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| Ventura County Civic Alliance
Livable Communities Newsletter |
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2012 2nd Quarter, Number 22
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May 2012 |
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Welcome to Our Spring 2012 Livable Communities Newsletter!
This edition of our newsletter continues the discussion started in last quarter's edition regarding the linkage between transportation and land use, and specifically examines some of the relationships of the newly approved Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and current land use policies in Ventura County.
Our first article by Darren Kettle looks at what our unique design and maintenance of Ventura County open space means for the implementation of the new Regional Transportation Plan, and gives a realistic assessment of what Ventura County can expect relative to future development of our public transportation systems.
Next, Ventura County Civic Alliance members Bob Warnagieris and Ed Lacey discuss key learnings from a Livable Communities Committee meeting with City of Ventura Director of Development, Jeffrey Lambert, to discuss how the principles within the new Regional Transportation Plan are highly dependent on the City's parking requirement policies.
Our third article by Katrina Maksimuk presents a Ventura-style implementation of the Vancouver, British Columbia car-share concept reviewed last month by Mark Lisagor.
Finally we present a refreshing youth perspective on all of this by Grace Ng who has been serving on the Ventura County Transportation Commission Teen Council over this last year. Grace shares the excitement and energy she has experienced within this role, and emphasizes the importance of a youth-based focus on the lessons of sustainability.
Please let us know what you think about this quarter's coverage and what you would like to see discussed in future editions.
Thanks,
Stacy Roscoe
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Are Open Space and Good Public Transit Compatible?
by Darren Kettle
Before I start into the substance of the discussion, please be forewarned that there is no other way to discuss this topic without a small bowl of alphabet soup, so for that I beg your indulgence.
In early April of this year the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) adopted the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The region must adopt an RTP every four years so that Federal transportation dollars flow into the Southern California region, including to Ventura County, to fund much needed roadway and bus and rail transit investments, as well as funding to operate transit systems throughout the County. Under a new law in California, commonly referred to as SB 375, this RTP for the first time linked transportation investments to housing development and economic development in what is called the Sustainable Community Strategies, or SCS. The notion behind an SCS is that with better long-term transportation and land-use planning the region will accommodate growth and maintain economic competitiveness without sprawling into rural communities and agricultural land.
So, how does Ventura County, with a population of 830,000, contribute to accomplishing the SCS goals of the southern California region? The long-standing Guidelines for Orderly Development adopted by the County and local voter approved measures preserving open space has meant that development generally occurs within cities, not in county unincorporated areas. Those growth patterns are a keystone for the quality of life we experience in Ventura County but they are only half the equation toward meeting the region's sustainability goals. The other half of the equation is a transportation system that provides options so that people have the freedom to move about with or without a car.
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The City of Ventura's Parking Paradox and How It Integrates with Regional Plans
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Bob Warnagieris and Ed Lacey
It has been estimated that there are at least 105 million and perhaps as many as 2 billion parking spaces in the United States. According to one study, there are eight parking spots for every car in the country. Houston, for example, is said to have 30 parking spaces per resident.
("Paved, but Still Alive," New York Times, January 6, 2012)
In April 2012 the Ventura City Council and City Planning officials met jointly to review and update the 25 year General Plan (GP) for the City. After a discussion of various policies and priorities, the Council decided to continue with the "Infill First" strategy. This strategy provides for preservation of open space, hill sides, and coastal frontage.
At the same time that Ventura was updating its General Plan, the Southern California Association of Governments was reviewing and approving the Regional Transportation Plan. How these plans compare, relate, and are to be implemented became an item of interest for the Ventura County Civic Alliance (VCCA). To pursue this interest, members of the VCCA Livable Communities Working Group met with Jeffrey Lambert, City of Ventura Director of Community Development, on May 3, 2012.
The Ventura General Plan provides for transportation and mobility development under a section titled "Our Accessible Community". Included are detailed plans which address all modes of transportation, various routes, grid networks, corridors, traffic management, signage and signals, street maintenance, trip reduction and parking standards. All of this is consistent with the intent of the new regional plan. However, as Ventura pursues a policy of Infill First development, it confronts the thorny question of parking as a major policy concern. The construction of high density multiple residence condominiums and apartments raises the question of where residents and their guests will park their vehicles. Off-site parking is limited. Moreover, the prospect of new residents parking on public streets is bound to create uproar in existing neighborhoods where parking is already at a premium and streets are over-crowded with parked cars.
 
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Car-Share, Ventura Style
by Katrina Maksimuk In the last Livable Communities Newsletter Mark Lisagor took a look at the Car2Go program in Vancouver. Now, we look at an emerging car-share program in Ventura County which sprouted up at the end of 2011. Vancouver's Car2Go fleet has over 200 smart cars with a variety of locations. Because Ventura County's population density is only 1/30th of Vancouver's, it is difficult to compare the programs. However, we will take a personal look at our local emerging car-share program, examine barriers to success, and see what the future of car-sharing could be in Ventura County. 25 year old Kelsey Newett and her partner Nick Goodenough have a lot of things on their minds these days, but car payments, maintenance, insurance, and rising gas prices are not among them. When Kelsey and Nick were accepted to live at the Working Artists of Ventura (WAV), they made a decision to get rid of their car because the project goals included a provision for car-share. In October 2011, the car-share company FunRide provided a car at the WAV location in Ventura (parked at the corner of Ventura Avenue and Thompson Boulevard) for all members to reserve. To Kelsey and Nick, it was clear that car-share was the transportation choice they wanted. One of the major factors influencing their decision was financial. Car ownership was getting very expensive. FunRide membership is only $30/year, and hourly rentals are as low as $6.50/hr. The best part is that FunRide rates include all insurance, gas, and maintenance. Although both Kelsey and Nick use bikes as a primary form of transportation, Kelsey works at a café until about 4 A.M. and sometimes feels unsafe riding alone downtown. Nick can easily give her a ride to or from work and be back within 10 minutes. So, how well does this all work, and how much does it cost? |
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Ventura County Transportation Commission Teen Council
by Grace Ng
The Ventura County Transportation Commission Teen Council is a group of students from around the county who meet on a monthly basis to discuss ways to increase participation among teenagers in the public transportation system as well as to raise awareness of air quality and other environmental concerns in the community. As members of the first VCTC Teen Council, we had great responsibility because what we accomplished this year will set a precedent for years to come. However, we had a goal and determination to bring public transportation into the lives of as many people as possible, so it wasn't quite as daunting as it might seem.
We began at the Metrolink Toy Train Event, which is an annual musical show that is performed at the train station for everyone to enjoy. There, we handed out candy canes in the holiday spirit, but we also distributed wonderful coloring books which served as terrific introductions for little kids to help them get acquainted with the public transportation system. It's important to expose children at a young age to the benefits of utilizing the bus, the train, or ride sharing. After all, sustainability is not limited by age, but comes about when everyone works together to achieve a common purpose.
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Special Thanks!
Special thanks go to Kerry Roscoe for detailed editing, photo, and format work required to bring these articles to you in the form that you see them!
Please Support the Ventura County
Civic Alliance
This quarterly newsletter is brought to you by The Ventura County Civic Alliance. Use the Quick Links at the beginning of the newsletter to learn more about what we do and how you can help. Thank you!
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