Camarillo City Council
January 31, 2024

City of Camarillo
Office of the City Manager

DATE: January 31, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals & Objectives

FISCAL MANAGEMENT
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain sound and conservative financial practices to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the City.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Pursue opportunities for diversification of City revenues through public and private sources.

City staff continue to work with federal advocate Downs Government Affairs (DGA), as well as state advocate Arc Strategies to seek grants and funding opportunities and coordinate meetings with federal and state legislators, as well as Department Agency staff for active Capital Projects as outlined below:
• Staff have been working with Caltrans to review a Highway Bridge Program (HBP) application for $10M to fund the Camarillo Hills Drain Replacement at Ventura Boulevard (Project No. SD -5052) and were recently informed that Caltrans is recommending the bridge for programing in the HBP list. Additionally, the City secured $4M from Congresswoman Julia Brownley’s office through the FY 2023 Congressionally Directed Spending Community Project Funding program . During FY 2024, staff in coordination with federal advocate DGA, submitted budget requests for various projects to all our congressional representatives. As a result of those efforts, the latest version of the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee, which is currently moving through Congress , includes another $850,000 for the project.
• In June, staff worked with VCTC and Caltrans to expedite allocation and secure $885,000 of COVID Relief and Recovery Supplemental Appropriation (CRRSA) Act State Transportation Improvement Program funds for the Road Rehabilitation Project (Project No. ST-5123). The project is in design and is being accelerated to meet the award deadline of February 2024.
• Staff are working with the Ventura County Transportation Commission and the Los

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor (LOSSAN) to apply for and secure funding for the Camarillo Train Station Undercrossing (Project No. ST-14-05).

In May, the California Transportation Commission awarded an additional $1.3 million of LOSSAN funding and on June 28, 2023, awarded $7.92 million of Senate Bill 1 2022 Solutions for Congested Corridors Program grant funding for the project. The funding will be used in addition to the $6.89 million LOSSAN grant previously awarded.

The project will improve accessibility by creating a shorter and more direct route for rail passengers crossing between the east and west platforms.

In addition, the City continues to monitor existing revenue sources for appropriate actions necessary to maintain optimum levels as outlined in the projects below:
• Staff applied for an Implementation Grant under the State Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program to fund traffic safety improvements. The proposed project involves installing flashing yellow arrow left turn signals, yellow reflective borders for the signals, and leading pedestrian interval push buttons at selected intersections in Camarillo. The project is consistent with the Local Road Safety Plan's (LRSP) goals and objectives. It addresses the emphasis areas of intersections, pedestrians, and aggressive driving/speed management by implementing engineering countermeasures that have proven effectiveness in reducing fatalities and serious injuries. The project also supports the LRSP's vision of creating a safe transportation system for all users in Camarillo. The expected project cost is $5,935,350, with a required 20% local match of $1,187,070.
• On December 2023 t he City received notice from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) stating it was not selected for the original grant funding staff requested. Instead, DOT offered $160,000 to conduct supplemental planning to update the City’s LRSP . This update will focus on identifying Citywide bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements, including both infrastructure and non- infrastructure (education, encouragement, and equity); crossing improvements in high collision locations and near schools, transit, and civic services; include a Level of Traffic Stress analysis to gauge the safety of existing/proposed pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and identify additional partnership and strategies for educating the community on safer driving.
• The City secured $2M of Proposition 1 Integrated Regional Water Management funding during the first round of allocations (2020) for the Reclaimed Water Reservoir.

Additionally, in coordination with state advocate Arc Strategies, the City secured $500,000 through Assemblymember Bennett as a direct allocation from the FY 2023/24 State budget towards the reservoir. During the Rate study process, the C ity decided to modify the project delivery timeline to accommodate steady rate increases and to avoid significant and sharp rate increases to ratepayers. In addition to the effect on rates, the modified timeline was determined to better align with the timing and objectives of the Water Reclamation Plant upgrades project . Due to the decision t o
modify the project delivery timeline, the City relinquished the allocated grant funds.

The State and Federal Government are prioritizing sustainable groundwater management and the increased use of reclaimed water. This places the reservoir and Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

other sustainable groundwater projects such as the Charter Oaks Pump Station and Desalter Standby Well projects in a good position for securing future grant funding.

Once the design of the upgrades to the Water Reclamation Plant are further developed, Staff will actively pursue additional grant funding opportunities for these projects.
• In coordination with Arc Strategies, the City requested $500,000 through the FY 2023/24 State budget for the Standby Power Microgrid project . While a state elected official pushed the project forward, the state legislature opted to fund the reservoir instead. City staff in c oordination with Arc Strategies and DGA will continue making annual budget requests at the state and federal levels in the hopes to secure funding for capital projects.
• A Notice of Interest for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program – Advance Assistance under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was submitted requesting $2,250,000 for the Camarillo Sanitary District Water Reclamation Plant Flood Risk Reduction Project. Unfortunately, the project was not selected to receive this funding, however, the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) recommended that staff re-apply next year.

Diversifying revenue for services and operations also continues with the following:
• In 2019 staff conducted a nexus study that evaluated the City’s fees including Conditional Use Permits, Encroachment Permits, Plan Checks, and Special Permits.

However, the study did not include the evaluation of the Building and Safety Division Fees, such as building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit fees. The manner in which the initial contract for Building and Safety fees is composed does not lend itself to a nexus study, but rather one dependent on inflation . Staff are working on updating Building and Safety Fees, which have not been updated since December 2007. The Nexus Study involves a detailed review of time estimates and overhead costs to provide services as well as fully burdened hourly rates. Valuation tables also need to be reviewed and updated. Before the Nexus Study can begin, it is prudent to request bids for Building and Safety Services and establish a new agreement with stated fees. Staff issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Building and Safety Services to provide the typical services such as plan checking, public counter customer service, permit issuance, field inspection, and documentation. The RFP was released on PlanetBids on December 11, 2023 and was distributed to 26 consultants.

In response, the City received four proposals and is in the process of reviewing submissions. Within the RFP, the C ity is requesting the awarded consultant’s assistance with conducting the City’s Nexus Study (approximately 10 hours) prior to the start of Building and Safety Services targeted for July 2024. • In April 2023, the City was awarded $60,000 from the California Energy Commission – California Automated Permit Processing (CalAPP) program to recover the cost of implementing the SolarApp+ program as required per SB 379, which states that cities with more than 50,000 residents are required to adopt automatic plan review of residential roof mounted solar systems.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• Staff submitted a Program Pre- Award Information form as requested by the U.S.

Department of Energy for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

Through this grant $129,470 is allocated to the City for energy efficient projects. Staff plans to use this allocation to help fund the City Hall Interior Lighting Upgrades as part of the overall City Hall remodel. The next step will be to submit a full application by April 30, 2024, and staff expect a decision from USDOE by July 2024. •
Staff successfully secured $736,000 from the Homeless Housing Assistance Program to fund the Camarillo Hotel Voucher Program. The funding will cover hotel boarding expenses for unhoused individuals and families, as well as the annual salary for a case manager from the Ventura County Health Care Agency who will serve voucher program participants. The case manager will join the Project HOPE team which consists of a Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy ($239,683), a Community Services Coordinator from Ventura County Behavioral Health ($120,000), and a City Senior Management Analyst ($214,533) – all positions funded through the City’s General Fund. Staff will continue to research for additional funding opportunities that support continued operational costs for subsequent years of the program. • For Fiscal Year 20 23/24, the City has approximately $501,000 in CDBG funding available, subject to increase based on the repayment of CDBG rehabilitation loans.

These funds will be used for various goals including improving the supply of affordable housing, increasing the availability of social services, and work to end homelessness.

The City has $135,696.62 of CDBG Covid funding remaining, which will be used to fund social services within the City for low income or senior residents. • In 2020, the City was awarded a $310,000 planning grant as part of the state’s SB2 Planning Grants Program. These funds were earmarked to assist in the creation of the City’s 2021-2029 Housing Element and programs related to the Housing Element.

In the current year, the City requested $119,428.86 in grant reimbursement funds to pay for consultant work on the Housing Element and related programs in addition to $129,993.89 in grant funds requested in the prior year. • The City launched its Workforce Housing Downpayment Assistance Program with $345,736 of grant funds available through the state’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Grant s to assist eligible first-time homebuyers in the purchase of homes within the City. The Program will provide for up to a $50,000 loan per approved applicant, to supplement the down payment. The program was launched December 12, 2023 and since then an overwhelming response of approximately 200 applications was received. The City expects to receive approximately $500,000 in additional PLHA funding over the next two to three years that will also be used in the Workforce Housing Downpayment Assistance Program. A large portion of this funding will likely be awarded within this fiscal year based on how quickly the state moves forward. • In December 2023, the City was awarded $132,392 by CalRecycle for SB 1383 Round 2 Grant Funding. Funds will be used to offset City expenditures for organic waste and recycling capacity planning, program evaluation, community education and outreach, personnel costs, consultant services, and to meet procurement requirements. Award Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

of Round 2 grant funds are anticipated to be released in the first quarter of 2024. • The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) was awarded grants funds by VCTC, and approximately $56k was dedicated to the City of Camarillo for the installation of Opticom devices. These devices are placed on intersection lights and a transmitter is placed on emergency vehicles. When an emergency vehicle approaches an intersection with its lights and sirens on, the receiver on the traffic signal cycles the light to green, enabling the first responder vehicle to proceed more quickly and more safely through the intersection. The funds allowed for the installation of receivers for six intersections and 6 C ity patrol vehicles. Although VCSO will apply for future funding, there is no guarantee of repeat funding for Camarillo since funds are dispersed throughout all contract cities. Staff and the Camarillo Police Department will work closely to determine future funding opportunities to continue this valuable work. • The Master User Fee schedule is formally updated through a comprehensive review every 5-7 years. In the interim years, existing fees are adjusted annually to reflect the adopted change in labor costs. Staff continues to identify new fees where applicable and implement them into the Master Fee Schedule.
• Staff are currently working to update estimates for Home Occupation Permits to more accurately reflect the staff time required to process permits. This will ensure 100% cost recovery for City services.

2. Continue to identify and implement means and methods for streamlining internal and public-facing City operations.

Staff continue to assess processes and methods to streamline and improve internal and public-facing services. Progress on a variety of efficiency improvements included a review of City procedures and the implementation of various solutions including the following:
• Services were extended to continue the conversion of residential and commercial large-scale physical plans to digital records. The project began in May 2023 and requires documents to be indexed, scanned and quality checked to ensure exact replication for permanent retention. The project is anticipated to be completed in Spring 2024 and will successfully digitize over 300 boxes of building plans. Electronic plans will improve accessibility to records for both internal and external customers, reduce off-site storage costs, increase response time t o Public Records Requests, and provide a digitized historical record of building development. • Staff are working closely with the consultant to conduct a needs assessment and create processes and procedures for departments to begin scanning as part of the City’s digitization process for permanent records. This large-scale, multi-year initiative will result in greater access to all records, create an efficient and electronic organizational system, reduce onsite and offsite storage, and help create a comprehensive and streamlined Records Management System. • Reviewed the City’s records retention schedule, last updated in 2019, and identified the need to revise the schedule in compliance with current retention requirements.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

Negotiations with a consultant have begun and departments will soon begin the analysis and consideration of amendments to the schedule. This initiative will also address and update the City’s Email Retention Policy and will help ensure citywide compliance with applicable laws. Staff anticipates presenting a new Records Retention Schedule for City Council adoption in early 2024. • On July 1, 2023, staff implemented and launched the first two modules of Planet Bids:
vendor and bid management. PlanetBids is a modular suite of leading e-Procurement solutions to better manage the complete bidding process for goods, services and construction related projects, as well as provides a platform for monitoring contract management and risk management compliance. This solution allows the City to reach a larger pool of vendors, increasing participation with proposals that offer a broader selection of goods and services as well as a higher level of competitive pricing. The program also provides for efficient processes and automated reminders by ensuring contract terms, dates and insurance certificates are compliant with City policy and are managed uniformly across all departments. Staff are expected to complete the last two modules, contract and risk management, in FY 2023/24. • Staff are currently reviewing the City’s Business Tax Code to simplify requirements and streamline processes for businesses to gain compliance. Staff’s approach will include an update to the Code by reducing the number of business type categories, thereby simplifying the administrative processes but without any revision to the tax structure that may result in an additional tax impact on any currently compliant business.
• Revised and implemented an updated electronic contract management transmittal routing form to improve internal processing for citywide agreements. This form helps provide greater clarity for workflow transmittal and ensures a consistent signature and purchasing threshold review and approval process across all departments. • Staff collaborated with consultant Bill Statler, who is currently conducting a review of the City’s procurement policies and procedures. The consultant conducted an analysis of existing practices, gathered feedback from staff on opportunities for streamlining and improvement, and provided several recommendations for the City Manager ’s review and consideration. As directed by the City Manager any operational and/or procedural improvements will be made internally, while those r equiring a policy change will be presented to the respec tive committees and the City Council for final approval.
• In February 2023, City staff went live with ExecuTime a Tyler Technologies timekeeping software. Since implementation, staff have noticed significant time savings resulting from the transition of manual entry of paper timesheets to an electronic system which has reduced the processing time by approximately 8 hours a month.
• Consistent with the City’s commitment to streamlining operations and modernizing processes, the City implemented Workiva software for financial reporting and data linking during the FY 2023/24 budget development process. Workiva, a world leading Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

platform for transparent reporting, replaced the manual process of merging Microsoft Excel, Word documents, and Access spreadsheets. For the first time, staff were able to deliver a comprehensive budget document for review by the City Council at the May 2023 Budget Workshop and again at Budget Adoption in June 2023. Workiva ensures that staff can provide consistent and accurate data to stakeholders more easily than before.
• In September 2022, the City entered into an agreement with Galaxy Digital LLC, for volunteer management software services, to centralize volunteer programs and opportunities and expand communications between City staff and the community.

Beginning in 2023, staff utilized the Galaxy platform to develop the City’s Volunteer Program webpage to promote all new and existing volunteer programs and opportunities. With the new platform, staff are able capture data regarding volunteers, details of events/opportunities and the number of volunteer hours contributed for each event and annual totals. Volunteers are also able to sign -up for events, track their contributed hours, view upcoming events, and subscribe to receive noti fications regarding special areas of interest.

Since the launch of the Volunteers webpage, staff have promoted nine programs and shared eighteen volunteer opportunities including events hosted by local partner agencies. A total of 94 users have signed up for volunteer programs, opportunities, or events, through the Galaxy platform.
• Consistent with the Get to Yes and development streamlining action strategies identified in the Economic Development Strategic Plan, a n internal stakeholder team has been engaged since October 2022 to discuss and create efficient workflow processes and build them into the OpenGov program. When implemented, residential and large development projects applications, documents, and plans will be submitted online, and allow the applicant to track the workflow. Staff began testing the work product and are now re -evaluating some of the processes to ensure maximum efficiency for the customer. Additional time is needed for staff to build and test additional applications into the system to prepare for a public launch of the product before the end of the fiscal year. Upgrades to software programs and computer equipment are installed and staff will soon begin training on the deployment of the OpenGov system and gear up to transition the community from paper applications to a fully digital permitting process.
• Staff proactively review the Camarillo Municipal Code (CMC) to identify procedural efficiencies. On November 8th, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance 2016 amending CMC Chapter 19.65 to remove mandatory code compliance inspections from the permitting procedures at home- based office businesses. The updated permitting procedure for home-based office businesses reduces staff time on permit review from 95 minutes to 15 minutes. With 122 home occupation permits issued each year and an anticipated 80% reducti on in inspections, staff will save 130 hours each year, while also decreasing the permit cost and burden on home-based office businesses.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• An architectural design firm was retained to perform a special needs assessment of the City Hall facility. This assessment will survey staff in the areas of staff and public safety, office space function and utilization, departmental and public interactions, and interior layout and design. This assessment will lead to the first major remodel of City Hall since the mid -1980s. The remodel will enhance and equip City facilities with upgraded energy efficient fixtures and contemporary finishes with a commitment to enhance public interactions. The remodel will bring modernizations to both public and staff restrooms, energy efficient lighting, HVAC equipment and controls, and efficiency standards.

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to provide a safe and enriched environment where people can live, work and play.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Enhance community safety through continued emphasis on support of law enforcement, expanded public awareness and educational programs. a. Increase awareness and participation in Neighborhood Watch Program. • The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) continues to educate residents, neighborhoods and HOAs on the Neighborhood Watch Program (NWP). This fiscal year, VCSO resurrected the former NWP and added two new neighborhoods to the program. VCSO continues to educate the community about the benefits of the program at public outreach events. Communications with each group occur on a monthly basis with several in- person meetings attended by our Community Resource Unit. Crime trend information and crime prevention tips are communicated to the groups to increase awareness , and prevention efforts continue to be provided.
b. Develop and implement appropriate education, enforcement, and assistance strategies to address homeless and mental health issues. • Staff partnered with the VCSO Project HOPE to provide information regarding affordable housing opportunities throughout the County to people residing in their RVs along Calle Plano, Calle Quetzal, Calle Plano, Calle Carga, Calle Bolero and Calle Alto. Over a dozen individuals were contacted through this effort and provided with additional resources including medical services through Backpack Medicine and Food Share resources. This outreach activity will be replicated in other parts of the City as more hous ing opportunities become available. VCSO Project HOPE worked together with various departments at the County of Ventura to conduct the One Stop program, which continues to provide services to homeless individuals once a month at the Church of the Nazarene, in Camarillo.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• City Council approved an agreement with the County of Ventura for the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant to launch the Camarillo Hotel Voucher Program (CHVP). The primary purpose of the CHVP is to provide a short-term, safe, and stabilizing living environment for homeless individuals and families to begin their paths out of homelessness. Participants will work with a dedicated Community Services Coordinator from the Ventura County Health Care Agency to assist Camarillo participants with links to social services across the County. Staff developed program procedures and presented an overview of the CHVP to the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness committee for their feedback before requesting approval from Council. The CHVP officially launch ed in November 2023 and the first participant was a seventy-year-old resident who had been living out of her van in Camarillo for over four years. Another success story for the City and Project HOPE included housing a family of seven who had been homeless in an RV in Camarillo for several years.
• Staff expedited the development of the Homelessness Strategic Plan as required in the updated 2021- 2029 Housing Element. A scope of work for consulting services was drafted and is in the review process. c. Maintain the City’s involvement and collaboration with the VC Sheriff’s Department, VC Behavioral Health, and other agencies for assistance, as appropriate, in helping law enforcement respond to homelessness and calls involving mental health issues.
• In September 2022, the City of Camarillo signed onto the County of Ventura Continuum of Care (CoC) Alliance Memorandum of Understanding, agreeing to cooperate in the strategizing of solutions to address homelessness across the region and the City Council authorized the City Manager to pursue various resources being made available at the State level. Staff attended CoC meetings throughout the year and are currently exploring opportunities for subcommittee participation.
• The Camarillo Police Department’s partnership with Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH) is stronger than ever, with the Behavioral Health case worker partnering with our Project HOPE deputy full time to address homelessness and mental health needs within our C ity. Through Project Hope, the VCSO continuously interfaces with community members who are experiencing mental health issues and homelessness or in immediate danger of being homeless.

The VCBH case worker , a position paid for by the City’s General F und ($120,000) and grant administration by the County of Ventura, ensures that identified mental health needs are addressed as quickly and thoroughly as possible. VCSO also coordinates with the Ventura County Continuum of Care, the Ventura County Human Services Agency and other local non -profits to address and provide housing, medical attention, mental health services and other needs as identified through immediate contacts with the populace.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

d. Develop and implement appropriate strategies to more effectively combat crime.
• Crime trends continue to change in Camarillo. While catalytic converter thefts were the primary driver of crime in Camarillo last year, this year reflects a 40% decrease in this crime. Despite this significant decrease in catalytic converter thefts, there was an increase in other areas of crime , specifically in the occurrence of residential burglaries. There was a 46% increase in residential burglaries in 2023, from 28 in 2022 to 41 in 2023. Increases in residential burglaries have been consistent across all Sheriff’s contract cities. There was also a significant increase in rapes / criminal sexual assaults, which went from 1 in 2022 to 7 in 2023 , and aggravated assaults, which went from 22 in 2022 to 38 in 2023. All other areas of crime were flat or decreased. Overall, the Part 1 crime rate decreased by 1% from last year.
• Trends continue to be monitored through robust communication with the Sheriff’s Crime Analysis Unit. R egular meetings are held to discuss emerging trends and to develop strategies to combat them. Recently, the Sheriff’s Office received a $15 million grant from the state of California to combat organized retail theft (ORT). The grant will include the creation of a task force, designed to provide enforcement activities in all of the cities in our county, including Camarillo. The grant will also allow for the purchase of equipment that can be useful in combatting ORT.

2. When the District is ready to move forward, continue working with Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District to address Senior Center and community recreation facility needs.
• The Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District (PVRPD) Liaison Committee met on May 26, 2022, to review the RFPs received for the voter survey. Staff continues to work with PVRPD to maintain communications to address the needs of the Senior Center and community recreation facility.

3. Explore various options for financially supporting the arts program and ways to commission public art to celebrate the identity and history of Camarillo. • As part of the Objective to maintain the identity and history of Camarillo through an arts program, staff incorporated a public art design and element into the Dizdar Park Renovation and Expansion Project (Project No. CP -5095). The expanded park will improve site accessibility and includes a new garden entry gateway at the northeastern corner of the park with a park sign, enhanced paving, seating, ornamental trees and landscaping, fire station themed playground, public restrooms, improved lighting, and a public art element. The City partnered with Studio Channel Island to assist in managing the interpretive display project. SCIArt is tasked with publishing a Request for Proposal to subcontract an artist who will conduct the design for the interpretive display and will also oversee (with City staff’s assistance) the fabrication, delivery, and installation of the display.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• Consistent with the General Plan Community Design Element, which encourages larger projects to incorporate public art into their projects, staff worked with several developers to provide public art in their projects, including the Hotel Conference Center, 2800 Barry Street affordable housing project, Camino Ruiz apartments, Springville Specific Plan, Trojan Storage, Central Plaza shopping center, Calle Custom Packaging Supply Industrial Project, and Rexford Industrial. The artwork is subject to approval by the approving body of the project. The artwork at Central Plaza was approved by the Planning Commission and includes a metal sculpture at the corner of Ponderosa Drive and Arneill Road and metal tiles cast from wood blocks depicting elements of Camarillo’s heritage. Staff are developing a procedure for privately initiated projects in Old Town and expect a new proposal from a business owner to be submitted once the procedure is complete.
a. Explore opportunities to foster an inclusive and accessible environment for all, including inclusivity and tolerance in our community. • The Camarillo Council on Aging’s (CCOA) Senior News email distribution list now contains 2,127 members, continuing to show the success of the committee and City’s efforts to outreach and identify the needs of the senior population.

The expanded outreach includes the CCOA’s implementation of events/trainings and the inclusion of additional senior resources in cooperation with the City Library, as well as additional notifications utilizing the City’s communication platform to convey information and connect the senior population with community resources.
• On October 14, 2023, the CCOA and City co -sponsored their annual Community Shred Event with the help of Access Management. The event raised $1,764 in donations to support CCOA programming, activities, education, and outreach efforts. Additionally, the funds sponsor the CCOA’s yearly Senior Resource Guidebook publication, which aims to increase awareness, promote engagement and participation, and provide a comprehensive resource guide.
• Since July 1, 2023, a total of 18 programs have been offered at the Camarillo Library that foster inclusivity, diversity, and tolerance, includ ing speaking events, crafts, and demonstrations. Three of the programs were geared toward teens, two toward children and thirteen for adults. The programs highlighted female authors and women- owned businesses, Japanese culture, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Month, and Day of the Dead. In addition to these programs, the Camarillo Library hosted a weekly English Language Learners Conversation Group for adults. A total of 648 people attended in 2023.

4. Explore the establishment of a public/private community wellness initiative (“Healthy Camarillo”) focusing on prevalent community health issues.

Healthy Camarillo Ad Hoc Committee met to discuss next steps for the health initiative and possible participation from the Camarillo Healthcare District and Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District. Representatives from all three entities will meet for a second Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

ad hoc meeting to discuss their respective interests and roles. In the current workplan, staff are working on the following deliverables:
• Memorandum of Understanding – Draft an MOU between the City of Camarillo, the Camarillo Health Care District, and the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District.  Outline mission statement, vision, organizational structure, and roles of the agency.
 Determine the financial parameters or other contributions from its member agencies, as well as sponsors, donors, and volunteers.
 Structural and Communication Platform – Draft a framework for the structure of the Steering Committee, which may involv e representatives from each of the three agencies who have engaged in discussions regarding the Healthy Camarillo project including: City of Camarillo , Camarillo Health Care District, and Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District. The Steering Committee will look for the support of private entities through the Ventura County Community Health Improvement Collaborative (VCCHIC), including Dignity Health and other founding members of the VCCHIC. Develop a communications plan to establish an online presence f or Healthy Camarillo with the ability to share events and pertinent information using methods that are accessible to the community.  Camarillo Health Needs Assessment – Collaborate with the VCCHIC, Cal State Channel Islands, the Steering Committee, and any other applicable stake holders to stratify the data in the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment with a concentration solely on the Camarillo community, and if needed gather new data.

5. Explore opportunities to enhance, restore and beautify the community through the involvement of volunteers.

The City’s Volunteer Program continues to gain attraction across the community, offering a range of volunteer opportunities classified within five distinct tracks. These tracks include initiatives focused on Beautification and Sustainability, Community Events, Education, and Training, Community Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and a wide range of event opportunities with City Partnership agencies. Staff continue to explore avenues to expand existing programs such as the Graffiti Abatement Program (GAP), Community Shred Events, Coastal Cleanup Days, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), in addition to developing new programs in alignment with the City’s objectives. Recent and upcoming community event volunteer opportunities include:
• The 39th Anniversary of California Coastal Cleanup Day was held on September 23, 2023. In Camarillo, 170 volunteers removed 515 pounds of trash from the Calleguas Creek and the Mission Oaks Park barranca. Volunteers worked hard to eliminate debris at the s ource, further preventing contamination from entering waterways and spreading into the ocean.
• The City successfully engaged with approximately 35 community volunteers who helped to ensure the success of the October 14
th Community Shred Event coordinated
Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

with the Camarillo Council on Aging (CCOA) . The annual shred event helps to eliminate waste, encourages recycling, helps securely destroy sensitive documents and information, and promotes sustainability.
• GAP provides volunteers with opportunities to partner with C ity staff to remove, identify, and track graffiti and prevent further vandalism, while preserving and protecting the quality of life and neighborhoods. The next graffiti abatement removal event is scheduled to take place on January 20, 2024.
• Previous CERT graduates and current students were invited to volunteer in the Ventura County CERT Final Drill on October 21, 2023, to practice CERT disaster response skills and participate in playing the role of victim survivors. Staff are working with other local agencies including the Ventura County Fire Department and Ventura County Office of Emergency Services to develop partnerships to expand CERT training and volunteer program opportunities.
• The City launched a National Preparedness Campaign throughout the month of September focused on community education and awareness for emergency and disaster preparedness. Staff received volunteer assistance with preparing emergency supply kits for all City employees.

Other featured programs facilitate volunteer opportunities with City Partnership, fostering collaboration with agencies such as the Library, Camarillo Ranch, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, and Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks District, providing avenues for volunteers to engage in various event activities at the Summer Concert Series, Fourth of July Fireworks Show, and Holiday Christmas Parade.

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain a close working relationship with the University
FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Continue interaction with the University, including its President, regarding City, University and student issues such as student services, housing, facilities, growth projections, economic development opportunities, research opportunities and the employment pipeline.
• Staff frequently receive updates with data regarding campus growth projections, student/alumni issues, and workforce development opportunities. The decline in enrollment that began during the COVID -19 pandemic continues to impact campus enrollment, resulti ng in 5,365 students enrolled in the 2023’s spring semester and 5,127 students enrolled in the fall semester, down from the previous high of 7,095 students enrolled in the fall semester of 2018. The decline in enrollment of undergraduates is a nationwide t rend not unique to CSU Channel Islands. While the decline is slowing, university staff are discussing strategies for increasing enrollment, Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

such as offering additional academic programs, enhancing their efforts in marketing, and conducting outreach at local high schools.
 Of the 5,127 enrolled students, 65% are female, 61% are Latinx, and 60% are first generation college students. 82% (4,207) students are local from Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties.
 In alignment with the Economic Development Strategic Plan, staff tracks workforce that support target industries. The pipeline of students selecting majors in the life science, health science, information technology, and management sectors remain strong; 413 students are majoring in Computer Science, 595 in Health Science, 514 in Nursing, 530 in Business, 314 in Biology, and 82 in Chemistry. Psychology has consistently been the largest program at CSUCI with 800 students. • Staff met with the Director of the Institute for Global Economic Research at CSUCI and the staff from the CSUCI Basic Needs Program to discuss their involvement in the development of the Homelessness Strategic Plan. Both programs agreed to partner with the City on this initiative and will collaborate on additional projects as appropriate.

LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to plan appropriate land uses, streets, bikeways, infrastructure, and transit system.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Continue to seek improvement on local traffic issues that impact our City. • Staff continue to implement traffic safety countermeasures consistent with the Local Road Safety Plan adopted last year. The City Council awarded a construction contract for the Traffic Signal Improvements at Las Posas and Temple (Project No. TS -5094) on February 8, 2023. The project removed and replaced the existing traffic signal with new poles and signal heads to establish protected left turn operations (left turn arrows) on all four approaches. Construction began in October and will be completed early next year.
• In May 2023, the southbound right turn at Carmen Drive and Ventura Boulevard w as signalized, and a green- yellow-red right arrow installed to stop vehicle traffic for pedestrians. The southbound right turn movement remains free flowing until a pedestrian activates the crosswalk, at which point the green arrow will transition to yellow and then to red alerting drivers to stop so pedestrians can cross safely. In June 2023, a pedestrian activated lighted school crosswalk was installed on Paseo Del Campo adjacent to Tierra Linda Elementary School. When students press the pedestrian push button, rapid flashing lights are activated so school pedestrians can cross safely.
• Staff reviewed and identified improvements to the existing signage and pavement Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

markings for the Old Town bike route to enhance visibility and awareness. In conjunction with the Old Town pavement rehabilitation project in Fall 2023, the existing bike route pavement marking “sharrows” were replaced with a few locations added.

Staff are finalizing the locations for replacing several existing bike route signs and adding several new signs to improve the awareness for bicyclists. The signs are expected to be installed by Spring 2024.

2. Continue to work with Caltrans and Ventura County Transportation Commission to address improvements on the 101 Freeway and State Highway 34. • In September 2023, staff initiated a conversation with Caltrans regarding the safety and overall condition of the US101/Central Avenue overpass. In January 2024, Caltrans confirmed that they have initiated an investigation in which they will conduct traffic counts, assess how the interchange works, and observe for potential conflicts and demands at the ramps. The results of this analysis may indicate that safety improvements are warranted.
• In response to concerns raised by the City, Caltrans installed enhanced signage and striping upgrades to the southbound 101 off -ramp to Pleasant Valley Rd. The ramp upgrades improve driver visibility, awareness and safety. • Staff are coordinating with Caltrans regarding their Implementation Plan for the Lewis Road (SR34) Improvements Project. Improvements expected to be implemented as part of the project include bike lanes, sidewalks, guardrails, drainage, paving and a new signal at Lewis Rd. and Temple Ave.
• Staff are coordinating with Caltrans, Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and their consultant team for the US 101 Improvements project, participating in monthly project design meetings and focusing on incorporating early action project components in Ca marillo including auxiliary lanes, ramp meters, bridge and interchange improvements.
• In October 2023, the City Manager met with regional Caltrans to discuss continuing maintenance along the 101 Corridor and various areas adjacent or within City of Camarillo boundaries such as over/undercrossing and bike lanes; and ongoing Caltrans projects. The goal of the meeting was to make Caltrans aware of the impacts of cleanliness, maintenance needs, and impacts on City residents. Regular updates on their various projects were requested. City staff were informed on how to facilitate and monitor customer service requests. The agencies agreed to meet on as needed basis to discuss future concerns.

3. Encourage efforts by County of Ventura and California State University Channel Islands to create a bike trail from Calleguas Creek Bridge at Pleasant Valley Road to California State University Channel Islands.
• Staff are working closely with the County of Ventura and California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) to make the Class I Shared- Use Path from Camarillo to CSUCI a reality. The County issued an RFQ to hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

study for the project, and CSUCI is providing input and guidance throughout the process. The feasibility study will be completed by April 2024, and once it is complete, the county and CSUCI will develop a plan to implement the project. The Class I Shared-Use Path will be a valuable asset for both the City of Camarillo and CSUCI. It will provide a safe and convenient way for people to walk, bike, and run between the two communities. The path will also promote recreation and physical activity, and it will help to reduce traffic congestion.

4. Evaluate potential measures to improve public transit. • Staff began a transit fleet “right- sizing”, procuring new transit vehicles to replace an aging fleet with transit vehicles that will work more effectively for the needs of the community. The City took possession of one new minivan in April 2023 (which began service in May 2023). On July 26, 2023, City Council approved the procurement of five transit vehicles which are expected to be delivered at the end of FY 2023/24. On August 23, 2023, City Council approved the procurement of two additional minivans, which are expected to be delivered in October 2023.
• Participation continues in the Ventura County Transportation Commission’s (VCTC) Short Range Transit Plan, which will help to provide a review of the City’s current transit services and provide recommendations for improvements intended to increase ridership.
• Staff are working with VCTC in the selection process of a new demand response scheduling software program that will be made available to participating transit services. Once implemented, the software program will enable the public to schedule dial-a-ride trips online or via an app and be able to track the arrival of their vehicle.

ENVIRONMENT/RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to provide cost -effective, efficient services to the public while minimizing impacts on the environment.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Continue to seek funding for recycled water storage. • The Reclaimed Water Storage Reservoir (Project No. WT -14-03) will involve the construction and operation of a new 1-million-gallon reclaimed water storage reservoir and relocation of the existing reclaimed water pump station and controls at the Water Reclamation Plant (WRP). After the recent Water Rate Study, staff recommended to Council that the Project be deferred so it can be designed and constructed with the future planned WRP Upgrades (Project Nos. SS-5118 and SS-5119). As a result, the City relinquished the $2 million Proposition 1 Round 1 Integrated Regional Water Management grant received for the project back to the Department of Water Resources. Staff will plan to seek new funding sources for recycled water storage as the design of the WRP Upgrades is finalized.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

2. Continue to emphasize water conservation measures.
• In conjunction with the planned City Hall remodel, staff are working with an architectural firm to provide design and engineering services for upgrades to C ity facilities over the next five years. The City Hall and Corp Yard restrooms, breakrooms, and locker rooms are in the preliminary stages of design. Low flow fixtures meeting current efficiency standards will be used in the designs. Completion of these projects is anticipated in FY 2024/25.
• In June 2023, the City Council approved Stage 1 Conservation Measures, permitting residential customers to water their lawns up to four times weekly, specifically on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Meanwhile, the State maintains its prohibition on irrigating non-functional turf for commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities.
• The City continues to encourage water efficiency through various rebate programs, including those for low-flow toilets and recirculating water heaters. Additionally, water surveys are provided to assist customers in identifying ways to reduce their water consumption. Furthermore, the irrigation retrofit sprinkler head and controller program remains highly successful and ongoing.
• The City extended its collaboration with the EcoHero program for the current academic year. This program visits nearby schools to deliver child- friendly water conservation education, emphasizing the importance of water efficiency as a lifestyle. The program's funding is supported by a local grant from the Metropolitan Water District. • The pilot phase of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project (Project No.

WT-5080) is complete. The City is currently in design for replacement of the City’s 14,000 water meters with new AMI meters providing automated meter reading and real-time water usage information to the City and our water customers. The City’s efficiency in meter reading and leak detection will be improved, while providing customers with a better understanding of their water usage and how it affects their water bill, raising awareness of the need to conserve. The City was unsuccessful with the WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency grant and Integrated Regional Water Management Proposition 1, Round 2 grant. Staff continue to pursue potential grant funding opportunities for construction. The project is in design and construction and is anticipated to start in 2024.

3. Promote renewable energy generation and infrastructure projects in the city, including electrical vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and energy efficiency improvements.
•
Staff are working with a consultant to develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) to install solar panels at City Hall and the Camarillo Library. The Project will supply renewable energy using solar power and have spare conduit installed for future battery stor age to significantly improve the resiliency of each facility during an outage. Once installed, the solar, battery storage, and generator will be connected using a microgrid controller to create a hybrid microgrid to alternate between power sources during an outage.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

Staff are working with the design consultant to develop the RFP for solar panels at City Hall and the Camarillo Library and will meet with City Council regarding the procurement method for a City -owned project or a Power Purchase Agreement approach. Staff continue to pursue grant funding opportunities and incentives such as those provided through the Inflation Reduction Act for the project. • The planned diesel generators have been procured and the installation plans are in final design and being coordinated with the microgrid project. The City received permits from the Ventura County Air Resources Board for generators at both City Hall and the Corp Yard. The generators will be used as needed to provide backup power during long-term outages.
• The City contracted with Tesla to install battery storage at the Water Reclamation Plant. Construction is complete with final permitting and commissioning underway.

4. Expand community education and outreach regarding recycling, waste reduction, hazardous materials, and organic waste.

Staff made progress on several project s and continue to work with the City’s f ranchise hauler and solid waste consultant on the following items that support this Objective:
• Update t he City’s Trash & Recycling Services webpage , Residential Trash & Recycling Services Guidelines handout, Residential and Commercial E.J. Harrison Trash flash newsletters, and the City’s ‘Odd-N-Ends Guide’. • In June, staff a dded the Household Hazardous Waste Program (HHW) to the City’s Notify Me webpage to allow residents to subscribe to receive email notifications on HHW drop-off events. A total of 178 subscribers signed up to receive HHW program notifications.
• Expanded the City’s organics program education and outreach campaign with new graphic designs, fliers, signs, and resource information targeting SB 1383 compliance and enforcement procedures.
• In August, s taff met with Agromin to discuss a potential agreement with the City for the procurement of organic materials at a significantly reduced cost to meet SB 1383 procurement requirements and host City Organics Education and Giveaway Events to provide free compost and/or mulch to residents. Staff are working with Agromin to finalize the terms of the agreement and will begin education and community outreach on free organics giveaway events for City residents following its finalization. • Developed SB 1383 incentive programs and business tax compliance packet for local landscape and organics generator businesses including new restaurants, to advance commercial and busines s organic waste recycling in compliance with state regulations.
• In July 2022, the City entered into an agreement with The EcoHero Show, to provide sustainability and recycling education services to elementary school children in K-6th Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

grade, through in- person whole school assemblies, live- stream whole school assemblies, and classroom presentations. Through the program, The EcoHero Show educates youth through engaging dance performances, songs, music videos, storytelling and trivia on subjects that includes how to create a sustainable culture at school, CRV recycling and proper sorting, litter and waste reduction, and personal behavior changes to adopt at school and home. In FY 2022/23, the program contacted 14 schools and booked a total of 6 whole school assemblies and 5 in classroom presentations which reached approximately 2,550 students. Staff are currently discussing renewing the agreement with The EcoHero Show for continued services in the current fiscal year including education on SB 1383 organics programs. • In July 2022, the Camarillo Sanitary District approved the Wastewater Master Plan which evaluated the current condition of infrastructure and made recommendations for significant capital improvements to the Water Reclamation Plant within 10 years.

The implementation of the Wastewater Master Plan is underway, and various design alternatives for upgrades at the Water Reclamation Plant are being evaluated. Staff will continue to seek input from the Utilities Committee.

5. Implement the transition of public transit and general use City vehicles and the infrastructure necessary to reduce greenhouse gases by electric, hybrid, or by other environmentally friendly options.
• On May 24, 2023, the City Council approved the City’s Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan (Plan), which proposed to convert the City’s internal combustible engines (ICE) to zero emission buses (ZEB). The Plan anticipates the first ZEB vehicle to start service in 2027, with all 18 t ransit vehicles being electric by 2031. The Plan also proposes an electric charging/storage facility at the Camarillo Train Station parking lot, located off Dawson Drive. The Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan is in direct alignment with the City’s Sustainability Master Plan for Municipal Operations. • Camarillo’s Sustainability Master Plan for Municipal Operations (SMP) was approved by the City Council on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. The SMP is intended to be a living policy document that is regularly reviewed and updated. The SMP will lay the groundwork for municipal initiatives, as directed by the City Council, that staff can use to achieve the sustainable vision and goals established for Camarillo’s municipal operations in a fiscally responsible, technologically feasible, and efficient manner. The primary purpose of the SMP is to provide a specific roadmap for Camarillo’s municipal operations to become more sustainable and resilient to climate change, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• The City fleet currently has four Zero Emission Vehicles consisting of three sedans and one light duty truck. Fleet also includes two hybrid small SUVs in operation and three light-duty pickup trucks on order. Staff continues to evaluate vehicles that can be replaced with Zero Emission Vehicles as manufacturers availability allows, with the intent to meet current state requirements to transition all fleet vehicles by 2035.

Electric and hybrid vehicles are currently in low supply for Fleet purchases. Staff are exploring all options to purchase the vehicles, including from dealer stock.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to provide opportunities to redevelop and develop commercial, industrial and residential areas to improve services, businesses and housing, and to deter and alleviate blight.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Develop alternate methods to move forward with housing and non- housing projects without traditional redevelopment property tax increment and evaluate financing opportunities for instituting such projects.
• Vista Campanario located at 2800 Barry Street is currently under construction for the development of an affordable housing project. The project includes 59 rental units for low, very low, and extremely low -income households, one unrestricted manager’s rental unit, and eight for-sale low-income townhome units. Not only will the units be a mix of 50% low income units and 50% very low income units, but this project will also provide a 20% carve- out for special needs housing, including housing for physically and/or mentally disabled individuals, Veterans. The Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) awarded the rental portion of the project $2.5 million annually for 10 years.

This allocation, which was awarded in one TCAC cycle enabled the project to accelerate its schedule by nine months.
• On August 23, 2023, the City Council approved an agreement to purchase a Tax Default Property located at 2361 Barry Street for $46,100 using funds that earmark the property for development into some form of affordable housing. Staff will continue to work with the County Assessor’s Office to go through the necessary procedures to complete the property acquisition.

2. Focus on the potential incremental redevelopment of the Camarillo Commons Specific Plan area by:
a. Affirmatively engaging property owners in the Plan area; and • Staff continue to research property owners in the Plan area to create a list that correlates to the specific property they own. Unfortunately, due to limited access to information, multiple divisions will be required to assist with searching for owners and their contact information. Upon completion of the search, staff will move forward with engaging property owners to determine their level of interest in redeveloping the Plan area. Staff will identify the hurdles for property owners to pursue redevelopment and will inquire about the effectiveness of various incentives identified in encouraging redevelopment. b. Identifying incentives that the City could offer to property owners willing to proceed with redevelopment projects in the Plan area.

Staff continues to identify incentives for consideration, including:

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• Providing property tax abatements to directly reduce the amount of taxes owed for a specified period. A property owner’s tax liability could be reduced by all or a portion of the difference between the pre- and post-renovation tax bills. The size of the benefit and duration of the exemption would have to be considered carefully to not compromise the City’s ability to fund other priorities. • Utilizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) tools, which work to transfer the property tax revenues that flow from a designated project area to the City, county, and other taxing entities. Additional tax revenue in future years is diverted into a separate pool , which can be used to pay for improvements directly or to pay back bonds issued against the anticipated TIF revenue.

Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and Community Revitalization Investment Areas (CRIAs) are two ways governments can finance projects with tax increment and may be possible mechanisms to encourage redevelopment.
• Establishing a low-interest or deferred interest loan program to help finance the project. A funding source would need to be established. • Providing access to technical assistance in the form of expertise and resources needed to successfully complete the project. This includes help in navigating the permitting process, offering training and capacity building programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of property owners in the project area, providing information on financial or funding assistance, facilitating connections to other stak eholders in the area, and assisting with ongoing support throughout the project life cycle.

3. Continue to assist other commercial property owners who have interest in revitalizing their properties.

Through the City’s consultation meeting process, Staff assisted ten local business and property owners on subjects ranging from new business ideas, redevelopment of existing low tenancy offices into residential and/or mixed use, and other development proposals for existing commercial properties.

Staff assisted property owners on the following projects:
• CPD-254, Chick-fil-A – On August 15, 2023, the Planning Commission approved a Commercial Planned Development Permit for a brand new 5,150 -square-feet fast- food restaurant located at 670 Ventura Boulevard. The construction of the restaurant is anticipated to start in the Spring of 2024 with the opening tentatively scheduled by the beginning of 2025.
• CPD-36M(1), Arneill Pharmacy – On September 19, 2023, Planning Commission approved a major modification to CPD -36 to allow for the construction of a second- floor expansion, exterior remodel, and interior tenant improvement to convert an existing vacant medical office into a delivery-only pharmacy and office suites located at 195 and 197 Arneill Road. The project is anticipated to begin construction in early Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

2024 and the applicant is currently working with staff on satisfying all project conditions prior to construction.
• CUP-427 and IPD -249M(1), Foundry 805, LLC – On September 19, 2023, the Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit to allow for a bona fide food establishment (restaurant) and a craft distillery and a major modification to an Industrial Planned Development permit to expand an existing 17,854- square-foot, two-story building, to a 24,842- square-foot three-story building, along with a request for a 10% parking reduction. A large element of the proposed project is focused on a small business incubator space with the facility offering start -up spaces for young entrepreneurs. The project received significant support from the City of Camarillo residents with numerous letters and several speakers expressing their support during the public hearing.
• CUP-384 and CPD -246, Mian Plaza and Conference Center – Permits have been issued for all buildings within the Hotel Conference Center Project, including Home 2 Suites, Embassy Suites, and Pad Buildings A, B, C, and D. Staff continues to work with the developer to satisfy various project conditions and it is ant icipated that the project will be completed by the end of 2025.

4. Evaluate various options for enhancing the livability and economic viability of the Old Town area including, supporting grassroots efforts of a feasibility study of a Business Improvement District.
• Staff frequently attend Camarillo Old Town Association (COTA) board meetings, coordinates on community events, and has been supporting grass roots efforts since November 2021. Staff support these efforts through guidance from COTA and by providing contact information to Old Town’s property and business owners. COTA’s PBID Committee is planning to increase outreach in the coming year and has received 8 petition signatures from property owners in support of a PBID.

5. Encourage the development of appropriate infill housing projects that include affordable housing opportunities to help address the housing crisis in our area.

The following housing projects have been approved or are under construction:
• 2361 Barry Street and 262 Arneill Road – Staff utilized an existing contract with RRM Design Group (RRM) to begin the creation of preliminary plans and options for the development of the Tax Default Property located at 2361 Barry Street and higher density alternatives for the vacant City -owned lot located at 262 Arneill Road. While the exact populations thes e properties will serve have not been identified, the properties have been acquired with funds that designate the properties for affordable housing. Staff are currently working with RRM in determining the specific makeup of the proposed developments and their rudimentary design, with periodic meetings between RRM and Staff.
• Springville Specific Plan (Lennar Homes) – 158 new single-family residences, a new five-acre park site operated by the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, and Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

the preservation and relocation of the Scholle House on a lot within the subdivision, located northwest of U.S. 101 and Springville Drive. The Developer is currently working on site improvements. In September 2023 staff reviewed the proposed improvement pl ans for three model homes. The Scholle House has now been relocated to its intended location with some minor adjustments anticipated in line with the forthcoming foundation permit.
• Shea Homes – 281 senior (55+) housing units located northeast of Upland Road and Lewis Road. All of the units have now been completed and the staff is working with the developer on closing out the project.
• Camino Ruiz Apartments – 385 apartment units located on 14.17 acres on the southeast corner of Verdugo Way and Camino Ruiz. The project includes 20 units for low income, and 20 units for moderate income households. Grading is anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2024.
• Palmera Townhomes – 285 for sale townhomes on 19.88 acres located at the northeast corner of Lewis Road and Pleasant Valley Road. The project includes 29 moderate-income units. The applicant is currently working on grading permits and anticipates starting grading in the first quarter of 2024. • Camarillo Village Homes – A related project adjacent to and contiguous with Palmera, at the northeast corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Lewis Road. This project is a three-story mixed-use development with 12,000 square-feet of commercial/retail and 24 apartment units, three of which are affordable to low income. This project is expected to start grading in the first quarter of 2024. • Williams Homes Apartments – 96 apartment units located on the west side of Village at the Park Drive just south of the Residence Inn, Marriot. This project was completed in the second quarter of 2023.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain a positive environment for new business, expansion and retention of existing businesses through staff assistance and provision of efficient processing of proposals.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Aggressively implement the City’s adopted Economic Development Strategic Plan. • A first-priority action item of the City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) that supports multiple objectives is the establishment of a marketing program to promote Camarillo as a place for innovation and for the attraction, growth, and retention of target industries. On July 26, 2023, the City launched ChooseCamarillo.com, an economic development website that highlights Camarillo’s Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

key assets and strengths in alignment with the EDSP. Now that the City’s economic development website is live, foundational marketing strategies are being developed and plans for implementation will be incorporated into the next fiscal year’s budget. • In alignment with the Business Outreach Plan of the EDSP, staff and City Councilmembers attend in- person business visits. Visits take place in industry verticals identified in the EDSP, such as advanced manufacturing, life science, and healthcare. In this fiscal year, visits have been made to Hi -Temp Insulation, who are celebrating their 50
th year anniversary in Camarillo, and CloudNine Hangars. • The City continues to make progress implementing the EDSP’s strategies for entrepreneurship. A significant advancement towards making Camarillo known as a place for entrepreneurship was made on September 19, 2023, when Planning Commission approved a CUP -427 and IPD -249M(1) for Camarillo’s first business incubator, Foundry 805. Staff coordinated extensively with the applicant, who intends on redeveloping an office building into an incubator with R&D space and a restaurant that operates in alignment with the City’s EDSP. Additionally, staff maintain communications with local entrepreneurs and attend events by the Ventura County Innovation Leaders Group held by the Alliance for SoCal Innovation, 805 Startups, and Fathomwerx.
• Workforce development goals are achieved through collaborations with local workforce development organizations, like Workforce Development Board, Economic Development Collaborative, CSU Channel Islands, Ventura County Community College District, and Camarillo Library. To support small businesses in attracting workforce, staff organized a Summer Job Fair on June 21 at Constitution Park. Local Camarillo businesses and non-profits joined this event to promote 637 jobs. This was the most successful job fair with 194 job seekers registered to attend. Business indicated they’d attend the next event in the winter due to the great attendance and multiple quality leads.
• In alignment with the EDSP action items for critical infrastructure, staff are active with broadband deployment in Camarillo. Recently, Ventura County received $20 million in Federal Funding Account (FFA) and formed a Ventura Council of Governments (VCOG) broadband advisory group with member cities. Staff serves on the advisory group which has a goal to provide fiber to underserved areas across the county. While there are very few underserved areas in Camarillo, there is still the potential to identify and connect areas in need of fiber. The primary lack of service in Camarillo is limited to wireless service and staff have aligned with the Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast (BCPC) to meet with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to learn more about their services and what the opportunities are for enhancement. In meeting with these carriers, staff learned that the providers have multi-year expansion plan to close gaps in coverage. S ome of the limiting factors that providers face includes budget constraints, site constraints, and profitability requirements . While these factors are outside of the City’s control, the City remains committed to keeping lines of communication open with wireless providers to adjust the things the City can control, which is limited to permitting and inspections.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

2. Retain and expand a diverse and healthy small business environment in the City. • Proactive efforts to attract and foster business growth within Camarillo materialized by ongoing collaborations with numerous property owners and developers in pursuit of new developments and tenant improvements. The C ity boasts enviable low vacancy rates, which indicates a healthy small business environment, but also creates challenges for expanding businesses due to limited space:
 Retail: 4.1 million square feet with 2.7% vacancy rate (10-year average: 3.1%)  Industrial: 10.8 million square feet, 1.5% vacancy rate (10-year average: 5.45%)  Office: 2.6 million square feet, 7.3% vacancy rate (10-year average: 11.3%) Consultation meetings effectively reduce challenges and facilitate expansion by lowering the hurdles to receiving development feedback. Recently, the City retained an advanced manufacturing business that will redevelop and expand into two former office buildings. Additionally, an auto business was attracted for a ground up industrial development.
• Communication is a high-priority item and staff promote business resources frequently with the business community through the City’s social media accounts and economic development newsletter, which currently has 2,500 subscribers. Additionally, staff participates in local events, recently attending the West Ventura County Business Alliance’s Business Expo in September, and Ribbon Cuttings for Synectic Solutions.

Furthering effective communication with the small business community, staff from economic development and code compliance began coordination for scenarios when cases impact business properties. Staff ensures that communication is effectively delivered, providing solutions and recommended pathways t o business and property owners, prior to notices of violations.
• The City’s revolving loan fund supports a diverse and healthy small business environment by providing working capital to existing small businesses and has aided in attracting one business to Camarillo. The program has allocated loans totaling $561,000 to nine businesses, with an additional four businesses currently seeking $280,000. Fire House Subs, the newest business funded, will be in the Camarillo Village Square Marketplace at 2500 Las Posas Road Suite C. • On March 22, 2023, Ordinance 20 07 amending Title 19 of the CMC was adopted by the City Council to position the City of Camarillo as a place for the growth of the region’s life science industry. Leveraging the adoption of this Ordinance in alignment to EDSP strategies for Real Estate and Community Development, staff promotes Camarillo as a place for life science to local and regional businesses and real estate professionals to inform them of expansion opportunities. The City of Camarillo continues to be an annual sponsor of the BioScience A lliance, which recognizes the City and its support of life science in all emails, fliers, and events. Staff participate in life science events by BIZNOW, Biocom, and BioScience Alliance, and maintain frequent communications with businesses, non- profits, developers, and investors in Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

the industry. Staff frequently inquire with life science contacts regarding the possible expansion for cannabis R&D, however, have not received any indication that efforts in this field will be worthwhile.
• Staff met with the property owners of the Mark and Twenty88 to determine their interest in maintaining outdoor dining and to discuss safety requirements, ADA compliance and the feasibility of lease agreements. After confirming their interest, staff presented to the EDLU which recommended further investigation. • To engage the surrounding business and residential community, an outdoor dining survey was created and distributed via email to 432 contacts, which included all businesses and property owners in Camarillo Old Town. Additionally, the survey was delivered by an U ntied States Postal Service Every Door Direct Mail campaign to approximately 1,650 mailboxes of residents and businesses in Camarillo Old Town.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to increase community engagement and effective communication with the community.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Enhance opportunities to engage youth regarding issues that concern them and to develop future leaders.

One of the action strategies set by City Council under this O bjective is to explore the opportunity of creating a Youth Council. This action strategy has been reprioritized in the FY 2024/25 work plan. Other activities towards this objective include:
• The City expanded the City Hall Tours which primarily host elementary school students. Staff engage students on multiple levels helping to provide educational opportunities to learn about C ity government, elections, and projects. Engaging with educators helps to foster the relationship between the school district and the City, and educating the students encourages future community and government participation.

Tours are conducted throughout the school year, and the program now includes scout troops and can be scaled to fit a variety of other organizations. A tour for teenagers was crafted to include higher -level topics focusing on land development and public works capital improvement projects. Tours allow students to engage in mock debates, learn about the importance of the public meeting process, and about the election and voting process.
• Staff from various departments were present at the Summer Concerts in Constitution Park, engaging with community members at the City’s booth. Staff handed out free items to hundreds of people, including glowsticks and “I Love Camarillo” stickers which are popular among youth. This opportunity was used to engage with the public and learn from the youth what they love about Camarillo.

Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

• The City participa ted in Camarillo Police Department’s “Trunk or Treat” event on October 26, 2023. This opportunity allowed staff to engage with community members of all ages, especially youth who are the target audience of the event. • The Community Academy , a critical piece of Camarillo’s Community Engagement Strategy, is set to launch in 2024 and will accommodate up to 20 participants per cohort with a minimum of two spaces reserved for youth participants (high school or young adult). The Community Academy will serve to educate community members on the role of local government, highlighting Camarillo staff and how the Camarillo community is served. Guided tours of City facilities and projects are part of the curriculum.

2. Seek opportunities for community engagement as outlined in the Communication Guidelines and through improved technology.
• Staff hosted a Public Forum at the Camarillo Library on proposed water and sewer rates on September 18, 2023. Approximately 20 community members attended the forum, both in -person and virtually via Zoom. Staff gave a brief presentation and attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions and participate in an open discussion. Following the event, a virtual Public Forum was created in Open City Hall which provided an additional opportunity for community members to submit questions and/or feedback. The virtual forum includes a recording of the live presentation and a link to common FAQ’s.
• As part of Emergency Preparedness Month in September, staff launched a public outreach campaign which included direct mail, social media messaging, and an informative table display in the lobby at City Hall. In addition, staff prepared and distributed an emergency supply kit to all employees.
• Staff continues to grow the City’s social media platforms and expand subscribers to emails and digital publications. On the City's four social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X ), social media followers increased by 1,200 followers in 2023, for a total of 9,515 followers across all platforms. This equates to a 12% increase in social media followers in 2023. Staff posted a total of 1,316 posts in 2023, resulting in 704,167 impressions across networks.
• Since September 2022, a total of 2,142 subscribers have been added to the City’s online contact management system. In September 2023, 15 email campaigns were sent, reaching 27,807 contacts with a 66% open rate. The City’s email open rate has averaged above 60% for the past year, which is well above the industry average. (As reported by Mailchimp, the average open rate across all industries was 21.33% in October 2019).
• Staff continue to leverage technology to reach community members and solicit feedback. A recent online survey posted to “Open City Hall” within the City’s website generated 217 responses in less than 30 days.
• Since March 2023, approximately 17 tours of the Desalter have been given, reaching Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

a total of 171 individuals, including members of the public, local students, dignitaries, local Rotary Groups, Agencies and more. Additional tours are planned, extending well into the spring of 2024. The Grand Opening of the Desalter Learning Center was held on November 9, 2023. This well- attended event gave attendees the opportunity to explore the City’s water story and engage in fun interactive activities.

GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain effective communications with local, state and federal elected representatives and other local public agencies including schools, parks, and special districts.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Prioritize communications with other local public agencies that serve Camarillo residents and businesses.

City staff continues to connect with other local public agencies, including various Ventura County agencies to provide services to homeless populations, including Ventura County Health Care Agenc y, Ventura County Behavioral Health, Ventura County Human Services Agency, Camarillo Healthcare District, Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, Workforce Development Board of Ventura County, and Ventura County Veteran’s Services.
• Staff collaborated with the County Elections Division to ensure all messaging pertaining to the upcoming 2024 elections is consistent throughout the County. This will help ensure all City correspondence mirrors the County and all available platforms will be utilized to deliver united messaging to effectively communicate with Camarillo residents and surrounding communities.
• Staff continue to work with other local agencies including Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) and the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District (PVRPD) to advance projects and increase community education and outreach directly in alignment with Council objectives as outlined below:
 Beginning in July, staff worked with VCAS and PVRPD to gather information and expand community outreach on Leash Law Safety & Tips, which included sharing educational resources on compliance during busier months when off-leash violations most frequently occur. Staff published an article on Leash Law Safety & Tips in the September CityScene Newsletter and on City social media platforms which received a positive reaction from the community , Additionally, the Pleasant Valley School District reshared the City’s social media post on their page.  In late October, City and PVRPD staff met to discuss a potential collaboration on SB 1383 projects including the use of City grant funding for the procurement and use of organics material in district parks. In addition, staff discussed working with the district to host City Organics Giveaway Events to provide free organics material Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

including compost and/or mulch to residents. Staff are working with the district to host the first free Organics Giveaway Event to take place on Earth Day in collaboration with PVRPD’s ‘Love Your Planet’ event.

2. Be proactive in defending the City’s interests concerning proposed legislation and regulatory issues, including but not limited to legislative efforts to reduce local municipal control in land use and housing decisions.
• During the previous legislative year, s taff took positions on nine different bills at the State level and submitted five letters on various issues at the federal level. City engaged with legislative staff through Arc Strategies in Sacramento to discuss bills of concern multiple times. During the CalCities 2023 Annual Conference, City staff met with legislative consultants in both the Assembly and the Senate to discuss the issues impacting the City and what the legislative priorities will be for next year. Additionally, staff made several budget requests at both the State and Federal level through the district’s elected officials. One of those legislative requests was moved forward by Congresswoman Brownley for the Las Posas Bridge for $850,000. • Staff worked to incorporate the state legislation that became effective in 2023 into our local requirements, ensuring the maximum protection to our local interests while remaining in compliance with state law. This included the adoption of new bills related to Accessory Dwelling Units, conversion of commercial space to residential, changes to parking requirements, and various other changes. The proposed updates to the City’s Municipal Code required by state law were presented to the Economic Development and Land Use Committee on June 22, and August 24, 2023. These updates will be presented to the Planning Commission, tentatively scheduled for November 7, 2023. Shortly thereafter, the proposed legislative updates will be brought before the City Council for consideration.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
GOAL: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain an optimum work environment through competitive salaries, benefits, and training.

FY 2023/24 Objectives

1. Promote and encourage sustainable best practices in the workplace consistent with the Sustainability Master Plan and incentivize employees for personal work- related sustainability practices.

Staff are encouraged to use the vehicle charging stations at City facilities including City Hall, Corporation Yard, and the Library. Additionally, each City employee was awarded a food-grade stainless steel cup which maintains temperature over long periods of time but doesn’t retain smells. Staff are encouraged to stay hydrated during the workday, while at the same time reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and oceans— most notably from cups and water bottles. small organic waste containers are on order and will soon be placed at all City facilities , to responsibly separate organic food waste Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

from other recyclables and trash. Staff will continue to work on implementing additional sustainable best practices and will explore incentives to support best practices.

Additionally, staff made progress on several projects that support the City Council’s overall goal to maintain an optimum work environment through competitive salaries, benefits, trainings, including:
• Comprehensive Classification and Compensation Plan – During FY 2022/23, City staff worked with consultant Evergreen Solutions, LLC, to complete a Comprehensive Classification and Compensation Study which included a thorough assessment of all job descriptions, a salary survey of all positions comparable to other agencies , an evaluation of benefits, and a final report and recommendation based of their findings.

On June 28,
2023, t he City Council approved a revised Classification and Compensation plan and a 4% cost of living adjustment for all classified employees effective July 1, 2023.
• Training and Development Plan – To ensure the City is developing an optimal and high-performing workforce, the City is creating a Training & Development Plan, which will serve as a curriculum of trainings and classes staff can take to not only enhance their performance in the workplace, but further their own career goals. Trainings will include access to soft -skill classes, including public speaking, creative writing, and workplace communication, but also management and supervisory training for those interested in gaining managerial skills to continue moving up in the workplace. Other training courses will focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training, ensuring a safe workplace for all employees. Providing these opportunities will attract high performers in the job market who want to be a part of a successful agency such as the City of Camarillo and will train internal staff to prepare to take on new roles and responsibilities.
• Administrative Roundtable Group – The City Administrative Roundtable Group continues to grow and serve as essential collaborative team for sharing ideas for Citywide process improvements to maximize productivity, participate in administrative trainings, and building rapport and professional relationships with other department staff.
• National Preparedness Month Campaign – Throughout the month of September, staff undertook a proactive approach in fostering preparedness by launching a National Preparedness Month Campaign (NPM) dedicated to educating the public and staff on the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies and the steps that can be taken to protect their homes, businesses , and the community. The NMP Campaign focused on disseminating preparedness messages aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action regarding personal and community emergency planning. These messages included educational resources and preparedness tips to share information about the City’s Emergencies webpage and resources, fire and safety prevention, earthquake safety, extreme weather conditions, Public Safety Power Shutoff events and power outages, and how to create an emergency plan and supplies kit. As part of this initiative, employees received an emergency starter kit containing essential Progress Updates on FY 2023/24 Council Goals and Objectives January 31, 2024

supplies, to encourage preparation and further ensure they were equipped to face potential emergencies. This collaborative effort not only heightened preparedness awareness but also directly supported individuals in taking tangible steps towards personal emergency readiness.

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OBJECTIVE
Continue interaction with the University, including its President, regarding City, University and student issues such as student services, housing, facilities, growth projections, economic development opportunities, research opportunities and the employment pipeline.

FISCAL MANAGEMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain sound and conservative financial practices to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the City.

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to provide a safe and enriched environment where people can live, work and play.

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain a close working relationship with the University
Pursue opportunities for diversification of City revenues through public and private sources.

Continue to identify and implement means and methods for streamlining internal and public-facing City operations.

Increase awareness and participation in Neighborhood Watch Program.

Explore opportunities to foster an inclusive and accessible environment for all, including inclusivity and tolerance in our community.

Explore the establishment of a public/private community wellness initiative (“Healthy Camarillo”) focusing on prevalent community health issues.

Explore opportunities to enhance, restore and beautify the community through the involvement of volunteers.

Develop and implement appropriate strategies to more effectively combat crime.

Explore various options for financially supporting the arts program and ways to commission public art to celebrate the identity and history of Camarillo.

When the District is ready to move forward, continue working with Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District to address Senior Center and community recreation facility needs.

Enhance community safety through continued emphasis on support of law enforcement, expanded public awareness and educational programs.

Encourage efforts by County of Ventura and California State University Channel Islands to create a bike trail from Calleguas Creek Bridge at Pleasant Valley Road to California State University Channel Islands.

Evaluate potential measures to improve public transit.

Continue to seek funding for recycled water storage.

ENVIRONMENT/RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to provide cost-effective, efficient services to the public while minimizing impacts on the environment.

LAND USE AND TRANSORTATION: It is the goal of the City Council to plan appropriate land uses, streets, bikeways, infrastructure, and transit system.

Continue to seek improvement on local traffic issues that impact our City.

Continue to work with Caltrans and Ventura County Transportation Commission to address improvements on the 101 Freeway and State Highway 34.

Develop and implement appropriate education, enforcement, and assistance strategies to address homeless and mental health issues.

Maintain the City’s involvement and collaboration with the VC Sheriff’s Department, VC Behavioral Health, and other agencies for assistance, as appropriate, in helping law enforcement respond to homelessness and calls involving mental health issues.

Continue to emphasize water conservation measures.

Promote renewable energy generation and infrastructure projects in the city, including electrical vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and energy efficiency improvements.

Expand community education and outreach regarding recycling, waste reduction, hazardous materials, and organic waste.

Implement the transition of public transit and general use City vehicles and the infrastructure necessary to reduce greenhouse gases by electric, hybrid, or by other environmentally-friendly options.

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to provide opportunities to redevelop and develop commercial, industrial and residential areas to improve services, businesses and housing, and to deter and alleviate blight.

Strategic Plan FY 2023/24 Council Goals & Objectives
Develop alternate methods to move forward with housing and non-housing projects without traditional redevelopment property tax increment and evaluate financing opportunities for instituting such projects.

Focus on the potential incremental redevelopment of the Camarillo Commons Specific Plan area by:

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FISCAL MANAGEMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain sound and conservative financial practices to ensure the fiscal Strategic Plan FY 2023/24 Council Goals & Objectives

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Affirmatively engaging property owners in the Plan area; and Identifying incentives that the City could offer to property owners willing to proceed with redevelopment projects in the Plan area.

Continue to assist other commercial property owners who have interest in revitalizing their properties.

Be proactive in defending the City’s interests concerning proposed legislation and regulatory issues, including but not limited to legislative efforts to reduce local municipal control in land use and housing decisions.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain an optimum work environment through competitive salaries, benefits, and training.

Promote and encourage sustainable best practices in the workplace consistent with the Sustainability Master Plan and incentivize employees for personal work-related sustainability practices.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS: It is the goal of the City Council to increase community engagement and effective communication with the community.

Enhance opportunities to engage youth regarding issues that concern them and to develop future leaders.

Seek opportunities for community engagement as outlined in the Communication Guidelines and through improved technology.

GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain effective communications with local, state and federal elected representatives and other local public agencies including schools, parks, and special districts.

Prioritize communications with other local public agencies that serve Camarillo residents and businesses.

Evaluate various options for enhancing the livability and economic viability of the Old Town area including, supporting grassroots efforts of a feasibility study of a Business Improvement District.

Encourage the development of appropriate infill housing projects that include affordable housing opportunities to help address the housing crisis in our area.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: It is the goal of the City Council to maintain a positive environment for new business, expansion and retention of existing businesses through staff assistance and provision of efficient processing of proposals.

Aggressively implement the City’s adopted Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Retain and expand a diverse and healthy small business environment in the City.