We must choose a new path because we are going to lose the quality of life and the beauty that surround us here in our beloved Ventura.

                      An Intense Minority Overrules Our Majority
The neighborhood battles are exhausting and expensive. It’s time to fix the system for all of Ventura.  We need more accountable representation that only an elected mayor and single district representation will bring. As it stands, the unelected chief executive has all the power of hiring, firing and development planning for the city. Our City Charter does not give us the power to elect him or fire him. The city deck is now fully stacked with New Urbanist planners hired from elsewhere. Stacking the deck is how one creates enough minority power to overrule the majority. 

                                It's Time to Awaken Your Neighbors
Sometimes we don’t notice what’s going on until it lands, literally, on our doorsteps. And now it has. Pierpont, Midtown, Bungalow Neighbors, the Harbor, Vista del Mar, Foothill Neighborhoods, East Ventura and West Ventura. The wide awake can see it now and need to awaken their neighbors. What is the point of living surrounded by hillsides and ocean if you wall them off from view and are living with L.A. traffic and dirty air?

                            Are We Part of the “Greater Good?”
For four years,  I have watched my fellow Venturans, from neighborhood after neighborhood, stand up at City Council meetings with pain, anger and shock on their faces. With a jolt, they realize that the character of their neighborhoods will be changed forever by a minority with a rigid ideology that says “This is for your own good.”  High density, high rises, higher taxes, dirty beaches, traffic, higher crime rates, polluted air…all the things you came here to escape from are being planned and approved for your future. For your own good and the greater good, they say. Is it selfish to question? Are we part of the greater good? Is there money involved?

                                  We Must Think for Ourselves
The New Urbanists have wonderful marketing jargon..walkable neighborhoods (the old ones already are, the new ones are not), smart growth (no one wants to be dumb), public transportation (on buses to where we don’t work) and the word “green” so repeatedly that one is afraid to ask, “What’s green about concrete?”  My favorite is their sound bite, “If we can’t go out, then we have to go up.”  Kinda like “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”  Do we now accept sound bites as substitutes for our own thinking?
                        
              Council Members Not Accountable to the Neighborhods 
Our Mayor is appointed by fellow council members and only has ceremonial powers. Our seven council members are “at large” representatives. They are not accountable to any particular area.  With the diversity of Ventura’s unique neighborhoods needing special attention, wouldn’t a  council member need to live in the area he or she represents? Single district representation simply brings more accountability to the electorate. A neighborhood needs a representative that is tuned in, not out. 

                                  Their Vision is Not Our Vision
 The New Urbanists brought to Ventura to plan our future are intent on building their own vision of nirvana, not ours. Canyonization destroys the visibility of one of the last beautiful coastal communities in Southern California. Why don’t our Council Members object?  Maybe some of them drank the Kool Aid, and we didn’t notice. It’s time to notice. 

                           Power Should Rest With The People
I say, power belongs to the people.  We want our development to be compatible with our values and what’s already here. We need to stand up before it’s too late and we lose something truly precious. I propose two initiatives to amend the City Charter to fix the system: One for an elected mayor and one for single district representation. Please take the survey and let me know what you think.

Bless your views and points of view!

Camille Harris

PS Here were some of your comments from the last poll in regard to New Urbanism:

Question:  Do you believe the Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles should be adapted to Ventura’s unique character and small scale instead of vice versa?

Comments:

“The veracity of volume and culturally sensitive material in this area demands consideration during the development process.”

“We need to move cautiously and carefully in any development ventures. Ventura IS unique.”

“Absolutely. We are growing too fast; this kind of Smart Growth is stupid. How many people can this community sustain?  Water, infrastructure first.”

“If these principles are adapted to Ventura’s scale and character; if they respect our historic and natural resources and views—they could work here.”

“Ventura’s unique. Smart Growth/New Urbanism principles can work if they are adjusted to be compatible with/respectful of Ventura’s character and scale.”

“New Urbanism is great in a large city that has jobs, and public transit.  Ventura does not have the infrastructure.”
New Urbanism is the re-wording for the big money’s running over historic sites for modern development.”

Down with Cole’s “new urbanism!”

“Too late to get Californians out of their cars. Nobody will walk to stores-too dangerous now with gangs, purse snatchings, etc.”

“Many neighborhoods are already walk-able and livable.  Additional high density box condo units will destroy the neighborhoods, not improve them.”

“Obviously.”

“Why spoil our beautiful city where we have ocean and mountain views. Please no more covering the mountains and hiding the ocean. I’ve lived here since 1936.”

“Jane Jacobs founded “New Urbanism” and said that what’s being passed off as New Urbanism is not what she had in mind. Ventura is not a Potemkin village.”

“Don’t make the mistake of destroying what Ventura is about—a city by the sea where you can see the hillside from the beach and historic neighborhoods.”

“Keep Ventura quaint and unique, not like every other suburban commercial garbage can.”

”Our town has a character that, in other similar towns, is fast becoming extinct.  Once it is lost, there is no getting it back.”

“Ventura is becoming one of the last coastal spots left that is still charming. To preserve that, its residents need to have a say in its developments.”

“Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles are for continued population growth, which is the root cause of all the negative consequences that have occurred in California.”

“May apply in downtown area but not in all areas of the city.”

“Smart Growth and New Urbanism are catch phrases invented by so called social planners and developers.”

“We have the chance to get it right now.  Let’s not sell out and be short sighted.”

“R. Cole’s New Urbanism has already set the stage for crimes of opportunity by forcing the creation of alleys in at least one development.”

“They have effectively turned my nice neighborhood into a slum and take no regard to appeals process even though we pay then the $850. to listen.”

”Smart Growth has been distorted to justify cookie cutter towns across America, lacking soul and originality.  You cannot force VTA into a mold.”

“Ventura is a special place with its unique soul.  All new developments need to respect its authenticity and build accordingly.”

”Why would we want to look like the San Fernando Valley?”

“How about some affordable housing?”

“Don’t block views of ocean or mountains with high-rises.  Keep Ventura uniquely beautiful.”

“We moved here for the quiet coastal town; charming downtown and wonderful historic buildings and bungalow homes and cottages.”

 

Signature Review is Serious Stuff

Yes, our eyeballs are falling out from reviewing each and every signature that has been disqualified by the county registrar of voters. Apart from the hope of finding enough signatures to qualify for the ballot this year, instead of next, we feel a responsibility to every person who signed the initiative to ensure that their signature counted, if it should have been counted.

People were so anxious to make sure they signed it that we ended up with 640 duplicate signatures. That hurt us, but our hardworking volunteers are finding plenty of signatures that appear to be valid, that we believe were mistakenly disqualified for one reason or another.

Thanks to Dianne Moon and Norine Martin for taking charge of this important project. And to Dan Cormode, for his computer wizardry that makes checking the signatures a little easier. All of the intensive hand inspection was completed this past Monday by dedicated volunteers: Jeff Nesbit, Joyce and Gerry Callaway, Helen Babcock, Pat Pillow, Donna Carver, Carol Lindberg,Tesi Wong, Diane Underhill, Patti Thomas, Kit Guest, Jean Nussman, Bob Shakman, Sarah Kalvin, Pete LaFollette, Jenny McKinney, Kendra Gonzales, Norene Charnofsky, Steve Schleder, Dianne Moon and Norine Martin.


I also want to thank Mabi Plisky and Josie Herrera from the City Clerk’s office who made the job as easy as possible and gave up their lunch hours so we could continue working through the day. We have now entered the computer checking phase and if you can accommodate Excel on your computer and are willing to check 100 names, please email me at Venturacord@hotmail.com. This is very intense work, but it is not difficult and many hands make light the work. You can also call me at 648-1902.