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CAMARILLO OLD TOWN
Executive Summary
Old Town is the historic heart of Camarillo. It is a front door for residents, visitors, entrepreneurs, and community life. It is also one of the city’s most distinctive districts: a place where local business, civic identity, arts, culture, and walkability come together in a way that newer commercial areas cannot replicate.
This Five-Year Strategic Action Plan provides an aspirational framework to guide how the City may strengthen Old Town over time. It is intended to support stronger public spaces, district maintenance, and access; a more active and economically resilient district; a clearer identity and destination experience; and more disciplined readiness for long-term opportunity sites and catalytic partnerships.
The plan is organized around four goals.
First, improve Old Town’s public spaces, maintenance, and access through visible stewardship, including cleanliness, lighting, landscape care, bike access, and wayfinding.
Second, increase economic energy and storefront activation by protecting key frontage, improving the business environment, and reserving future parking management tools for the right phase of district development.
Third, build a clearer identity and destination experience through public art on public property, decorative lighting, Dizdar Park activation, special events policy, and broader district marketing.
Fourth, organize for catalytic readiness and long-term delivery by advancing the City’s response to the Pleasant Valley School District (PVSD) surplus process, coordinating future opportunity sites, and preserving future tools such as a Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) where support exists.
This plan does not create automatic budget approvals or predetermine future development outcomes. Instead, it establishes a policy framework for how the City can take near-term action while preparing for longer-term opportunities. Each action is tied not only to district needs, but also to broader adopted City plans and policy frameworks, including Council Goals, the General Plan, the Economic Development Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Master Plan, and related planning efforts where relevant.
3 By the end of the plan period, success should look like this: Old Town feels cleaner, brighter, and better maintained; visitors can find their way and stay longer; Ventura Boulevard has a stronger mix of active uses; Dizdar Park supports a dependable rhythm of activity; the district has a clearer and more recognizable identity; the City is better positioned to advance long-term opportunities when site, procurement, and partnership conditions align; and Old Town is more connected to educational and emerging workforce audiences, including CSUCI students.
Purpose, Context, and How We Got Here
This plan was prepared because Old Town requires a more focused, place-based strategy than the City’s broader economic development documents can provide on their own.
Old Town is not a single-owner shopping center. It is a district made up of many private parcels, with the City managing the streets, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, public parking, and other shared public-facing areas. In a shopping center, one ownership entity typically manages tenant mix, marketing, maintenance, cleaning, branding, parking operations, and reinvestment strategy.
Old Town functions differently. Businesses and properties are independently owned, while the City is responsible for the condition and functionality of the shared areas that shape the district’s appearance and visitor experience. That makes coordination more difficult, but it also makes a shared strategy more important. Without one, Old Town can experience fragmented decision-making in areas where a private center would operate through one coordinated management approach.
The City’s 2018 Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) helps explain why an Old Town plan is warranted. The EDSP established a broader economic development framework focused not only on business attraction, but also on business friendliness, placemaking, infrastructure, quality of life, and partnerships. It recognized that many actions would depend on coordination among multiple public and private actors, not just direct City delivery.
Several EDSP priorities point directly toward an Old Town strategy. The EDSP identifies hospitality, entertainment, and retail as strategically important because these activities generate fiscal value, provide amenities for residents and visitors, and carry strong placemaking value. It also identifies revitalization of key commercial districts as a high-priority initiative and specifically calls for placemaking efforts with a focus on Old Town. In that sense, this plan is not separate from the EDSP. It is a district-level implementation companion to it. 4 This plan is also grounded in more recent Old Town-specific input. The City’s outreach process included more than 700 survey responses, a town hall, direct conversations with business owners and stakeholders, and mobility analysis to better understand visitation, circulation, and peak activity patterns. That work provided a more current and district-specific picture of what people value in Old Town, what they see as its barriers, and where focused action is most needed.
The plan is also timely because the operating environment has changed. State law, including AB 2097, has reduced the City’s ability to require parking within one- half mile of major transit. In a district like Old Town, where parking is already one of the most visible public concerns, that makes long-term parking strategy, wayfinding, and public access planning more important.
In short, this plan was prepared because Old Town sits at the intersection of several of Camarillo’s most important economic development priorities: revitalization of a key commercial district, placemaking, local business vitality, tourism, events, visible stewardship of the district, and long-term opportunity site strategy. The EDSP established that broader direction, and this plan applies it specifically to Old Town.
Strategic Goals
Goal Purpose
Goal 1. Strengthen Public Spaces and
District Maintenance
Improve visible stewardship, lighting,
maintenance, wayfinding, and district
comfort so Old Town feels cared for,
functional, and welcoming.
Goal 2. Increase Economic Energy and
Storefront Activation
Support a stronger business
environment by protecting active
frontages, improving access, and
helping Old Town function as a more
compelling place to visit and stay.
Goal 3. Build a Clearer Identity and
Destination Experience
Use arts, programming, branding, and
design cues to make Old Town more
recognizable, memorable, and active
beyond the daytime.
Goal 4. Organize for Catalytic
Readiness and Long-Term Delivery
Create the policy, funding, and
procurement framework needed to
move near-term actions now and long-
term opportunities forward responsibly.
5 Guiding Principles
Focus on visible progress. The public should be able to see that conditions are improving.
Get the basics right first. Cleanliness, lighting, maintenance, and wayfinding are foundational, not secondary.
Protect Old Town’s character. Improvement should reinforce Old Town’s local, historic, and small-scale identity.
Use public resources strategically. The City should lead on baseline stewardship, enabling policy, and key public improvements, while recognizing that some enhanced services depend on future partnership or owner-supported models.
Sequence larger opportunities responsibly. Long-range projects should be advanced seriously, but only through the proper procurement, negotiation, and public process steps.
How to Use This Plan
This plan is intended to guide future City decision-making and help inform implementation over time without locking the City into assumptions. It provides a framework, identifies readiness conditions, and clarifies where future Council action would still be required.
The plan is organized around four strategic goals, each supported by overview tables and detailed action sheets. The overview tables provide a quick summary of each action, while the action sheets explain why the action matters, what implementation could involve, how it could be funded, when it could move forward, and how success could be measured. The action sheets are intended to describe potential implementation pathways and decision points, not to constitute binding commitments to fund or deliver every item exactly as written.
Each action is structured to help City Council, staff, property owners, businesses, and community partners understand not only what is proposed, but also what conditions must be in place before an action advances. This is especially important in Old Town, where some actions can begin within existing City authority, while others depend on policy adoption, external funding, partner participation, or control of key sites.
Readiness Categories
Actions are organized by readiness rather than fixed dates:
6 • Ready Now actions can move within existing authority, ongoing operations, or modest near-term planning.
• Policy-Ready actions can advance once standards, procedures, or Council direction are formally adopted.
• Match-Dependent actions move when external financial participation is secured, such as grants, sponsorships, or cost-sharing. • Partnership-Dependent actions rely on formal partner alignment, participation, or institutional collaboration before they can advance. • Control-Dependent actions rely on site control, procurement milestones, outside ownership decisions, or other conditions beyond the City’s immediate control.
Each action is assigned one primary readiness category, while any additional dependencies are described in the trigger, funding, or partner sections.
City Roles
Each action identifies the City’s role clearly so responsibilities remain transparent. • Deliver means the City is directly doing the work or administering the program.
• Regulate means the City is creating, applying, or enforcing standards, rules, approvals, or permit conditions.
• Partner means the City is co-implementing with others or relying on shared execution.
• Convene means the City is organizing alignment among external actors. • Advise means the City is providing technical or process guidance, but not leading delivery.
• Influence means the City is encouraging voluntary uptake or behavior it does not control.
Not every action requires the same level of City involvement. In some cases, the City is the lead implementer. In others, the City’s role is to align partners, provide structure, or help create the conditions for others to move forward.
Funding Tiers
The funding logic for Old Town is disciplined and reflected directly in each action sheet.
• Tier 1 – City Baseline includes routine public maintenance, lighting, policy work, core stewardship responsibilities, and continuing maintenance-level improvements that can reasonably be carried out within existing operating, maintenance, or already-programmed maintenance budgets. It may also 7 include limited staff-level scoping, coordination, and development of options for future actions where those tasks can be completed within existing resources.
• Tier 2 – Targeted City Investment includes selected capital and enabling improvements, such as signage, lighting, wayfinding, acquisition, pre- development, and other public space or streetscape improvements advanced through annual budget, capital planning, or other Council- approved funding processes.
• Tier 3 – External or Future Partnership Funding includes above-baseline services or enhancements supported through grants, sponsorships, applicants, partner contributions, or future district funding tools where appropriate.
Actions may move through more than one funding tier over time. In those cases, Tier 1 may support initial City coordination, maintenance, or readiness work; Tier 2 may apply if a future City investment, acquisition, or local match is later considered; and Tier 3 may apply where implementation ultimately depends on outside funding, sponsorship, applicants, or district-based financing.
This plan does not assume that every identified improvement will require a new appropriation. Where work can be accommodated within existing maintenance or operating programs, staff may advance it through normal administrative processes. Where additional City funding is needed, requests should return through the annual budget, CIP, or other appropriate public process after the scope of work has been defined, pricing estimates or competitive quotes have been obtained as appropriate, and recommended funding options are available for Council consideration.
For match-based initiatives, an action may include both Tier 2 and Tier 3 when outside funding or sponsorship is expected but a local City match or targeted City contribution may also be needed. Any such City contribution would return for Council consideration through the appropriate budget, capital, or public approval process.
The sections that follow translate these funding tiers into specific actions organized by strategic goal.
Strategic Goal 1: Strengthen Public Spaces and District Maintenance
Old Town’s public spaces shape how the district is experienced. Cleanliness, lighting, maintenance, landscaping, sidewalks, and wayfinding influence whether 8 the area feels safe, cared for, and inviting. Community input and district observations make clear that visible stewardship is one of the most important ways the City can build confidence and support local business activity.
ID Strategic Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
1.1 Cleanliness
Service
Standard and
Weekend
Coverage
Align trash service schedules more
closely with actual demand,
especially on weekends, while
maintaining baseline pressure
washing and clear expectations
for business-caused messes to be
promptly corrected.
Role: Deliver / Regulate
Readiness: Ready Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 3 – External
or future partnership
funding
1.2 Lighting
Enhancements
and
Maintenance
Continue routine lighting
maintenance and higher-lumen
upgrades along Ventura
Boulevard and other priority areas
to improve visibility, comfort, and
evening usability.
Role: Deliver
Readiness: Ready Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
1.3 Wayfinding,
Visitor
Orientation, and
Park-Once
Clarity
Make Old Town easier to find and
navigate by improving district
wayfinding for drivers and
pedestrians, helping visitors locate
parking, orient themselves once
they arrive, and move more
confidently throughout the district.
Role: Deliver / Partner
Readiness: Policy-Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 –
Targeted City
investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
1.4 District
Maintenance
and Landscape
Stewardship
Maintain existing landscape,
streetscape, and visible public
features; reinforce that businesses
maintain plantings in sidewalk
furniture zones.
Role: Deliver / Regulate /
Influence
Readiness: Ready Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
1.5 Bike Racks and
Daytime Access
Support daytime bicycle access
and provide another practical
way to reach Old Town when
parking is limited.
Role: Deliver
Readiness: Ready Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 –
Targeted City investment
9 1.1 Cleanliness Service Standard and Weekend Coverage Objective: Improve Old Town’s appearance and visitor experience by aligning trash service schedules more closely with actual demand, especially during the busiest days of the week, while maintaining clear expectations for baseline pressure washing and prompt correction of business-caused messes.
Why it matters: Trash overflow and stained sidewalks are among the most visible signs of whether a district feels cared for, welcoming, and ready for investment.
Community feedback consistently identified cleanliness as a top concern. When trash service schedules do not align with weekend activity, Old Town can appear less well-managed precisely when visitation is strongest. Likewise, a clear pressure washing baseline helps maintain district appearance while distinguishing between City service levels and the responsibility of business and property owners to promptly correct messes caused by negligence or poor operational practices.
Implementation approach: Maintain and refine Old Town trash service schedules with an emphasis on weekend demand, continue the baseline pressure washing schedule for public sidewalks, and communicate clear expectations that business- caused messes, including spills, leakage, or similar conditions, be promptly corrected by the responsible party. Any pressure washing beyond the City’s baseline cadence should be funded through a PBID or other external match.
Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Operational review of trash service timing completed and revised service schedule approved.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for trash service, routine maintenance, and baseline pressure washing three times per year. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for any pressure washing or related clean-and-safe services beyond the City’s baseline cadence.
Partners: Public Works, Code Compliance, businesses, property owners.
Measures of success: Fewer weekend trash overflow complaints, improved district appearance during peak periods, timely correction of business-caused messes, and stronger cleanliness ratings over time.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development.
General Plan: District appearance, public spaces, and community-serving districts. 10 EDSP: District vitality, placemaking, and business climate support. Sustainability Master Plan: Operational stewardship and service efficiency.
1.2 Lighting Enhancements and Maintenance
Objective: Continue routine lighting maintenance and higher-lumen upgrades along Ventura Boulevard and other priority areas to improve visibility, comfort, and evening usability.
Why it matters: Lighting supports more than visibility. It influences whether people feel comfortable walking between parking areas and businesses, whether businesses see greater potential in evening activity, and whether the district feels welcoming and active after dark. Ongoing maintenance and planned fixture upgrades are among the clearest ways to improve district comfort, appearance, and usability while supporting broader revitalization goals.
Implementation approach: Continue routine maintenance, repair, and higher- lumen replacement of district lighting along Ventura Boulevard and other priority pedestrian routes, focusing on reliability, visibility, and timely response to outages.
Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Annual maintenance scheduling and replacement cycle.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for ongoing maintenance-level lighting work, replacement, and reliability improvements.
Partners: Public Works, utility providers.
Measures of success: Reduced dark spots, improved night-time comfort, lower outage duration, and improved public perception of lighting and visibility.
Alignment: Council Goals: Public Safety; Economic Development. General Plan:
Safe and functional public infrastructure. EDSP: District competitiveness and evening activity. Sustainability Master Plan: Energy-efficient infrastructure.
1.3 Wayfinding, Visitor Orientation, and Park-Once Clarity Objective: Make Old Town easier to find, understand, and navigate by improving district wayfinding for drivers and pedestrians, helping visitors locate parking, orient themselves once they arrive, and move more confidently throughout the district.
Why it matters: Parking perception remains one of the most common community concerns, but wayfinding in Old Town is about more than helping people find a space. A clearer wayfinding system can also help people understand where Old 11 Town begins, where destinations are located, and how to move through the district once they arrive. Signage, visual cues, and pedestrian-oriented elements such as sidewalk decals can encourage visitors to explore more of Old Town, discover businesses beyond the most visible frontage, and stay longer. That supports local business activity and reinforces the idea of Old Town as a place to arrive once and explore on foot.
Implementation approach: Develop and install a coordinated wayfinding system for drivers and pedestrians that helps visitors find Old Town, locate parking, orient themselves within the district, and move more easily between destinations. This may include directional signage, pedestrian cues, and district-oriented elements such as sidewalk decals or similar visual tools that encourage exploration and stronger movement throughout Old Town.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Branding and design direction (3.6) and location plan approved.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial scoping, mapping, coordination, and development of location and design options. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for signage, wayfinding, sidewalk decals, and related enabling improvements advanced through annual budget and capital planning. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for decals, branded cues, or other visitor-facing elements supported by partners, sponsors, or similar outside contributions.
Partners: Public Works, Community Relations, Visit Camarillo, businesses, and design or arts partners where appropriate.
Measures of success: Improved parking utilization, reduced visitor confusion, stronger district orientation, greater movement beyond the main frontage, and stronger overall visitor experience.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development; Tourism. General Plan: Access and district functionality. EDSP: Visitor navigation and spend capture. Sustainability Master Plan: Better-functioning public space and mobility awareness.
1.4 District Maintenance and Landscape Stewardship
Objective: Maintain Old Town’s existing landscape, streetscape, and other visible public features at a consistently high level so the district feels cared for, attractive, and well-managed.
Why it matters: In a district like Old Town, visible upkeep matters. Landscaped areas, planters, trellises, railings, and related features contribute to the district’s 12 character and first impression. When maintained well, they reinforce pride, place identity, and confidence in the district. When allowed to decline, they quickly signal neglect. A strong maintenance strategy protects prior investments, supports economic vitality, and reinforces the expectation that both public and private- facing improvements in Old Town are actively cared for.
Implementation approach: Prioritize routine maintenance of City-managed landscape, streetscape, and other visible public features, including irrigation, pruning, repairs, surface upkeep, and deferred maintenance where needed.
Where businesses maintain plantings within sidewalk furniture zones or other adjacent public-facing areas, the City will reinforce the expectation that those plantings remain in good condition and that dead or failing plant material is promptly replaced or restored.
Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Annual maintenance schedule confirmed and priority maintenance needs identified.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for routine maintenance, landscape care, and maintenance-level repairs.
Partners: Public Works, Code Compliance, business and property owners where applicable.
Measures of success: Improved appearance, fewer visible maintenance deficiencies, stronger district consistency, and prompt correction of dead or neglected business-maintained plantings.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development.
General Plan: District appearance, public spaces, and community-serving districts.
EDSP: Place quality and district competitiveness. Sustainability Master Plan:
Landscape stewardship and resource-efficient maintenance.
1.5 Bike Racks and Daytime Access
Objective: Support daytime bicycle access to Old Town through well-placed bike racks that make short visits easier and encourage alternatives to driving.
Why it matters: Bike racks are a small but practical improvement that supports daytime access and helps reduce some parking pressure at the margins. They also reinforce Old Town’s walkable, local character.
Implementation approach: Identify suitable bike rack locations and install racks in visible, practical locations that support district access. 13 Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Location plan approved.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial location planning, coordination, and pricing of bike rack options. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for bicycle access improvements advanced through annual budget and capital planning.
Partners: Public Works, mobility stakeholders, businesses.
Measures of success: Improved bicycle convenience, stronger multimodal access, better daytime usability.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development.
General Plan: Mobility and district access. EDSP: District usability and visitor convenience. Sustainability Master Plan: Active transportation and reduced vehicle dependence.
Strategic Goal 2: Increase Economic Energy and Storefront Activation
Old Town’s challenge is activation. Prime frontage is limited, and the businesses located there shape whether the district feels dynamic, walkable, and worth returning to. The City’s role is to improve the conditions that make stronger storefront activity and long-term business success more likely.
ID Strategic Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
2.1 Ventura Boulevard
Frontage Mix
Preserve key ground-floor frontage
for active, customer-facing uses
that strengthen walkability, visibility,
and district energy.
Role: Regulate
Readiness: Policy-
Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
2.2 Restaurant and
Small Business
Readiness
Help desired businesses open more
smoothly and succeed more
quickly by marketing available
properties and resources, and
making City processes easier to
navigate and more predictable.
Role: Deliver /
Partner / Advise
Readiness: Ready
Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
14 ID Strategic Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
2.3 Timed Frontage
Parking After
Redevelopment
Readiness
Reserve timed parking as a future
customer-access tool only after
broader redevelopment is
complete and replacement
employee parking is available.
Role: Partner /
Regulate
Readiness: Control-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 –
Targeted City
investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
2.4 Managed Parklet
Framework
Support public-facing activity while
protecting accessibility, safety, and
curb function through a structured
review and licensing process.
Role: Regulate
Readiness: Policy-
Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
2.1 Ventura Boulevard Frontage Mix
Objective: Preserve Ventura Boulevard’s most important ground-floor frontage for active, customer-facing uses that support a more vibrant district.
Why it matters: Prime frontage is one of Old Town’s most limited and important economic assets. The businesses located there shape the district’s visibility, walkability, and energy. A clearer frontage approach can help reinforce Old Town’s role as a destination by encouraging uses that contribute to street activity and customer engagement.
Implementation approach: Evaluate and develop a frontage policy or specific plan overlay approach for Ventura Boulevard, supported by clear intake guidance and outreach to brokers and property owners.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Policy draft and intake materials prepared.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for staff time related to policy development, administration, and outreach.
15 Partners: Property owners, brokers, businesses, and business organizations.
Measures of success: Stronger active frontage mix, lower vacancy on key blocks, engaging window displays, more street-facing activity.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development. General Plan: Land use compatibility and district character. EDSP: Old Town vitality, business mix, and district activation. General Plan Update / EDSP refresh: Future integration of district- specific frontage policies.
2.2 Restaurant and Small Business Readiness
Objective: Help desired businesses open more smoothly and succeed more quickly by marketing properties, resources, and improving clarity and coordination in the City-facing process.
Why it matters: A district’s competitiveness is shaped not only by its appearance and identity, but also by how effectively available spaces and business-support resources are communicated and how easy it is for businesses to navigate public processes. Promotion, predictability, responsiveness, and partnership can help Old Town attract and retain the kinds of businesses that support a more active district, including uses that appeal to students, young professionals, and emerging local workforce audiences.
Implementation approach: Continue and improve property marketing, practical navigation support, clear process guidance, and coordination with partner resources that help businesses open and stabilize.
Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Checklist, property marketing materials, and support format finalized.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for staff coordination, property marketing, navigation support, and coordination with partner business-support resources.
Partners: Economic Development Collaborative, Camarillo Merchants Association, other business-support organizations, and City and County permitting staff.
Measures of success: Improved applicant experience, faster openings, stronger business readiness.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development. General Plan: Business-friendly local-serving districts. EDSP: Business retention, expansion, and support. Related Council direction: Efficient and responsive customer service. 16 2.3 Timed Frontage Parking After Redevelopment Readiness Objective: Reserve timed frontage parking as a future access tool that can be implemented when broader redevelopment and employee parking conditions support it.
Why it matters: Timed parking can be useful in the right conditions, but only when the district has enough alternative parking to absorb employee demand without creating new friction. By treating this as a future strategy rather than an immediate action, the plan remains responsive to long-term access goals while recognizing the importance of proper sequencing.
Implementation approach: Revisit timed frontage parking only after broader redevelopment is complete (4.1 & 4.2) and replacement employee parking exists elsewhere. If appropriate at that time, develop a parking management and enforcement approach that may include City-led enforcement measures, PBID- supported (4.3) parking management or support services, or a combination of the two, depending on district needs, operational feasibility, and future Council direction.
Readiness: Control-Dependent.
Trigger: PVSD and Courthouse project milestones completed, alternative parking capacity in place, and future parking management approach defined.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial evaluation, coordination, and policy development related to a future timed parking program. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for signs, curb management tools, or any City-supported implementation that may be considered through the budget or capital process.
Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding if enhanced parking management, monitoring, ambassador, or support services is later advanced through a PBID or other partner-supported model, to the extent such use is determined to be appropriate.
Partners: Public Works, PBID, business community, property owners.
Measures of success: Improved turnover if later implemented, stronger customer access, less business friction.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development. General Plan: Access and circulation in commercial districts. EDSP: Parking management to support district vitality. Future implementation link: Coordinated with long-term redevelopment outcomes and public access strategy.
17 2.4 Managed Parklet Framework
Objective: Provide a clear framework for parklets that supports activity while protecting accessibility, safety, and curb function.
Why it matters: Outdoor dining and similar public-facing uses can add energy to Old Town, but they work best when governed by clear standards. A structured parklet framework allows the City to support activation without losing sight of accessibility, parking function, and fairness in the use of public space.
Implementation approach: Maintain and refine a formal design, licensing, and review framework for parklets and similar curbside activation features. The program should establish clear standards for design, safety, accessibility, insurance, maintenance, and operations, and should require businesses to enter into a lease or license agreement for the use of public space.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Design standards, lease or license terms, and administrative procedures approved.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for framework development, policy administration, and program oversight, with City review and oversight costs recovered where appropriate through the program. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding through applicant-funded construction, insurance, maintenance, and lease or license payments for the use of public space.
Partners: Applicants, Community Development, Public Works, accessibility and safety reviewers, City Attorney.
Measures of success: Maintained ADA access, preserved curb utility, stronger public-facing activity where appropriate, and fair compensation to the City for private use of public space.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development. General Plan: Safe, accessible, and well-managed streetscape. EDSP: District activation and commercial vitality. Sustainability Master Plan: Durable and efficient use of public space.
18 Strategic Goal 3: Build a Clearer Identity and Destination Experience Old Town already has character, but it does not yet communicate a strong enough district identity. A more recognizable experience helps people remember the district, return to it, and understand what makes it different. Arts, programming, branding, and design are not extras. They are part of how a district becomes a destination.
ID Strategic
Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
3.1 Bandshell and
Special Events
Sound Policy
Provide a fair, durable framework
for amplified activity so
programming can occur without
unduly disturbing surrounding
church services or nearby
residents.
Role: Regulate
Readiness: Policy-Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
3.2 Public Art on
Public
Property
Use murals, wraps, sculptures, utility
box art, sidewalk decals, banners,
and seasonal installations on
public property to strengthen
district identity in a structured and
manageable way.
Role: Deliver / Regulate /
Partner
Readiness: Policy-Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 – Targeted
City investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
3.3 Cultural
District and
SCIARTS
Partnership
Direction
Build an arts-forward identity that
supports long-term differentiation,
partnerships, and future grant
competitiveness.
Role: Convene / Partner
Readiness: Partnership-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 3 – External
or future partnership
funding
3.4 String Lighting
/ Tree Lighting
Match
Program
Create a phased decorative
lighting program that strengthens
evening identity and visual interest
where funding and site conditions
align.
Role: Partner / Deliver
Readiness: Match-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 – Targeted
City investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
19 ID Strategic
Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
3.5 Dizdar Park
Activation
Create a scalable activation
framework for Dizdar Park, from
smaller City-administered events
to unique City-led live-site
activations and partner-produced
programming.
Role: Deliver / Regulate /
Partner
Readiness: Policy-Ready
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 – Targeted
City investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
3.6 Old Town
Marketing,
Branding, and
Style Guide
Strategy
Create a recognizable Old Town
logo, shared brand kit, and style
guide for signage, wayfinding,
and public art, while using 'After
Hours in Old Town' as one
campaign within the broader
branding effort.
Role: Deliver / Partner /
Influence
Readiness: Ready Now
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 3 – External
or future partnership
funding
3.1 Bandshell and Special Events Sound Policy
Objective: Establish a clear policy framework for amplified activity in and around Dizdar Park so programming and special events can occur in a way that is predictable, manageable, and respectful of surrounding uses.
Why it matters: Old Town benefits from programming and special events, but activation works best when expectations are clear. A bandshell and special events sound policy helps protect surrounding church services, nearby residents, and overall district compatibility while still allowing Dizdar Park to function as an active community space. For Council, this is about balancing activation with neighborhood compatibility through a durable, fair, and understandable framework.
Implementation approach: Adopt a guiding policy for amplified sound, event timing, and related operating expectations for Dizdar Park and nearby special event activity.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Policy text and implementation standards prepared.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for policy development, signage, permit administration, and related implementation costs.
20 Partners: Event organizers, nearby institutions, public safety and operations staff.
Measures of success: Fewer conflicts, more predictable event planning, fewer complaints, stronger confidence in district activation.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Public Safety. General Plan:
Compatibility between active public spaces and surrounding uses. EDSP: Events and quality-of-life programming as business-supportive tools. Homelessness Strategic Plan: Coordinated activation and stewardship in public spaces where relevant.
3.2 Public Art on Public Property
Objective: Create a structured framework for public art on public property in Old Town, including multiple forms of art that strengthen district identity.
Why it matters: Public art helps make Old Town more distinctive, local, and memorable. Public art in formats such as murals, wraps, sidewalk decals, sculptures, utility box art, banners, and seasonal installations can reinforce civic identity, improve the visitor experience, and support an arts-forward district strategy in a manageable way.
Implementation approach: Advance a formal approval framework for public art on public property, including formats such as murals, wraps, banners, sidewalk decals, sculptures, utility box art, and seasonal or temporary installations where appropriate, and coordinate with partners and sponsors where installations or ongoing programming rely on outside participation or funding.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Policy and review framework approved.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for framework development, administration, and maintenance of existing City-managed elements such as banners. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for any future City contribution or grant match approved through the budget or capital process. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for new installations supported by grants, sponsorships, partnerships, or similar outside funding.
Partners: SCIARTS, CSUCI, non-profits, arts and education institutions, City departments, sponsors.
Measures of success: A clearer public art program, stronger district identity, visible art installations with manageable upkeep.
21 Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development.
General Plan: Community identity and placemaking. EDSP: District character and quality-of-life assets.
3.3 Cultural District and SCIARTS Partnership Direction Objective: Advance a local cultural district framework in partnership with SCIARTS and other institutions to strengthen Old Town’s arts-forward identity, organize collaboration, and position the district toward a potential future state-recognition effort.
Why it matters: Old Town’s long-term differentiation is more likely to come from a recognizable identity than from generic improvements alone. A local cultural district framework can help unify partnerships, guide programming, strengthen district identity, and improve readiness for future grant opportunities or potential state-recognition efforts.
Implementation approach: Continue building the partnership and organizational structure needed to support a meaningful arts-forward district concept and bring forward a local cultural district framework or designation for Council consideration that can help organize partnerships, identity, and programming while positioning Old Town toward a potential future state-recognition effort.
Readiness: Partnership-Dependent.
Trigger: Lead partners aligned, local cultural district concept defined, and framework ready for Council consideration.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for City coordination, partner engagement, and development of the Cultural District framework. Future programming or expanded implementation may rely on Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding if the effort advances beyond the initial formation stage.
Partners: SCIARTS, arts and education institutions, Visit Camarillo, business groups.
Measures of success: Stronger partner coordination, clearer district identity, greater readiness for future designation or grant activity.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Tourism; Economic Development. General Plan: Community identity and destination development.
EDSP: Identity, destination development, and quality of life. 22 3.4 String Lighting / Tree Lighting Match Program
Objective: Create a phased, match-based lighting enhancement program for selected areas of Old Town using string lighting or tree lighting, depending on feasibility.
Why it matters: Community input identified decorative lighting as an important way to make Old Town feel more welcoming and memorable. Decorative lighting can help define gathering areas, strengthen evening identity, and add visual interest without requiring full district reconstruction. A phased match program allows the City to test what is most feasible and effective without overcommitting districtwide resources at the start.
Implementation approach: Evaluate string lighting and tree lighting options, identify priority segments, and implement improvements in phases where funding and feasibility align, including consideration of seasonal lighting opportunities in public gathering areas where appropriate and consistent with existing City holiday lighting activities.
Readiness: Match-Dependent.
Trigger: Feasibility assessment completed and matching funds secured.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial feasibility review, segment identification, coordination, and development of estimates or options. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for any local match or targeted City contribution that may be considered through the annual budget or capital planning process. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for grants, sponsorships, partner contributions, or similar outside participation needed to implement the program.
Partners: Camarillo Merchants Association, property owners, sponsors, utilities, Public Works.
Measures of success: Successful phased installation, stronger evening character, improved district ambiance and visitor experience.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development; Tourism. General Plan: Placemaking, district appearance, and quality public spaces. EDSP: Evening activation and district identity.
23 3.5 Dizdar Park Activation
Objective: Use Dizdar Park as a manageable, recurring source of public life that supports Old Town’s identity, strengthens nearby businesses, and allows the City and its partners to scale activity over time in a way that is organized, compatible, and financially sustainable.
Why it matters: A district becomes more memorable and economically active when people can count on a rhythm of public life. Dizdar Park can help provide that rhythm by supporting everything from small community-oriented programming to larger signature activations that draw broader attention to Old Town. A flexible activation strategy allows the City to support regular activity, pursue select high- impact opportunities, and accommodate partner-led events without treating every event the same from an operational or funding standpoint.
Implementation approach: Support a scalable activation framework for Dizdar Park that accommodates small recurring events, larger City-led special activations, and partner-produced programming, while regulating activity through adopted sound standards, park rules, permitting requirements, operational expectations, and district goals. Where appropriate, this may also include seasonal activation elements, such as holiday lighting consistent with existing City practices, and partnership-based outreach to strengthen connections between Old Town and educational or institutional partners, including CSUCI.
Readiness: Policy-Ready.
Trigger: Sound policy adopted and event permitting/use framework established.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for administration, permitting, and coordination of smaller recurring events and routine park use. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for unique or high-profile City-led activations, such as FIFA World Cup or Olympic live- site opportunities, where temporary public investment may be warranted. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for partner-led events, sponsorship-supported programming, and other above-baseline activations funded by outside organizations or event producers.
Partners: Community organizations, nearby businesses, arts partners, Visit Camarillo, event producers, educational institutions, and other sponsors or programming partners.
Measures of success: More recurring activity, stronger district presence, higher business tie-in participation, successful delivery of special activations where appropriate, and a balanced mix of City-supported and partner-supported programming over time.
24 Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development; Tourism. General Plan: Public gathering places, community activity, and place- based identity. EDSP: Placemaking, signature events, and quality-of-life programming as economic drivers.
3.6 Old Town Marketing, Branding, and Style Guide Strategy Objective: Create a coordinated marketing and branding strategy for Old Town that establishes a recognizable district identity, including an Old Town logo, shared brand kit, and style guide for signage, wayfinding, and public art, while also providing businesses and partners with tools they can use to promote events and activity in a consistent way.
Why it matters: Old Town needs to be easily recognized as a place, not just as a collection of individual businesses and events. A stronger branding strategy can help create that recognition by giving the district a consistent visual identity and a shared set of tools that can be used across promotions, events, and public-facing improvements. This includes not only marketing materials, but also a style guide that can inform visible elements such as signage, wayfinding, and public art over time. A stronger branding strategy can also help Old Town connect more intentionally with students, young professionals, and emerging workforce audiences who may not yet see Old Town as part of their regular activity pattern or as a future place to live, work, and participate in community life in Camarillo. “After Hours in Old Town” should be treated as one campaign within that broader branding effort, helping reinforce evening activity, late-open businesses, and recurring reasons to visit.
Implementation approach: Develop an Old Town branding and style guide strategy that includes a district logo, shared brand kit, and design guidance for signage, wayfinding, and public art; make those tools available for use by City departments, businesses, event organizers, and community partners; and encourage consistent district-wide use of the brand as part of a broader Old Town identity and marketing effort. Where appropriate, this may also include partnership-based outreach that helps introduce Old Town to students and emerging workforce audiences, including CSUCI.
Readiness: Ready Now.
Trigger: Branding scope, partner roles, and implementation approach defined.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for core branding, strategy development, and staff coordination through existing marketing resources. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for expanded design work, production of materials, broader 25 rollout, and ongoing activation supported by partners, sponsors, or similar outside contributions.
Partners: SCIARTS, Visit Camarillo, Camarillo Merchants Association, Camarillo Old Town Association, CSUCI, businesses, event organizers, and other community partners.
Measures of success: Adoption of an Old Town logo and brand kit, completion of a style guide for visible district elements, broader use of shared branding by businesses and partners, stronger recognition of Old Town as a distinct place, and improved consistency across event and district promotion.
Alignment: Council Goals: Community Enrichment; Economic Development; Tourism. General Plan: Community identity, placemaking, and quality public spaces. EDSP: Marketing, placemaking, district revitalization, and destination development.
Strategic Goal 4: Organize for Catalytic Readiness and Long-Term Delivery
Old Town’s long-term success depends not only on small-scale improvements, but also on whether the City is organized to move strategically on larger opportunities.
This includes policy clarity, funding discipline, and a serious response to site opportunities that can shape the district for decades.
ID Strategic Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
4.1 PVSD Site –
Active Surplus
Land Act and
Procurement
Readiness
Move quickly and strategically
on one of Old Town’s most
significant long-term
opportunities as the Surplus
Land Act process advances.
Role: Deliver / Convene /
Partner
Readiness: Control-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 – Targeted
City investment
4.2 Courthouse
Property –
Future
Disposition
Coordination
Coordinate the courthouse
property as part of a broader
redevelopment and disposition
strategy rather than as a
standalone interim project.
Role: Convene / Partner
Readiness: Control-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline
26 ID Strategic Action Why It Matters Readiness / Funding
4.3 Property &
Business
Improvement
District
Exploration
Preserve PBID formation as a
future tool for enhanced district
services while requiring
meaningful property-owner
interest before City-funded
next steps.
Role: Advise / Convene
Readiness: Partnership-
Dependent
Funding: Tier 1 – City
baseline; Tier 2 – Targeted
City investment; Tier 3 –
External or future
partnership funding
4.1 PVSD Site – Active Surplus Land Act and Procurement Readiness
Objective: Move quickly and strategically on the PVSD site now that the surplus process is active and the City received the notice inviting offers.
Why it matters: The PVSD site is one of Old Town’s most significant long-term opportunities. It should be treated as an active strategic matter, not a distant concept. A timely and organized response helps preserve City options and positions Camarillo to shape outcomes more effectively.
Implementation approach: Prepare the City’s response materials, due diligence, and procurement readiness for the Surplus Land Act process and future programmatic solicitation steps.
Readiness: Control-Dependent.
Trigger: Receipt of notice inviting offers and procurement milestones.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial readiness work, including staff coordination, due diligence, appraisal, legal support, procurement preparation, and response materials associated with the Surplus Land Act process. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for any future acquisition, pre-development, or other City-funded steps that may be considered through later Council action and the appropriate budget, capital, or transaction approval process.
Partners: PVSD, legal and real estate support, future development and cultural partners.
Measures of success: Timely response, clear Council decision points, stronger competitive posture, control over future redevelopment. 27 Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development; Community Enrichment.
General Plan: Long-term land use and community-serving development opportunity. EDSP: Old Town mixed-use and district vitality. General Plan Update / EDSP refresh: Future integration of district opportunity sites.
4.2 Courthouse Property – Future Disposition Coordination Objective: Coordinate the courthouse property as part of a future redevelopment and disposition strategy rather than as a near-term interim parking project.
Why it matters: The courthouse property is an important strategic asset in the broader Old Town context. Treating it as part of a coordinated future redevelopment approach helps avoid piecemeal actions and better aligns City- owned opportunity sites with long-term district goals.
Implementation approach: Align courthouse disposition planning with the broader redevelopment and site planning framework associated with neighboring catalytic site.
Readiness: Control-Dependent.
Trigger: Related site control, programmatic RFP process, and broader site planning framework underway.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for current coordination, planning, and disposition strategy work. Any future redevelopment, site work, or transaction-related costs would require later Council action and are not assumed in this plan.
Partners: Future development partners, City real estate and project leadership, related institutional stakeholders.
Measures of success: Stronger long-term site strategy, better coordination of opportunity sites, avoidance of short-term actions that conflict with long-term plans.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development; Community Enrichment.
General Plan: Coordinated land use and public asset strategy. EDSP: Long-term district activation and investment. CIP / future budget process: Any capital or disposition actions requiring future Council approval.
28 4.3 Property & Business Improvement District Exploration Objective: Preserve Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) formation as a future option for enhanced district services if meaningful property-owner support develops.
Why it matters: A PBID can provide a durable funding source for above-baseline services such as enhanced maintenance, ambassadors, and coordinated marketing, but it should only advance when there is real evidence that property owners want to move it forward. Setting a 30 percent interest threshold prior to allocating City funds for an engineering study is an effective approach to safeguarding municipal resources while maintaining PBID formation as a viable long-term strategy.
Implementation approach: Continue owner education and technical discussion regarding PBID structure, costs, and service possibilities, and require at least 30 percent property-owner interest before advancing to a City-funded engineering study.
Readiness: Partnership-Dependent.
Trigger: At least 30 percent property-owner interest documented.
Funding: Tier 1 – City baseline for initial facilitation, outreach, and technical discussion regarding PBID structure and feasibility. Tier 2 – Targeted City investment for a City-funded engineering study, but only after the required property-owner interest threshold is met. Tier 3 – External or future partnership funding for any future PBID services, which would be funded through the district rather than the General Fund if the PBID is ultimately formed.
Partners: Property owners, business groups, technical consultants if needed.
Measures of success: Stronger owner understanding, realistic service discussion, clearer viability assessment before formal study.
Alignment: Council Goals: Economic Development. General Plan: District vitality and stewardship. EDSP: Downtown maintenance, marketing, and district management tools. Sustainability Master Plan: Alternative funding approaches for enhanced services.
29 Measuring Success
The City should track a concise set of district-level indicators to understand whether the plan is producing results over time. The purpose of measurement is not to create a burdensome reporting structure. It is to help Council and staff understand whether Old Town is becoming cleaner, more active, easier to use, and better positioned for long-term opportunity.
Recommended measures include cleanliness and maintenance performance; lighting completion and reliability; storefront vacancy on key blocks; late-open business participation; district foot traffic; event and activation participation; wayfinding effectiveness, parking utilization, and visitor experience; sales tax performance; marketing analytics; and progress on PVSD and related long-term opportunity milestones.
These measures should be reviewed periodically and used to inform future decisions about sequencing, investment, and district priorities.
Council Use and Next Steps
This plan should function as an aspirational framework for future Old Town decision- making and implementation.
City Council may use this plan to affirm the strategic framework for Old Town, support advancement of ready-now actions where appropriate, continue prioritizing maintenance and wayfinding improvements, support PVSD procurement readiness and a timely response to the surplus process, align future courthouse disposition strategy with the broader redevelopment approach, and receive periodic progress reports on implementation and key opportunity milestones.
Adoption of this plan does not constitute approval of every future capital, policy, or procurement decision. Rather, it establishes a common framework for how those future decisions should be evaluated. Where actions can be advanced within existing maintenance, operating, or already-programmed resources, staff may proceed through normal administrative processes. Where additional City funding is needed, staff will return through the appropriate budget, capital improvement, or procurement process with the scope of work, pricing estimates or competitive quotes as appropriate, and recommended funding options for Council consideration.
30 Conclusion
Old Town does not need to become something else in order to succeed. It needs to become more consistently cared for, easier to use, more active, and more strategically managed.
This plan provides that framework.
Its success should not be measured by how many separate ideas appear on paper. It should be measured by whether Old Town becomes more visibly maintained, more economically active, and more ready for long-term opportunities.
If the City and its partners strengthen public spaces, visible stewardship, and access, support storefront activation, build a clearer district identity, and stay organized around long-term opportunity, Old Town can move from having potential to demonstrating lasting momentum.