and Howard Borough Children’s Garden.

Ventura Pier sustains major damage from high waves. Costs could exceed $700,000 to repair.

The City Council rejects the proposal to include paid parking in the downtown parking structure.

Breeze staff member Cindy Summers received the first One Million Acts of Kindness award at City Council meeting presented by Mayor Heitmann.

The Ventura Music Festival announced their 2016 program and informed us that this year the Festival will begin in July.

Former Ventura Mayor Gregory Carson was shot in his home by a burglar. Thankfully, he is doing fine.

Ventura City Council approved developer John Ashkar’s 255 apartment project to be located in Downtown Ventura. Sixteen of the units will be affordable units.

I turned 80 (there, I said it).

The proposed summer Music Concert Series above City Hall didn’t happen again, and I think that is very unfortunate.

It didn’t snow for the 70th year in a row.

Foster Library has a new librarian, Deya Terrafranca.

Both the Rubicon and Summer Concert Series at Olivas Adobe again presented wonderful plays and concerts.

Stephanie Caldwell hired as new CEO of Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

Fire Captain Myles Smith is seriously hurt in fall. He is doing very well.

Scott Miller retires as Ventura Harbor Master, John C. Higgens hired as his replacement.

•   The renewing of the SOAR (Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources) initiative will likely be on the ballot in the November 2016 elections. It will ask voters to extend SOAR until 2050. There will be some minor modifications to the initiative.

I do support SOAR but feel some modifications are necessary. For example, housing for farm workers is greatly needed and SOAR makes it much too difficult to develop “any kind” of housing on agriculture property, so I hope that issue, and other necessary modifications, will be addressed in the new initiative.

•   Only 3 countries in the world don’t use the metric system. The US, Liberia and Myanmar (Burma)The metric system is much easier to use, so probably a good time for us to start converting to metric.

•   I want to thank the City for trimming back the tree and bush growth that was extending onto Vista Del Mar. It is a very narrow street so residents really needed this to be done. This service was accomplished by simply visiting the City website. The site allows residents to communicate concerns, requests and thoughts to all City departments.

Unhappy with something at our parks? Our police department? Want to know current City job opportunities?

Then go to:
www.cityofventura.net
“STAY CONNECTED”
“MY VENTURA ACCESS”

If your comments route to the wrong department, they will be sent to the correct people. A wonderful way to communicate with the City and to be able to get services that you may need.

•   I speak with many Venturans on a regular basis who think that Ventura is the only city with a homeless population and that nothing is being done to address the issue.

This is hardly a problem unique to Ventura. LA City (with about 26,000 homeless) has just allocated $12.4 million for emergency relief to help the homeless find shelter before the anticipated winter storms arrive.

The homeless population in San Diego County is the fourth largest in the country.

•   Some good news – smoking among adults has hit a new low of 17% (in 1965 it was almost 43%). And those that do smoke are smoking fewer cigarettes daily. The bad news is that among some populations (the poor, those on Medicaid, low income), the percentage still smoking remains very high.

•   Chinese home builder Landsea is planning a 550-home community in Orange County. I wonder if the opposition in Orange County have stated, “We don’t want a Chinese developer building here?”

•   This is just too funny – had to share it. A New York Company will soon offer the first certified Kosher medical non-smokable marijuana. This could be the return of the Jewish Mafia.

•   I want to wish all of our wonderful readers, advertisers and my incredible staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It has been another wonderful year of bringing Ventura’s news and information to all of you.

•   The Ventura Pier was severely damaged by the current high waves and the repair could cost up to $700,000. This is a much lower amount than the last time the pier was damaged which was 20 years ago. Those repairs cost over $2 million and took nine months to complete.

•   Congratulations to newly elected Mayor Erik Nasarenko and Deputy Mayor Neal Andrews. Nasarenko and Andrews were selected by their peers on the City Council to serve the City in these respective positions. Eric has big shoes (theoretically speaking) to fill following Cheryl Heitmann, who I think was a great mayor.

•   Cheryl Heitmann told me that she doesn’t want to be called ex-mayor but “previous mayor”. So, “previous mayor” it is. I asked what she will be doing with all of the extra time she will have now. She told me that she will pursue the projects that she feels are important to her and good for the City, but that she didn’t have time to pursue while Major. I’m sure she’ll continue to make great contributions to our wonderful city.

•   An interim ordinance by the City Council has extended – for an additional 12 months – a moratorium on the establishment or expansion of massage businesses. As goes massage parlors goes Ventura. All of our problems are now solved.

•   The construction of the new Community Memorial Hospital is moving right along. Permanent power has allowed the removal of some the construction elevators and the building is now enclosed with the installation of the last remaining windows.

The new entrance road, which will be off of Main Street, is being prepared and construction on the new 571-space parking garage has begun. It must be completed before the hospital can open. The new facility is still on schedule to open in late 2016.

A final decision on what use is best for the existing hospital has not been made yet, and will not be until funds are available to do whatever work is deemed necessary.

•   Ventura residents continue to reduce water usage. New figures show that customer water use is down about 23% compared to 2013, exceeding the city’s Stage 3 Water Shortage Emergency declaration requiring customers to reduce water use by 20 percent. Residents were even complemented for conservation successes in an article in the Los Angeles Times.

If the big rains do come, as predicted, the yellowing grass that can be seen throughout the city should come back nicely and stay green for some time. So keep watering enough to keep the roots alive. And, pick up your free sandbags from the City if you think that you might be needing them.

•   Scientists studying zircons have discovered evidence that life may have existed 4.1 billion years ago, 300 million years earlier than what was previously thought. I always suspected that.

•   The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a mass shooting as any incident where at least four people were murdered with a gun, not including the shooter. While some of these mass shootings occur in public places, many do not. Mass killings occur every two weeks in the United States.

While the United States has less than five percent of the world’s population, nearly one-third of all global mass shootings occur here, and statistics show that they are occurring with greater frequency.

Over half of mass shootings in the U.S. involve domestic violence situations – and two-thirds of the victims are women and children. And, over one-half of the mass shootings in the United States involved a current or former intimate partner.

The Second Amendment states, “A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” So I think that anyone who owns a gun should be required to belong to a “well-regulated Militia”.

•   The Ventura County Transportation Commission has been trying to evict the Fillmore & Western Railway from the Santa Paula Branch line (about 30 miles) since 2013. Having failed to evict the company, they are seeking an injunction by filing a lawsuit with the Ventura County Superior Court.

•   A good thing that some college athletes can make a living playing sports. The Heisman Trophy winner (goes to best college football player) said regarding the other two finalists, “Them two guys were great contenders for the trophy.” One of them two guys goes to Stanford – hope that he is learning something.

•   Saudi Arabia’s women made big advancements when 20 ladies were elected to local offices ( they were allowed to run and vote for the first time). Well, maybe some strides, because they will either need to walk to their city meetings or have a man drive them because women aren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.

•   A winter warming shelter for the homeless will open in Oxnard this year, but not in Ventura as some had hoped. The Ventura National Guard Armory is usually used but was not available so Oxnard agreed to manage the shelter. The homeless shelter typically alternates between Ventura and Oxnard and this year was to be Ventura’s responsibility.

I’m glad the cities were able to come to this agreement. No matter how one feels about the homeless population they are human beings and don’t deserve to sleep outside during what is shaping up to be a very cold and wet winter.

•  These will be my last words (promise) regarding the proposed Regent hillside development until further action is taken – which won’t happen for a long time.

As you know, I support this project and have stated my reasons why in previous issues, so I won’t go into that further. It will be exciting and interesting to see the plans change and develop as they are re-submitted  in the many required rounds of approvals. Those still opposed to it will certainly have many opportunities to express their concerns. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opinions also.

The City Council has voted 4-1 (Monahan being the no vote) to approve the pre-screen which permits the developer to submit a formal application. This changes the zoning from HPR-4 to Neighborhood low and permits the developer to delay the Capital Improvement Deficiency Study until the CEQA review stage.

I want to congratulate the City Council on taking what I consider to be the correct action and approving the prescreen process. I would assume that the 2 members who could not vote would have also voted yes so the final vote would have been 6-1 in favor.

Kudos to Community Development Director Jeff Lambert and his planning staff for their excellent research and presentation to both the Planning Commission and the City Council regarding the project. And to Lambert for carefully explaining exactly what the prescreen approval meant. I still think that many people still do not understand that part of the process.

Also, the same goes for Regent Properties for their very comprehensive and thorough presentations. They, and their consultants, were at the meeting to answer the many questions and concerns expressed by the public speakers.

For the most part, in my opinion, the City Council members asked excellent questions that will guide them in future hearings and decisions regarding the development. They expressed many concerns that will help Regent revise their plans to obtain all of the necessary approvals.

Mayor Heitmann did an excellent job of running the meeting and those for, and against, the project acted in a very mature and respectful manner.

Those opposing this development didn’t achieve their goal of stopping the process, even though somehow they are claiming a partial victory because the “Council made clear that it was not giving tacit approval to the existing plan.” Nothing has been approved except a concept.

Some of the critics suggested that Regent should build affordable housing or contribute to a specific affordable housing development. Regent has proposed to make an undetermined but substantial in-lieu donation, but not build affordable housing at the site. Affordable housing certainly does not belong on this site.

In his summary to his “constituents,” Robert Louis Chianese, one of the leaders of the opposition group wrote the following. “I consider the vote last night as a preliminary victory. The HMP still rules and Regent has to be wondering what costs they will incur in order to meet both the Council’s new requirements and the future EIR findings. I am now willing to say publicly what I have been saying to our group: that Regent will discover the costs of mitigating all this and re-designing to meet the HMP regulations will be too much and will walk away. We have to stay diligent while that light dawns on them. They could then come back with a new fully HMP-compliant project.”

I consider this statement to be almost un-American and very-very disturbing. This is not the way you win your battle – not by making it too expensive for Regent to continue but by presenting your case and hoping that is what will stop a project. And the HMP does not rule, they are suggested guidelines and not a set code of rules. It is at the discretion of planning and City Council to decide if a project meets the intent of the HMP.

Indeed, Regent will need to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars, thousands of hours of work and several years to hopefully be able to sell the houses when they are completed. I certainly hope that this does not deter them from accomplishing their goals.

•  Once again, Ventura is considering a sales tax increase to be placed on the November, 2016 ballot. Our current sales tax rate is 7.5%. The City Council voted to spend a maximum of $80,000 to launch a campaign to inform-educate Venturans in order to persuade them to vote yes on this measure.

A private survey recently conducted shows that a majority of Venturans approve of an increase if it will improve essential city services. Only a simple majority is required to pass this sales tax increase. Depending on the amount of increase (1/2% or 1%), it could create an estimated $10-$20 million in much needed additional tax dollars.

As long as we remain a “no-growth city” we will need to find other sources of income to maintain essential services, and this is the easiest way to accomplish this.

•  I think Ben Carlson ran for president so he could sell his book – people are waiting in line at his book signings.

Trump is running, it seems, because he thinks that this is a reality show. Trump is a funny guy and if I wanted a clown for president (maybe they all are), I would certainly vote for him.

I think he is being paid by the manufacturers of buses. Trump wants to round up 11,500,000 illegals and send them back to where they came from. If we assume that means “south of the border” and each bus holds 50 occupants, it would take 230,000 bus loads. So, if he is elected, USA bus companies would be thrilled.

As stated in our cover article the Planning Commission (with a 5-1 vote) has approved the “prescreen” of the proposed 55-unit hillside development by Regency Properties. They also recommended that the City Council allow the “prescreen” to proceed at the CC Nov.30 meeting.

I’m certain that on Nov. 30 the City Council will also vote for the prescreen process to continue. After this, the project won’t likely come back to the Council for up to, possibly, two years (or more).

The Commission’s approval is not for these specific plans but only gives the “greenlight” for the City Council to approve the “prescreen”. This will allow the developer to submit an application which will start a very lengthy and very expensive process to go through environmental review (EIR) along submission to several city departments so they can make recommendations to the City Council.

After analysis, I can be included as a supporter of a 55-unit Regency project. There, I actually said it for the first time. I’m not saying I completely support the project as it is currently proposed but certainly the idea of 55 (more or less) clustered luxury homes being built in that general area.

Much of the opposition seems to be due to Regency preparing what looks like final drawings for the project, which (in my opinion) was a mistake. They submitted numerous completed drawings that were not required for a prescreen. Probably more than any developer has submitted for a prescreen in Ventura.

Because of the extent of the plans, residents were able to be very specific in their opposition. For instance, what they saw as high retaining walls, high slopes, etc. Once again, this is only a concept for the project not a final set of plans ready to be evaluated.

Developer Daniel Gryczman said, “We’re looking forward to continuing the process and creating an even greater project as we move forward.” Regency should be given that chance.

I have been accused of meeting with Regency so that they could convince me that this is a good plan for the chosen site. I did not meet with them to evaluate their drawings but to evaluate Regency, not the project. I feel that Regency builds outstanding projects. They are not a fly-by-night company but have a strong track record of building beautiful developments. I feel confident that if this project does ever move forward it will be one that we can all be proud of.

New housing, especially high-end, is desperately needed. These will be housing types that are sorely needed in Ventura. They will help to satisfy an un-met need for luxury (not quite executive) housing, and they will bring sorely needed taxes and dollars to Ventura.

As an added benefit, this type of construction would hire many construction workers that would earn from $15 to $150 per hour. This would be an added boost to our local economy and businesses.

The fact that hundreds of acres will be given to the Hillside Conservancy appeals to me. I have visited the proposed area and it would be an amazing addition to the city. It would include beautiful hiking trails which could eventually connect to the Ventura Botanical Gardens.

Those opposed have stated that if “Regency can’t follow the HMP (Hillside Management Program) that they should leave town”. The HMP is not a code, rather it is a general guideline for development projects in our hillsides which will then be considered by the City Council. The guidelines were never meant to be followed exactly but as a reference for hillside development.

At the hearing one speaker said that Regency just wants to come here to make a “quick buck.” Regency started this process with the City in 2013 and if all goes smoothly (which it never does) they might have homes for sale in 2019. Some quick buck.

Based upon current zoning, this site could accommodate 1,300 homes that could comply to the HMP (it wouldn’t happen of course).

I have heard folks say that 55 homes will put a large burden on our roads with cars constantly pouring out of the hillsides. A typical mid-town street between Main and Thompson includes approximately 45 homes, and I don’t see cars pouring out on to these streets. Currently, Ventura has about 40,000 homes, and we’re talking about adding 55 more.

There will be plenty of opportunities for all to be heard in the months ahead, so let’s relax and wait until the next phase of drawings are submitted. These plans, once submitted, will take into consideration the comments and concerns of the Planning Commission, City Council and the general public. At that point we can all decide if we are for or against the project.

It is likely that some of those opposed to the Planning Commission approving the pre-screen either don’t understand exactly what was approved or are ignoring it to make their points.

For instance, I’ve heard one commissioner, David Ferrin, quoted because he voted no to the prescreen even though he stated, “With better design I think that 55 high quality homes is feasible.” So even he is not opposed to the concept of building 55 clustered homes in the general proposed area. He voted no so his concerns for the current drawings could be heard. Again, this is irrelevant at this point because these preliminary drawings will not ultimately be what is built.

When more final plans have been prepared and submitted to the City, the Ventura Breeze will facilitate a forum where we can all review and talk about the exact proposed development.

Kudos to Dan Long, Planning Commission Chair, for running a great, civil initial public meeting. I’m sure Mayor Heitmann will achieve the same at the upcoming City Council meeting.

And the rumor that Regency Development will be giving me one of these houses for supporting this project is not true. They didn’t even buy me lunch.

•  There are new 25 MPH signs on Poli St. to reduce driving speeds. Because it is a quicker way to travel East and West, the street is used more like a highway then a residential street. In fact, it is used by a lot of people after downtown bars close. There is less chance of being stopped by the police then by using Main or Thompson. My son recently got a speeding ticket on Poli, doing 40 MPH, and the ticket cost with traffic school included is just over $300. So, beware.

I have suggested this idea previously. Since Poli runs through Ventura High School, the street is closed-off during school hours. Drivers then use Main and Thompson to go East and West as they should.

Why not just permanently close Poli at the school and make it part of the campus? Would make the school much prettier and safer and would definitely slow down traffic on Poli. It works now when the street is closed off so why not make it permanent? The VUSD would need to purchase one, or maybe two homes to accomplish this.

•  Thanks for your many opinions sent in regarding Regency’s proposed 55-house hillside project. I’m not sure why people think that I am supporting the project at this time based upon my comments. I do not know if I am for or against it yet. When I have a final opinion about whether I think it is good or bad for Ventura, I will let folks know.

I have received several emails from people who oppose the project and Regency has received many letters supporting it. In a future issue we will have much coverage about the project.

One of our writers and I recently met with Regency to see the proposed development plans and to hear what they had to say about the project. Their presentation was very professional and well-articulated. Their presentation is much more than is actually required by the City at this time in the very preliminary approval process.

Readers have been writing to me in opposition and some want to meet to show me what is wrong with the project. I appreciate the feedback, but because I have been an architect for 47 years, I will be able to review the plans and make my own decision about the merits, or downfalls, of the development.

I also understand that this project will not be what I consider “executive housing”. I was merely pointing out that Ventura needs “executive housing.”. This will certainly be luxury housing, and it might be as close as we can get with the limited land available in Ventura. Though, there is land in Ventura’s “sphere of influence” that could be looked at for executive housing at some point.

•  Regarding future building developments, on September 16, the Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted unanimously to annex property into the city of Ventura, marking an integral step toward development of a 70-acre project known as Focus Area One.

Focus Area One is more than 100 acres in total and includes the current Ventura Auto Center and Olivas Park, which will become a state-of-the art commercial district that will serve the City of Ventura and the region.

“This is an important milestone in our progress toward fulfilling the City’s goal of developing destination retail adjacent to our Auto Center,” said Mayor Cheryl Heitmann. “The proposed development will complement the Auto Center and will provide sought-after services to our residents.”

The LAFCO action amended the City of Ventura’s sphere of influence to include a 6.65-acre site, which formerly served as the Montalvo Community Services District wastewater treatment facility. The Montalvo plant will be decommissioned and demolished, allowing for the construction of a new road and levee that will facilitate development of the new project.

“The City has collaborated with the private investment community for years to design and construct the infrastructure needed to support development at this site,” said City Manager Mark Watkins.  “This latest action is a victory for the project and for the City as a whole. This is a high-profile development site along the 101 corridor; it will be a great asset to the City,” said Watkins.

•  As I’m sure you have heard, there was a proposal to include some paid parking in the Downtown parking structure. I hear people against this idea saying, “look what happened when they put parking meters in Downtown. Look what they did to business.”

So, conducting an impromptu experiment, I wanted to see first-hand the impact they are having. I drove Downtown (11:30am on a Wednesday) and counted the empty spaces (not including the 24-minute parking spaces). There were 3 empty spaces on the North side of Main and 5 on the South side. A total of only 8 empty spaces, so the parking meters have had little, or no effect on people parking in Downtown.

The good news is that Ventura’s City Manager has released a statement announcing negotiations are continuing, but settlement options for the Santa Clara Parking Structure do not include paid parking.

According to Watkins, “Over the last few weeks, the City has heard from concerned citizens about the proposed changes to the Santa Clara parking structure. We recognize that this is a significant issue that matters to our community. Listening to the voices of our residents, we are further negotiating with the interested parties to continue to explore options that do not include paid parking.”

In addition, Watkins announced the parking structure item has been moved to the City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2. It had been scheduled for Oct. 26.

•  Channel Islands National Park Superintendent, Russell Galipeau, has announced the release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to replace the pier at Scorpion Anchorage on East Santa Cruz Island.

The park plans to replace the existing pier to provide safe accessible, efficient, and sustainable access for visitors and park staff.

Public involvement is essential to the success of the project. Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies can submit comments at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/ScorpionPier.

Comments can also be mailed to:
Scorpion Pier Project
Channel Islands National Park
1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001

•  Once again, Ventura is considering a sales tax increase to be included on the November 2016 ballot. Our current sales tax rate is 7.5%. The City Council voted to spend a maximum of $80,000 to launch a campaign to inform/educate Venturans to persuade them to vote yes in this election.

A private survey conducted recently shows that a majority of Venturans would approve an increase if the revenue generated would improve essential city services. Only a simple majority is required to pass this sales tax increase. Depending on the amount of increase (1/2% or 1%), the new revenue could reach an estimated $10-$20 million a year.