In spite of opposition by many Venturan’s who spoke at the meeting City council members have approved an 88-unit apartment project located at 935 E. Front St. It will have four stories of rental units. Residents who addressed the council opposed the project because the building height and it negatively changes the character of the neighborhood.

The townhome-style apartments will include 12 units for low-income residents and two for moderate-income residents.

The Planning Commission denied the project on Sept. 28 citing inconsistencies with the city’s municipal code, the city’s plan for downtown and state density bonus law. The plan approved by the City Council has more low-income units than the design considered by planning commissioners.

The applicant, Aldersgate Investment, LLC, appealed the decision to the City Council.

As the state has taken over local controls Gov. Gavin Newsom has sued cities for violating state housing law.

Echoing the thoughts of council members Councilmember Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios stated “I recognize that there are state laws that we just can’t circumvent that we as a city have to abide by and if we don’t, there will be consequences.”

In approving the project, the council did ask the Design Review Committee to recommend design changes that could improve the plan.

If the project continues through final drawings, approval processes and construction it will be many years before it is completed.

Two Eleven (PROJ-22-0092)

Location: 211 East Thompson Boulevard (District 1)
Description: A new 6-story mixed use building with 94 units and 3,181 square feet of commercial space  on a 0.92 acre site.
Status: Third submittal under review
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee September 21, 2022
Planning Commission TBD
City Contact: Gene Burse, Senior Planner, [email protected]

Samet Apartments (PROJ 11836)

Location: 102 South Garden Street (District 1)
Description: A new 3-story  residential building with 19 units on a 0.3 acre site.
Status: Awaiting Resubmittal
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee: 03/03/21
Planning Commission: 09/28/22
City Contact: Levi Hill, Principal Planner, [email protected]

141 N Ventura Ave Renovation (PROJ-14897)

Location:  141 North Ventura Avenue (District 1)
Project Description: Renovate an existing commercial building to have two (2) retail suites and nine (9) residential units on a 13,950 square foot site.
Status: Scheduled for Hearing
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee: 09/21/22
Director’s Hearing: TBD
City Contact: Shaveta Sharma, Contract Planner, [email protected] 

∙ On August 30 a meeting was held at the Museum of Ventura County to discuss possible changes to agricultural zones, density, building heights and other general plan updates.

It was presented by City staff members.

The meeting was just one of a series to be held for the general plan update. The general plan covers land use, housing, economic development and will determine development for the next 20-30 years.

Tuesday’s meeting ran about three hours. Some attendees expressed their displeasure with what was presented by to shouting at various times during the lengthy presentation.

A virtual meeting was also held on Thursday. Theses meetings collect public opinions about where housing, industrial use, retail, and other uses should be located.

Ventura Community Development Director Peter Gilli understood the anger in the room.

He stated “Admittedly, it didn’t start well but I’m happy with the feedback. It’s only the first step. We’re going to do a lot more and get as much feedback as possible.”

The revisions to the general plan will ultimately be made be the City Council possibly by late 2023.

∙ The Ventura Planning Commission purpose is to advise and recommend on the development and maintenance of general and specific plans. Review annual and five-year capital improvement programs. Advise and make recommendations on applications for zone changes, tract maps, subdivisions, variances, use permits, planned development permits, and related matters.

Commission Members
David Comden – Chair
Appointed by Councilmember Doug Halter
Jenny Lagerquist – Vice Chair
Appointed by Councilmember Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios
Mark Abbe
Appointed by Councilmember Mike Johnson
Kara Davis
Appointed by Councilmember Lorrie Brown
Jane Farkas
Appointed by Councilmember Jim Freidman
Scott McCarty
Appointed by Deputy Mayor Schroeder
Lucas Zucker
Appointed by Mayor Sofia Rubalcava

∙Homeless individuals and previously homeless families will get first choice to be tenants at an affordable housing project at Ventura’s Westview Village.

The project is in west Ventura at 1153 Village Way. Of the 320 affordable units, 20 will be set aside for previously homeless families and five for homeless individuals.

The plan for Westview Village called for the demolition of the public housing complex built in 1952 and the construction of new apartments, which began in 2017.

With the former residents accounted for, the project provides enough room to accommodate homeless families and individuals, which wasn’t part of the plan when the project was first approved.

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura determined there was a need to fill in the community. The authority co-developed the complex with San Francisco-based nonprofit developer BRIDGE Housing Corp. The authority is the property manager and service coordinator for the complex.

Recently, developers broke ground on some of the apartments aimed for homeless individuals. Another phase of affordable units, including 20 for previously homeless families, is set to be complete next month.

There will be two case managers on staff and a community services department that will help the homeless families once they’ve moved in.

For more information, visit www.hacityventura.org.

Front and Kalorama (PROJ 14570)
Located: 935 East Front Street (District 2)
Description: A new 4-story building with 88 residential units and podium parking on a 0.9 acre site.
Status: Under Review
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee: 03/31/22
Planning Commission 09/28/22
City Contact: Gene Burse, Senior Planner  [email protected]

Ventura Ranch Market (PROJ-15349)
Location: 1532 – 1536 East Main Street (District 2)
Description: Alcohol Use Permit for a new 9,000 square foot grocery store.
Status: Approved
Hearing Info:
Director’s Hearing: August 25, 2022
City Contact: Jared Rosengren [email protected]

AutoZone Store (PROJ-22-0117)
Location: 1260 East Main Street Citrus Drive (District 7)
Description: Request for Major Design Review for a new 5,980 square-foot commercial building on a 0.48-acre site in the Urban Center (T5.2) zone within the Midtown Corridors Development Code with a land use designation of Commerce.
Status: New Application
Submitted: 08/05/2022
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee: TBD
Director’s Hearing or Planning Commission: TBD
City Contact: Gene Burse, Senior Planner, [email protected]

Maple Court Mixed Use (PROJ-22-0121)290 Maple Court
Request for Conceptual Review for a 350-unit multifamily apartment complex with 4,900 square feet of commercial space on a 6.48-acre site in the Intermediate Commercial (C-1A) zoning district with a land use designation of Commerce.
Design Review Committee: August 17,2022
City Contact: Levi Hill [email protected]
Note there is an opinion regarding this project in Mailbox on page x

Haley Point (PROJ 14778) 2400 Channel Drive (District 2)
15 buildings 2-3 stories with a total of 72 townhomes on a 4.3-acre site.
Under Construction
City Contact: Jamie Peltier, Principal Planner   [email protected]

Shell Gas Station and Car Wash (PROJ 22-0103)
New two-story convenience store with eight gas pumps, an automatic carwash, and to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption (ABC Type 20 License) on a 27,612 square foot site.
11004 Telegraph Road (District 4)
Status: Under Review
Design Review Committee: TBD Director’s Hearing: TBD
City Contact: Erica Hong, Associate Planner [email protected]

The purpose of the Design Review Committee (DRC) is to review, consider approve or deny applications for approval of design of architectural, landscaping, aesthetics for public and private projects, applications for sign variances, and proposed design elements or components of specific plans, historic districts, or other special areas.

DRC is now a recommending body only, meaning they only provide comments and a recommendation to Planning Commission which is the final decision making body for larger projects requiring design review. DRC members do not need to agree on all recommendations, but they try to organize their comments and recommendations based on whether a majority of the board agrees. Ultimately, they pass motions which include comments and/or requests for revisions that are passed along to Planning Commission to deliberate and act on.  Many minor projects are reviewed and receive design approval at the Director’s level.

They serve 4-year terms.

Committee Members
Albert Antelman, Chair
William Growdon, Vice Chair
Anthony Tomasello
Jack Kiesel, Member
Curtis Cormane, Member

William A. Growdon is a licensed architect with more than 30 years of experience in architecture, design, and building (with hands-on experience in every construction trade). ​

​William has designed and directed hundreds of projects from conception to fruition — from new homes and remodels to mixed-use and commercial buildings (offices, retail shops, studios, and restaurants) to city planning and architectonic designs and fabrication.

Having served as a member of the local Planning Commission, William has an in-depth understanding of policies and processes and knows how to successfully navigate related challenges and create new opportunities. During his time serving with the City of San Buenaventura Planning Commission, William participated in creating and writing the City General Plan, the downtown-specific plan form-based code adopted by the city.

A California native, William was born in San Diego, raised in Manhattan Beach, and has spent most of his life in the beach towns along the Southern California coast. When he’s not working or traveling, William enjoys a simple beach town life with his family – surfing, camping, hiking and coaching his daughters’ soccer teams.

Anthony C. Tomasello received a Bachelors in Environmental science and economics from UC Santa Cruz, and a Masters in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development from USC. His professional background is in land development and entitlements, urban design, and construction management.

The New School of Architecture    Bachelor of Architecture Degree (1989)
​Registered California Architect
Member American Institute of Architects (AIA)
City of Ventura
Planning Commission (2003-2005)
​ Public Art Commission (2015-2020)

Albert Antelman, RA has spent 46 years as an architect, facility management researcher, business executive, government official and private consultant.  Since 2010, he has been a Senior Fellow with the Institute of Responsible Infrastructure Stewardship, Fairfax Station, VA. The Institute is a not-for-profit “think tank” that conducts research and promotes responsible stewardship of existing infrastructure assets as a way to safeguard public safety and limit service impairment caused by failure of aging infrastructure.

Prior to retiring from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in 2010, he was the principal investigator for facilities management and sustainment issues at the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, Port Hueneme, California. He is a Registered Architect in the State of California, and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s of science in architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Jack Kiesel is an award winning landscape architect who has over 25 years of experience in landscape architecture, native plant restoration & enhancement, urban renewal, art and planning. His project list is extensive and includes many successful collaborations involving master planning of parks and civic spaces, plazas, open space enhancement, campus master planning, resorts and residential design.

Jack Kiesel’s work has been featured in Dwell, Green Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Central Coast Magazine and other publications.

Curtis Cormane has a B Arch from the University of Notre Dame.
He has been an instructor of architecture at Ventura College since 1996.

Scandia Village (PROJ 12721) Location: 1010 Cachuma (District 5)
Description: 30 attached 2-story single-family homes on a 2.1 acre site
Status: Awaiting Resubmittal
Hearing Info:
Design Review Committee TBD
Planning Commission TBD
City Council TBD
City Contact: Shaveta Sharma, Contract Planner [email protected]

North Ventura Apartments (PROJ 11713)
Location: 2110 North Ventura Avenue (District 1)
Description: New 3-story, 29 unit apartment building with 6 affordable units on a 37,500 square-foot site.
Status: Approved
City Contact: Jared Rosengren, Senior Planner [email protected]

Palma Industrial Building (PROJ-14893)
Location: Vacant Lot on Palma Drive (District 7)
Description: A new 29,832 square foot industrial building on a 1.05 acre site.
Status: Approved
City Contact: Jared Rosengren, Senior Planner [email protected]

Pacific Wave – 1342 Thompson (corner of San Jon and Thompson). 3 story mixed use building with 8 residences. Project by long time resident replacing family owned business. Under Review July 27 at the Planning Commission.

Planning Commission – Planning Commissioners advise and recommend on the development and maintenance of general and specific plans. Advise and make recommendations on applications for zone changes, tract maps, subdivisions, variances, use permits, planned development permits, and related matters. Planning Commissioners are appointed from each of Ventura’s seven voting districts by their respective City Council members.

The following projects were reviewed by the Design Review Committee and the Planning Commission two to three times each between 2018 and 2021. All are entitled (approved). These projects utilized City planning resources and local residents’ involvement on many levels.

Laurel Courts – 1028 E Front Street. Mixed use consisting of 46 residential units and 6,552 sq ft feet of retail.

Thom-Cruz – 1926 Thompson (Thompson and Santa Cruz streets). 12-unit multifamily development.

For more information go to www.LivableVentura.com or access the city development map at www.cityofventura.ca.gov Permit Services “button” or Development Map Permit Services | Ventura, CA for projects Under Review, Scheduled for Hearing or Entitled (Approved) and Under Construction.

The Kalthom is a new 45-unit apartment building located at the corner of Kalorama and Thompson. It features huge outdoor deck areas with BBQ’s and ocean views. A clubhouse, fitness center and other amenities. The units rent from approximately $2,800 to $4,500 but there are only a few left to be rented.

Mission Apartments – Interior and exterior improvements. Corner of Oak and Santa Clara Streets. Under review at Historic Preservation Committee on July 20. Staff report with specific details to be published in the Agenda Center  (cityofventura.ca.gov/agendacenter) on July 15.

HPC Purpose – Report to the Planning Commission, advise and recommend concerning the designation of historic districts, landmark sites, natural configurations, buildings, structures, and points of interest significant to the heritage and development of the City.

 Anacapa Courts- 4 story mixed use development 24 condominiums, 3850 sq ft commercial space approved and recently sold to a new developer located at 299 East Main.

Willow/ Ravello- 2-4 story buildings (13 separate buildings) with 306 apartments and 5000 sq ft of commercial space under construction at Northbank and Johnson Drives

For more information go to www.LivableVentura.com or access the city development map at www.cityofventura.ca.gov Permit Services “button” or Development Map Permit Services | Ventura, CA for projects Under Review, Scheduled for Hearing or Entitled (Approved) and Under Construction.