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Increase Bike Riding in the City of Ventura By 2.5% Each Year - NEW

Why This Is Important

Number of Bike Riders per Day(Average of 3 locations)

 

FY 11/12	April
Target	N/A
Actual	*70
Variance

 * Baseline data collected March, 2012 – Locations measured: Telegraph at Mills, Main at Arundell, and Loma Vista at Day.

 Why This Is Important

Bike riding is an integral component of the city's mobility system by providing a medium-range trip alternative, while improving social and physical health. Increased bike riding is an indication of having bicycling facilities that are safe and convenient to use.

 What Is Being Done

The city has embarked on an ambitious plan to improve bicycling conditions and culture in the city. Staff is working with community groups on projects and programs to achieve an increase in bike riding. For instance, working with Ventura Unified School District on improving bicycling safety around schools, actively seeking grant funds for bicycle facility improvements, and working with the Ventura Bike Union on educational programs.

 About This Measure

The baseline data for this performance measure was collected in March 2012, measuring number of bike riders at three locations: Telegraph at Mills, Main at Arundell, and Loma Vista at Day.  The counts were averaged over two days to provide an average count per day per location.  The results of all three locations were averaged to get the average daily count for the baseline.  Data will be collected every Spring on an annual basis.  

The 2011 Bicycle Master Plan lays out several goals and implementation measures to improve bicycling conditions and bicycling culture in the city.  This performance measure tracks bike riding in the City, which should increase through implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan.

Contact:
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Tom Mericle, City Transportation Manager, tmericle@cityofventura.net

 

Increase Transit Ridership in Ventura by 1% Annually

 
 

FY 11-12	September	December	March	June
Target	409,105	414,674	369,194	413,144
Actual	391,151	414,879	417,491	0
Variance	-17,954	205	48,297

Why This Is Important

The City’s public transit service, provided by Gold Coast Transit, primarily provides mobility for younger, older, and lower income residents. However, increasing the reliability, accessibility, and frequency of service will provide a viable mobility option for traditionally non-transit dependent residents. This switch to transit usage will reduce traffic congestion on our City streets.

What Is Being Done

City staff is working with Gold Coast Transit staff and other member agencies to improve and expand transit opportunities in the City and surrounding region through use of local transit funding and transit grant funds. City staff is actively involved with providing comfortable and convenient bus stops (benches, trash cans, and transit shelters) to encourage transit ridership.

About This Measure

Quarterly targets are set based on previous year's actual ridership, plus 1% increase.  Transit ridership varies depending on various factors including price of gas, weather, summer out-of-school factors, and tourism.  The 2005 General Plan sets out community accessibility goals to provide residents with more transportation choices by strengthening and balancing bicycle, pedestrian, and transit opportunities in the City. This performance measure tracks the local transit ridership and ties into the City’s overall accessible community index performance measure.

Contact:
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Tom Mericle, City Transportation Manager, tmericle@cityofventura.net

 

Pavement Condition Index

     

FY 11-12	September	March
Target	75	75
Actual	71	71
Variance	-4	-4

Why This Is Important

The maintenance of City streets is key to the accessibility and mobility of a community.  This measure tracks the City’s Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and is important to determine how drivable our streets are, the rate of deterioration (or improvement), the effectiveness of the current strategy, and the extent of additional funding required, if necessary, in both the near and long term.

What Is Being Done

The City implements and updates a Pavement Maintenance Plan, which includes the latest strategy for maintaining and/or improving the ride quality of our streets.  The Plan is updated annually and includes a list of streets scheduled to be repaved as part of the Capital Improvement Plan.  It also provides a qualitative analysis of the City’s overall street condition utilizing the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), including the latest predicted trend in this key indicator (increasing or decreasing), information on available funding, the latest strategy for maintaining our streets, and a host of other information that is geared to inform policy makers and the public of the current and predicted future condition of our streets depending on various funding levels. 

About This Measure

A citywide average PCI of 75 on a scale from 0 to 100 has been established as an acceptable and achievable target for the condition of City streets.  A score of 0 would be for a street that has completely failed and 100 for a new street or a street recently repaved with an asphalt overlay. This value is slightly higher than the regional average (69) but less than that of some local cities like Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, 81 and 82 respectively in 2010.  A PCI of 75 appears to be an acceptable condition level to most residents and visitors.  By knowing the condition of our streets, we can update and optimize our strategy for accomplishing our goal, which may include reprioritizing other City programs and increasing or decreasing funding levels for the Pavement Maintenance Program. 

                                         

Poor - PCI 27                                                                                                Fair – PCI 47

Good – PCI 87

Contact: 
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Joe McDermott, Principal Civil Engineer, jmcdermott@cityofventura.net

 

Clean Beaches-Ocean Water Quality

Target – Achieve a B (3.0) Average in the Annual “Heal the Bay” Report Card for Ventura’s Beaches - NEW

    

	FY 10/11	FY 11/12
Target	3.0	3.0
Actual	3.9	4.0
Variance	0.9	1.0

Why This Is Important

People who swim, surf or play in coastal water polluted with high levels of bacteria can become ill with stomach flu, colds and skin rashes.  Polluted ocean water also harms fish, shellfish, crabs and other marine life and plants that live along Ventura’s coast. The Beach Report Card analyzes bacteria levels and assigns each beach an A-F grade based on the risk of getting sick from contact with the water.

What Is Being Done

Protecting Ventura’s coastal water quality is one of the City’s highest priorities.  The City’s annual $2.2 milllion stormwater quality and stormdrain budget is used to implement a vast array of programs that make a difference.  Examples include street sweeping, regular cleaning of the City’s 1,800 stormdrain inlets, stormwater inspections of businesses and construction sites, installing trash screens in stormdrain inlets near high litter areas, responding to illegal stormwater discharges, education on the importance of protecting stormwater quality, monitoring stormwater quality, and cleaning the most heavily contaminated stormwater runoff.   The Heal the Bay Beach Report helps the City measure the success of these programs, and many others, that protect Ventura’s coastal water quality.

About This Measure

There are 11 sites that are tested on a weekly basis by the County Environmental Health Department.  The samples are taken on a weekly basis (April – October).

This is considered “dry weather” sampling. 

Sites tested:

1)    Surfers Point at Seaside

2)    Promenade Park – Projection of California St.

3)    Promenade Park – Redwood Apts.

4)    Promenade Park Projection of Figueroa St.

5)    San Buenaventura Beach - Kalorama Drain

6)    San Buenaventura Beach – San Jon Drain

7)     San Buenaventura Beach   - Dover Lane

8)     San Buenaventura Beach – Weymouth Ln. Drain

9)      Marina Park – North of playground

10)  Peninsula Beach

11)  Surfers Knoll

Heal the Bay, non-profit organization,takes the data and analyzes it and then reports an annual “Beach Report Card” every Fall.    Our performance measure reports the grade out every December.   Heal the Bay has more than 12,000 active members that advocates for clean coastal water.  Their slogan is “When we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves.”  Each year, Heal the Bay rates over 500 beaches in California with grades of A to F based on bacteria analysis.

Both Heal the Bay and the City of Ventura strongly advise avoiding contact with all ocean waters 72 hours following a rain storm, even on beaches that consistently receive A’s and B’s.

Ventura County: Overall water quality at beaches throughout Ventura County remains among the best in the state. All monitored beaches received A grades in this report. There were no known sewage spills in Ventura County reported to Heal the Bay this summer.  The full report can be found at www.healthebay.org

Contact: 
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Ray Olson, Environmental Sustainability Manager, rolson@cityofventura.net

 

Decrease Energy Usage: Target – Decrease by 5% Annually (kWh)

 
 

FY 11-12	September	December	March	June
Target	828,004	782,218	767,564	754,849
Actual	864,024	826,350	790,831
Variance	36,020	44,132	23,267

Why This Is Important

Decreasing energy use is important because it reduces energy costs and has a positive impact on the environment.  This measure tracks electricity usage in most City building facilities.  The City’s Green Initiative set the baseline year in FY 2006-07 and a new baseline was set in FY 2007-08 to include the Community Park and Aquatics Center. A total of 16 City facilities were selected to track approximately 90% of City Facilities’ electricity usage. Over the last 3 years, energy use decreased by 9% by the end of FY 2010-11 instead of the 15% reduction targeted. The continued target is 5% annual reduction of electricity usage. Electricity usage is recorded annually and compared to previous years.

What Is Being Done

Facilities Management and City departments will continue to implement successful proactive measures in energy conservation such as: Install photovoltaic solar panels at City Hall; retrofit indoor and outdoor lighting and occupancy sensors with the latest lighting technology; replace inefficient HVAC mechanical equipment (e.g. air handlers, chillers, pumps, hot water heaters, etc.); program energy management systems to adjust schedules and allow equipment to be the most efficient within building standards; utilize new materials in roofing and window coverings for thermal deflection; install solar tube natural lighting and day lighting controls; encourage employees to practice energy conservation efforts in their daily operations; and pursue additional grants and low-interest loans to accelerate energy conservation projects.  In the next fiscal year, a new round of lighting retrofits, HVAC replacements, and solar panels will enable the City to meet energy reduction targets. 

About This Measure

By the end of Fiscal Year 2011-12, most of the lower-cost efficiency measures will have been completed.  Further reductions will need to be achieved by longer-term investments in time and capital. The installation of City Hall Solar Panels will significantly decrease energy usage. The City’s Public Works Facilities Management will continue to partner with Southern California Edison to reduce kilowatt usage during peak hours.  Designs will be reviewed for implementation of the newer, more efficient building codes.  Employee awareness and voluntary reduction of energy use will continue to be strengthened as new incentives and tools are explored.

Contact: 
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Mary Joyce Ivers, Fleet and Facilities Manager, mjivers@cityofventura.net

Reduce Fleet Fuel Use

Target – Decrease Annual Fuel Usage by 5% fromPrevious Year

 
 

FY 11-12	September	December	March	June
Target	56,186	56,186	56,186	56,186
Actual	59,088	50,527	52,877
Variance	2,902	-5,659	-3,309

Why This Is Important

Fuel costs continue to increase due to the volatile fuel market and global issues.  This performance measure tracks annual fuel usage of all City vehicles and is important because reduced fuel usage is an indicator of effective conservation efforts and operational efficiencies.  

What Is Being Done

A citywide fuel reduction plan was established to provide departments with 1) an awareness of how much fuel is being consumed, 2) develop tools and incentives to reduce fuel consumption, and 3) assess vehicle replacement options. Each department must assess and implement strategies that are appropriate to each operation.  These include installing telematic devices (Network Fleet) to monitor operational efficiency, driver education and accountability, environmentally friendly vehicle replacements, right-size vehicles, efficient utilization through sharing equipment and ride-sharing, no idle policy, encouraging teleconference, and timely preventive maintenance for vehicles.  Each department has an allocated target of fuel in gallons and monitors the amount of fuel they use on a monthly and quarterly basis.  This provides an incentive for departments to reduce fuel usage and retain any residual fuel cost savings for their operations. 

About This Measure

In 2007, the City’s Green Initiative established a fuel reduction plan to reduce fuel consumption by 10% in Fiscal Year 08-09.  Targets were set during better economic times whereby the plan was to replace vehicles with more fuel-efficient vehicles.  Deferred purchases have resulted in slower reductions than originally planned.  As a result, for FY 11-12, the target has changed to reduce fuel use by 5% from the previous year.

Contact: 
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Mary Joyce Ivers, Fleet and Facilities Manager, mjivers@cityofventura.net

 

Reduce City Operations Greenhouse Gas Emission

Target – Reduce by 2.8% Annually

  

	FY 09/10	FY 10/11	FY 11/12
Target	13,387	13,002	12,617
Actual	13,178	12,089	11,875
Variance	-209	-913	-742

Why This Is Important

In 2006, the State passed the Global Warming Solutions Act, which established a statewide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Although individual jurisdictions are not yet required to comply with this ambitious goal, Ventura established this performance measure to commit to doing our part. In addition, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is fiscally responsible.

What Is Being Done

Ventura has dramatically reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 14% since it first began measuring in 2007. City staff has aggressively pursued energy and fuel conservation efforts to reduce the City’s emissions and operating costs. By cutting our use of electricity, natural gas, and vehicle fuel, the primary sources or greenhouse gas emissions, the City has saved over $800,000 in its operating budget over the last three years.

About This Measure

The targets for this measure are based on the 2007 baseline of 14,112 metric tons and are set each year by reducing the previous year’s target by 2.8%.  The data is collected annually and is reported in April for the prior calendar year.  For example, the data for FY 11-12 is for the period of January - December, 2011. The City’s greenhouse gas emissions measurements are very accurate and are calculated using reports from Edison, the Gas Company, and the City’s fuel usage database.  In addition, as a member of The Climate Registry, the City is required to have a 3^rd party verifier review the report and attest to its accuracy. Greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, are produced from burning fossil fuels. Every kilowatt of electricity, therm of natural gas, and gallon of gasoline used by the City produces carbon emissions. For example, one gallon of gasoline produces 20 pounds of carbon dioxide when it is burned. The City tracks its use of fossil fuels and corresponding carbon emissions and reports this information to the Climate Registry. If the City is able to reduce its annual emissions by 2.8% each year it will achieve the AB32 goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Contact:
Rick Raives, Public Works Director,rraives@cityofventura.net
Joe Yahner, Environmental Supervisor, jyahner@cityofventura.net

 

Reduce Municipal Solid Waste

Target – Reduce by 2% Annually – Tons to Landfill

 

FY 11-12	Sep	Dec	Mar	Jun
Target	29,499	26,642	25,624	27,855
Actual	27,845	24,832	Pending	0
Variance	-1,654	-1,810

Why This Is Important

All waste sent to landfills is buried and unusable. Most of these materials, such as metal, paper, plastics and organics, can be recycled into new products, saving resources and energy. Measuring landfill disposal from the community provides a good measure of how well our residents and businesses are reducing waste and recycling. In addition, all jurisdictions in the State of California are required to divert at least 50% of their solid waste from landfills and can be assessed fines of $10,000 per day for not meeting this goal.

What Is Being Done

Ventura has long been recognized for its recycling and waste reduction programs. In fact, Ventura currently diverts over 70% of its solid waste from the landfill. The City’s works closely with the franchised solid waste hauler, E.J. Harrison and Sons, and the local recycling center, Gold Coast Recycling, to meet aggressive recycling goals. In addition, the Public Works Department provides recycling and waste reduction education and resources to Ventura’s businesses, schools, and residents.

About This Measure

The Ventura County Waste Management Division provides the landfill disposal data for this performance measure. The report includes disposal tonnage for the two active landfills in Ventura County: Toland Landfill and Simi Valley Landfill. The goal for this performance measure is to reduce solid waste landfill disposal by 2% annually.

Contact:
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Joe Yahner, Environmental Supervisor, jyahner@cityofventura.net

 

Target: Clean 95% of Graffiti Incidents in the Community Within 24 Hours of Notification.

  

FY 11-12	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
Target	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%
Actual	99%	99%	100%	98%	99%	100%	99%	99%	98%	100%	0	0
Variance	4%	4%	5%	3%	4%	5%	4%	4%	3%	5%

Why This Is Important

Maintaining clean and inviting public places in Ventura is an important goal.  It is especially the most visible indicator of the "wellness" and economic viability of a community.  The City of Ventura is committed to promptly removing graffiti from public areas. Experience has shown that removing graffiti as soon as it occurs is the best prevention against crime.

What Is Being Done

The community graffiti program is administered by Public Works Facilities Management and consists of two employees (one full-time and one half-time) who mobilize in response to Graffiti Hotline alerts and routinely patrol most commonly abused public spaces. Graffiti removal is done by using paint, chemical solvents, or sandblasting, depending on the type of surface.

The success of the program lies with community partnerships, business owners, all City departments and with other agencies to identify repeat locations/offenders and remove the worst of the graffiti as soon as possible.  The graffiti team collaborates closely with the Police Department to assist in documenting the graffiti. In the past two years, the team has removed graffiti within 24 hours of a notification in over 95% of the incidences. Some locations require special treatment in order to mitigate the damage and, therefore, may take longer than the 24-hour target.

The City continues to collaborate with other work units to promptly identify graffiti and improve response times.  Grant opportunities will be pursued to reinstate the Graffiti Tracker program.

About This Measure

This measure tracks how quickly graffiti is cleaned in the community.  Over the last several years, the City has exceeded its target by over 31%.   Residents can promptly report graffiti to the City of Ventura's Graffiti Hotline at 805-654-7805, which is also posted in the City’s website. The line is open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. You can also send an e-mail to graffiti@ci.ventura.ca.us.

Contact:
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Mary Joyce Ivers, Fleet and Facilities Manager, mjivers@cityofventura.net

 

Reduce Litter in High Visibility Places

Target – Maintain a Score of 2.0 – Slightly Littered

  

	FY 09/10	FY 10/11	FY 11/12
Target	2.0	2.0	2.0
Actual	2.0	2.0	2.1
Variance	0	0	.1

Why This Is Important

The Litter Index is an annual measurement that provides an assessment of the litter in our community. The index informs the City about the general trend of litter in our community and helps the City to determine if additional clean-up measures are needed.

What Is Being Done

The City provides monthly street sweeping in residential neighborhoods and weekly or daily sweepings in commercial areas. Trash barrels are provided at bus stops and high pedestrian areas. In addition, the Parks, Recreation, and Community Partnerships Department organized periodic community clean-ups in which volunteers remove litter from beaches, parks, and other areas. Results from the Litter Index survey are sometimes used to identify locations for these clean-ups.

About This Measure

The Litter Index is measured annually by a small group of volunteers and City staff. The group conducts a “window” survey of 31 designated litter hot spots and provides a core for each location. The litter index uses a 4-point scoring system to estimate the amount of litter in each hotspot:

1 Represents “No Litter”

2 Represents “Slightly Littered”

3 Represents “Littered”

4 Represents “Extremely Littered”

Contact: 
Rick Raives, Public Works Director, rraives@cityofventura.net
Joe Yahner, Environmental Supervisor, jyahner@cityofventura.net