Additional Engagement
Educational Forums
We are hosting a series of educational forums on topics relevant to the General Plan. Past topics include:
Planning 101: On May 18, 2021 the General Plan Team hosted a virtual informational session on the nuts and bolts of planning in Ventura. The session featured an informative presentation from Peter Gilli, Ventura’s Community Development Director, and Simran Malhotra of Raimi + Associates, the lead consultant on the General Plan Update. The presentation was followed by a Q+A period. Links to the slide deck and meeting recording are provided below.
Planning 101 Slide Deck (English)
Planning 101 Slide Deck (Español)
Economic Development: On June 3, 2021, the General Plan Team hosted a virtual educational forum on the ways the General Plan can address economic development and fiscal concerns. The forum featured a presentation and Q+A session led by Doug Svensson of Applied Development Economics, the consultant team's economic expert.
Economic Development Forum Slide Deck (English)
Economic Development Forum Slide Deck (Español)
Housing (w/ GPAC): On June 15, 2021 the General Plan Team hosted a virtual GPAC/public educational forum on housing. Veronica Tam, of Veronica Tam + Associates, provided an overview of existing housing conditions in Ventura the State's Housing Element requirements, and the process for updating Ventura’s Housing Element. The presentation was followed by a Q+A and discussion.
GPAC #4/Housing Educational Forum Slide Deck (English)
GPAC #4/Housing Educational Forum Slide Deck (Español)
Transportation: On August 10, 2021, the General Plan Team hosted a virtual informational session on mobility and transportation. The session featured an informative presentation from Deepak Kaushik of Iteris, the transportation lead for the General Plan Update, and Drusilla van Hengel of Nelson\Nygaard, the lead consultant for the Active Transportation Plan. The presentation covered existing mobility conditions, emerging mobility trends, and ways that the General Plan can address them. The presentation was followed by a Q+A and discussion.
Transportation Forum Slide Deck (English)
Transportation Forum Slide Deck (Español)
Health and Environmental Justice (w/GPAC): On September 21, 2021, the General Plan Update team convened the 7th meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC). The session was held jointly as an educational forum and provided a comprehensive overview of key environmental justice concepts, existing pollution burdens and inequities in health outcomes across the City, and best practices for addressing equity in the General Plan.
Health and Environmental Justice Slide Deck (English)
Health and Environmental Justice Slide Deck (Español)
Water Supply and Availability (w/GPAC): On October 18, 2022, the City of Ventura convened the 16th meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC). The session was held jointly as an educational forum and focused on Ventura’s water supply and water use. The City organized this meeting to respond to community concerns about planning for long term growth during a statewide drought.
Water Supply and Availability Slide Deck (English)
Pop-up Workshops
Throughout the process, the General Plan Team has held pop-up workshops at popular destinations around the city to spread awareness of the General Plan Update and reach a wider cross section of the community (e.g., youth, young families, minority groups, and other traditionally underrepresented groups).
Pop-Up Workshops Summary (Fall 2021)
Pop-Up Workshops Summary (Fall 2022)
Community Council Meetings (Ongoing)
Throughout the process, the General Plan Team has been meeting periodically with each of Ventura’s seven community councils, including:
Prior to the project kick off, the General Plan team met with most of the Community Councils at their regularly-scheduled meetings to provide background information on the General Plan and to discuss issues, challenges, threats and opportunities.
In July 2021, the General Plan Team initiated a second round of meetings with the Community Councils to present project updates and brainstorm on a long-term vision for their areas.
In September 2022, the General Plan Team held a third round of meetings with the Community Councils to provide an overview of the land use alternatives and discuss the alternatives for the geographic areas represented by the Community Councils in more detail. The General Plan Team also held two meetings focused on the Downtown – one for residents and one for businesses.
Summary of Community Council Meetings: Round #1
Summary of Community Council Meetings: Round #2
Summary of Community Council Meetings: Round #3 (Updated November 15, 2022)
Stakeholder Interviews (Summer 2020)
At the beginning of the process, the General Plan team met with over 20 individuals and organizations to better understand the values of the community. Click below for the summary notes.
