Highlighted Tenet: Encourage Citizen and Shareholder Participation in Development Decisions -

Tenet #10 of the 10 Tenets of Livable Communities, "Encourage citizen and shareholder participation in development decisions ", is selected for this issue to highlight the power of public involvement in successfully planning for quality communities. The City of Camarillo "did it right" when the Camarillo Commons Strategic Plan was developed

Here is the site as it exists today

The Livable Communities Working Group of the Ventura Civic Alliance participated in a fascinating discussion at Camarillo City Hall in late October with Robert Burrow (Director, Department of Community Development) and Randy Richardson (Senior Planner/Housing Program Analyst) reviewing the city's Camarillo Commons project. The Camarillo Commons Strategic Plan is the result of a comprehensive planning effort lead by the City of Camarillo aimed at establishing a long range plan for the revitalization of the Camarillo Commons Plan Area. The Plan Area encompasses 55 total acres and is located in the heart of the city. Historically, the Camarillo Commons Plan Area began as the core of Camarillo in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ponderosa Center was one of the very first community- scale shopping centers which provided significant convenience concerning household goods, groceries, and urban services for a rapidly growing Camarillo which was principally developed on the north side of the 101 freeway. Thus, Ponderosa Center, completed in 1963, is a significant portion of the overall existing development, and has been in operation and evolution and tenant change outs for more than 43 years.

Here is the final site plan for the project

The Camarillo Commons Plan Area is within walking distance of the historic Camarillo Old Town off of Ventura Boulevard and is bound by four major roads: Daily Drive (the frontage road off of Highway 101) to the south, Mobil Avenue to the west, Ponderosa Drive to the north, and Arneill Road to the east (the focus of the project). An Opportunities and Constraints Plan was developed early on in the planning process to uncover the potential for the Plan Area, and act as a foundation from which to draft the Plan. The Opportunities and Constraints Plan was used as a source to foster input from City officials and staff, the Citizen Advisory Committee, and key stakeholders. Through a series of public outreach meetings and workshops a Vision Plan was developed that embodies the mixed-use village envisioned for the Plan Area.

In an effort to foster input and identify the goals and objectives of community members, including key stakeholders and city representatives, a series of meetings and workshops was conducted in the City of Camarillo. These meetings were used to develop urban design and planning principles, land use and circulation plans, streetscape improvement plans, and implementation actions for the Camarillo Commons area.

Can obsolete commercial property be successfully converted to a Thriving Residential Neighborhood? The League of Cities: Focus on Housing highlights a new 65 family transit village completed in Glendale that was built on land once occupied by an obsolete commercial building. What are does this successful conversion of land use tell us about the potential to redevelop land in Ventura County?

Is there public sentiment supporting smarter development and use of mass transit? The International City/County Management Association website reports that a recently conducted national survey sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and Smart Growth America shows that almost 50% of those surveyed believe that improving public transit would be the best way to reduce congestion, and 26% believe that developing communities the reduce the need to drive would be even better.