Community Development
What's Smart Growth all about?
In recent years, at the ballot box and through a citywide visioning process, Ventura residents have made clear they want a well-planned approach to managing growth. They don’t want continued suburban sprawl paving over farmland and sensitive hillside areas. Instead, we want to vacant or run-down properties be improved with high quality “infill” to provide new jobs, new homes and new stores and services. That’s called “Smart Growth” and it is the basis for Ventura’s new General Plan Update.
City of Ventura eNews: Achieving Our Vision
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Current and past issues of Achieving Our Vision can be found online at http://cityofventura.net/enews/smartgrowth.
About the Community Development Department
The Community Development Department implements a variety of programs to assist in the development of the City's economic future and foster a better quality of life.
The Community Development Department (CD) is responsible for planning and zoning, economic development and housing and redevelopment for the City of Ventura. Our department works to ensure that new construction and additions to existing structures meet the policies and guidelines that have been established for public safety, zoning and development. CD also works with various City commissions that help guide and advise the City Council regarding growth in the City. Many projects that come before the City for review are presented to one or more commissions or committees for recommendations to the City Council. The department is also involved with special events, regional planning, and open space.
Vision
Enhancing Ventura’s quality of life by leading the way towards a better tomorrow.
Mission
To ensure our community’s sustainable future while respecting our history by positively influencing the physical, social, economic and cultural development of our community.
Core Values
The Community Development Department believes in:
- Creative thinking in problem solving
- Enthusiasm for its work
- Professionalism
- Customer service
- Integrity
- A team oriented approach
- Effective communication between all levels of staff
- State-of-the-art technology to improve our work product
- Mutual respect for one another