Ventura County Board of Supervisors Receives Harbor Vision Report

At their regular meeting on June 22 the Ventura County Board of Supervisors warmly received a presentation of the Channel Islands Harbor Vision Report.  Over the past year, Sargent Town Planning has worked closely with the County Harbor Department and a Visioning Committee composed of Harbor business owners and residents of surrounding neighborhoods to define a new vision for the future of this small harbor on the south edge of the City of Oxnard.  Owned and operated by the County, the Harbor for many years has not attracted or retained the high-quality development and active visitor-serving uses for which the County, City of Oxnard, and community had hoped.  Through the visioning process - which included dozens of Committee meetings, online community surveys and a well-attended virtual public workshop - the STP team produced richly illustrated presentations of potential improvements to the waterfront promenades, walking and biking network within and surrounding the harbor, and a range of infill development types that might generate new activity and value in the Harbor.  The overarching goal defined through the Visioning is to make the Harbor a more active place that attracts residents and visitors to pursue a wide range of boating, fishing, recreation, dining, shopping and educational activities in a beautiful, welcoming, unique, waterfront environment.  The Committee reached consensus that the Vision Report is a good start for attracting new investment and potentially updating an outdated master plan, and the Board seemed generally to agree.