1. Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County A project of the Ventura County Civic Alliance and the Ventura Council of Governments

2. Ventura County Civic Alliance2 The mission of the Ventura County Civic Alliance is to promote a healthy and sustainable future for the Ventura County region The mission of the Ventura County Civic Alliance is to promote a healthy and sustainable future for the Ventura County region 3 What is the Civic Alliance?

3. Ventura County Civic Alliance3 About the Civic Alliance  Initiative of the Ventura County Community Foundation  Launched in 2001  Participants from throughout Ventura County  Blends 3Es – Economy, Environment, Social Equity

4. Ventura County Civic Alliance4 Strategies to Create a Better Future 1. Promote Livable Community Models 2. Prepare Ventura County Workforces for a Knowledge Economy 3. Build a Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County

5. Ventura County Civic Alliance5 What is a Compact?  A process by which citizens, governments, and stakeholders identify collaborative solutions to shared challenges  A statement of goals, policies and standards  Collectively negotiated  Voluntarily adopted by the jurisdictions in a region

6. Ventura County Civic Alliance6  1969: Guidelines for Orderly Development  1970s: Regional Land Use Program  1980s: Countywide Planning Program  1980s – 1990s: Six greenbelt agreements  1995 – 2001: SOAR initiatives in 8 cities and the County Ventura County has already benefited from regional thinking and planning

7. Ventura County Civic Alliance7 Why a Ventura County Compact?  Need for a long-term vision  Foster a sense of shared responsibility  Develop a spirit of regional cooperation  Build trust and understanding across diverse sectors  Establish a process of continuing dialog  Develop a commitment to action  Help create a sustainable future

8. Ventura County Civic Alliance8 Learning from others: Process leads to results.

9. Ventura County Civic Alliance9 The Compact will be a tall challenge, but we can do it  Process needs to be Inclusive Inclusive Engaging Engaging Efficient Efficient Productive Productive

10. Ventura County Civic Alliance10 It’s all about what’s right.  Better balanced housing choices  Future for agriculture  Improved transportation options  Clean air and clean water  Protected open space and wildlife habitats  A healthy economy and improved economic opportunities for all citizens

11. Ventura County Civic Alliance11 Compact Guiding Principles 1. Sustain agriculture 2. Maintain adequate and affordable housing at all income levels 3. Build an effective multi-modal transportation system 4. Protect open space and natural resources and conserve energy and other nonrenewable resources 5. Develop a diversified and competitive economy 6. Stimulate public education and action on sustainability issues

12. Ventura County Civic Alliance12 Four Key Questions  Where are we now? (Phase 1)  Where are we going? (Phase 1)  Where do we want to be? (Phase 2)  How do we get there? (Phase 3)

13. Ventura County Civic Alliance13 Phase 1: Identifying alternative futures  Collect data and develop range of plausible future scenarios  Identify goals and policy options  Gather and analyze public input on preliminary scenario options  Identify areas of convergence and divergence in defining a “preferred” future scenario

14. Ventura County Civic Alliance14 2007 Phase 1 Workshop  135 participants  19 visions mapped  Identifying key goals and principles  Locating housing, jobs, and transportation for projected 2030 population growth

15. Ventura County Civic Alliance15 Each map was digitized… Composite Map

16. Ventura County Civic Alliance16 … And a composite map created

17. Ventura County Civic Alliance17 Recurrent themes from workshop  Minimal SOAR boundary expansion  Focused town or city centers surrounded by compact neighborhoods  Focused around existing transportation and transit infrastructure  Emphasis on open space and habitat preservation

18. Ventura County Civic Alliance18 Trade-off Housing Mix Future growth more dense than existing

19. Ventura County Civic Alliance19 Survey Findings Survey results:  Respondents overwhelmingly preferred to focus growth in existing urban areas  48% said convert some vacant commercial areas to housing

20. Ventura County Civic Alliance20 Survey Findings  Overwhelming support for creating and publicly- funding a county-wide Open Space District (78%)  Water Quality and Wildlife Corridors & Habitat were ranked as the highest priority issues for a Open Space District

21. Ventura County Civic Alliance21 Project Priorities 4 Main Issues of Regional Concern 1) What to do with future Ventura County growth 2) Protection of its environmental and agricultural heritage, 3) Preservation of housing affordability and choice, and 4) Maintaining an efficient and equitable transportation system.

22. Ventura County Civic Alliance22 Options for Managing Growth  Renewal of SOAR boundaries  General plan density adjustments  Infrastructure concurrency requirements  Land capacity monitoring and management  Expansion of growth boundaries

23. Ventura County Civic Alliance23 Options for Protecting Agriculture and the Environment  Direct purchase of land or conservation easements  Transfer of Development Right (TDR) system  Regulatory protections, e.g., agricultural buffers, habitat restoration requirements, storm water management requirements

24. Ventura County Civic Alliance24 Options to Address Housing Needs  Inclusionary housing zoning ordinances  Jobs/housing linkage fee  Adjustments to city zoning regulations to allow well-designed medium-density infill and mixed-use housing  Density bonuses  Expedited entitlement and permitting for affordable and workforce housing projects

25. Ventura County Civic Alliance25 Meeting Transportation Needs  Land-use/transportation connection  Guiding Principles  Accessibility vs. mobility  Policy options

26. Ventura County Civic Alliance26 Phase 2 of the Compact Project  In-depth regional discussion of four key topics  Development and analysis of policy options  Drafting of a collaborative regional agreement on vision, principles, goals and actions  Continuing partnership with VCOG, broadening involvement of cities and county, businesses and community organizations

27. Ventura County Civic Alliance27  A Compact is Negotiated Negotiated Comprehensive Comprehensive Voluntary Voluntary Responsive to local and regional needs Responsive to local and regional needs Regional challenges demand a collaborative approach

28. Ventura County Civic Alliance28 We need your help  Advisory and working group members  Staff support for data collection, policy analysis and review  Outreach  Fundraising

29. Ventura County Civic Alliance29 Getting to Sustainability The Compact is only a start…  Renewable energy and energy efficiency  Cradle to grave recycling  Sustainable agriculture and regional food systems  Green building, green neighborhoods  Green business development  Environmental justice and social equity

30. Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County A project of the Ventura County Civic Alliance and the Ventura Council of Governments