Residents invited to map out vision of Ventura County in 2035
Santa Paula News
Published: September 16, 2009
What will Ventura County be like with 200,000 more people?
What will Ventura County be like with 200,000 more people? A study sponsored by Ventura County Council of Governments and the Ventura County Transportation Commission analyzed a computer simulation of what life could be like in the year 2035 based on existing plans for growth (details at venturacountycompact.org/scenarios-docs.php). The simulation shows that in the year 2035, if we choose to stay on our current path, drivers might suffer from 50 percent more traffic jams than they do today, development might occur on 20 new square miles of land, and global warming-related greenhouse gases might grow by 30 percent.
Leaders are inviting residents to help develop alternative pictures of life in Ventura County in the year 2035. In six workshops that run from September 21 to 29, participants will map out where they think tomorrow’s residents might live, which areas should be kept undeveloped, where new workplaces and shopping centers might grow, and how people might travel about the county. A workshop will be held in Santa Paula on Tuesday, September 22 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Santa Paula High School cafeteria, 404 N. 6th Street.
“There are no right or wrong answers at these meetings,” said Patti Walker, mayor of Fillmore. “Over the next few decades it will be a challenge for all of us to maintain what we love about Ventura County while more people come. Our hope is to hear how residents would respond to this challenge.”
Based on maps citizens make at these workshops, three computer-based simulations will be developed of what life might be like in 2035. These snapshots of the future will be the focus of a public discussion over the coming months to learn which ‘future’ residents most favor.
This is all part of an effort called the “Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County.” A ‘compact’ is a name for a voluntary agreement that cities can enter into to work together on growth-related issues such as the health of the county economy, transportation and congestion on cross-county routes, housing costs, and even climate change.
www.VenturaCountyCompact.org has details about the workshops and an online questionnaire about the future of the county.
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