TO:City Council
FROM:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
DATE:May 19, 2026
SUBJECT: FY 2026-27 Top Ten Priorities, FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 Citywide Goals and Council Norms
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve City Council Top Ten Priorities for FY 2026-27 and reaffirm Citywide Goals for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 and City Council Norms.
2. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Costs for staff time associated with preparing, reviewing, and approving these policy statements are included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND:
Each year City Council sets Citywide Top Priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.
These Top Ten Priorities clearly articulate City Council’s objectives and are used to focus staff efforts and track progress. An annual study session is typically held in the spring each year to review prior year progress and discuss priorities for the next Fiscal Year. As part of this process, City Council also reviews the Citywide Goals and City Council Norms. The priority setting Study Session was held on April 28, 2026.
FY 2026-27 Top Priorities & Citywide Goals for FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 May 19, 2026
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DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
City Council Top Ten Priorities for FY 2026-27
At the April 28, 2026, Study Session, City Council received an organizational update, status on Citywide initiatives, and results of the Citywide Community Attitude Survey. Following the update, City Council discussed the establishment of Top Priorities for FY 2026-27 and provided direction on establishing final priorities. Priorities are not listed in order of importance and are weighed equally.
Based on City Council direction, staff recommends approval of the Proposed FY 2026-27 Top Ten Priorities as follows (Attachment #1):
1. Downtown Thousand Oaks Project – Advance the Downtown Thousand Oaks Project through continued community engagement, completion of environmental review, and preparation for Planning Commission and City Council consideration.
Based on policy direction, refine phased implementation strategies, evaluate targeted improvements along Thousand Oaks Boulevard within the downtown core, and prepare for a future development partner selection process, if directed.
2. Fiscal Sustainability & Long-Range Financial Planning – Maintain focus on the City’s long-term fiscal health through development of the next two-year operating and capital improvement budgets, while remaining mindful of uncertainty in State and Federal funding sources. Prepare for labor negotiations and related contract considerations, and in coordination with the County of Ventura, evaluate establishment of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District as a potential component of the Downtown Project financing strategy.
3. Homelessness – Continue refining the City’s homelessness response through completion of the first full year of Thrive Grove operations, careful oversight and fine-tuning of site performance, and ongoing evaluation of operating budget needs and funding sources. Emphasize documentation of permanent housing placement outcomes, assess the feasibility and timing of a potential pre-entitled site expansion, and continue coordinated enforcement and support strategies at impacted locations. Continue partnering with the County of Ventura on permanent housing placements and on future opportunities to expand the region’s housing continuum.
4. Housing Production & Prominent Redevelopment Sites – Support housing production and redevelopment at General Plan-aligned sites throughout the city, including major commercial properties, entitled “multi-family” and “for sale” housing sites, affordable housing opportunities, and other significant residential proposals nearing Planning Commission consideration. Optimize and align planning resources to process significant volume of anticipated applications.
FY 2026-27 Top Priorities & Citywide Goals for FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 May 19, 2026
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5. Land Use and Planning Policies & General Plan Implementation – Prioritize General Plan implementation through completion of the zoning code and signage program updates, advancement of Specific Plan processes with major property owners and key sites, and continued enhancements to permit processing through the TO/24 system. Also evaluate creation of a Thousand Oaks Boulevard parking district to support long-term revitalization, access, and “park once” objective.
6. Economic Development – Strengthen economic development efforts by fully onboarding new leadership, engaging property owners on redevelopment opportunities, encouraging use of lot consolidation incentives, and supporting continued investment in the biotechnology and aerospace cluster. Continue advocating for brine line connectivity to benefit Rancho Conejo businesses, promote Thousand Oaks as a destination for filming, highlight the arts as a cultural economic driver, and support Amgen’s new $600 million Center for Science and Innovation through the development and entitlement process.
7. Technology Modernization & Organizational Efficiency – Advance technology investments that improve customer service, internal operations, and organizational effectiveness, including continued implementation and refinement of the Information Technology Strategic Plan. Focus on completion of key IT leadership recruitments, advancement of the Enterprise Resource Planning project, ensure organizational posture of AI readiness, and modernization of GIS systems, data integration, and user functionality.
8. Cultural Arts, Libraries, and Community Services – Continue strengthening community quality of life through coordinated cultural, library, and community services initiatives, including improved film permit processing, strong collaboration with arts organizations and nonprofit partners, and enticing program offerings.
Begin broader implementation of the Council-adopted Art in Public Places policy through select projects across the community, while continuing to align cultural investments with broader placemaking goals.
9. Public Works Infrastructure & Sustainability – Maintain focus on core infrastructure renewal and mobility improvements through pavement management, implementation of the Active Transportation Plan, advancement of the Lynn Road bike lane project, and continued investment in aging sidewalks and storm drain infrastructure. Additional emphasis should remain on water system planning and hardening, as well as major rehabilitation and capital improvements at the Hill Canyon Treatment Plant. Leverage Hill Canyon renewable projects and further implement Climate & Environmental Action Plan measures like supporting the community shift toward cleaner landscape equipment. Where possible, connect sustainability investments to broader mobility and downtown initiatives.
FY 2026-27 Top Priorities & Citywide Goals for FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 May 19, 2026
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10. Public Safety, Preparedness, Resiliency, and Community Risk Reduction – Support public safety through proactive response to crime trends, expanded community outreach and trust-building, and continued investment in technologies that enhance community safety. Strengthen e-bike enforcement while advocating for clearer statewide regulations. Complete resiliency projects to harden city facilities, signalized intersections, and water infrastructure locations. Continue promoting community-wide emergency preparedness, including ongoing review of City facility safety, wildfire resilience, and home hardening efforts in partnership with regional agencies. Work closely with Ventura County Office of Emergency Services on public preparedness and VC Alert registration.
Citywide Goals
At the April 28, 2026, Study Session, City Council reaffirmed its Citywide Goals (Attachment #2) for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. City Council sets broad Citywide Goals to help direct the organization’s work. Goals are typically reviewed for potential revision every two years consistent with the budget cycle.
City Council Norms
At the April 28, 2026, Study Session, City Council reaffirmed its City Council Norms (Attachment #3) which serve to augment City Council’s Standards of Operation (Resolution No. 2023-008), Municipal Code Ethics Chapter, and related policy documents to provide a more specific “Code of Conduct.” Next Steps
After receiving approval from City Council, the City’s Executive Leadership Team will review and develop a plan to implement the new Citywide Top Ten Priorities for FY 2026-27.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
B. Provide municipal government leadership which is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
FY 2026-27 Top Priorities & Citywide Goals for FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 May 19, 2026
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D. Maintain strong commitment to public safety (including Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and Emergency Management) to ensure City remains one of the safest Cities in the United States with a population over 100,000 F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
G. Continue City's commitment to community and cultural programs and services (such as Performing Arts/Theatres, Libraries, TOTV, Visual Arts, Youth and Senior Programs).
I. Maintain a strong local employment base geared toward retaining high quality businesses; sustain a healthy business community; and, diversify the local economy, with a specific emphasis on small businesses and high technology/biomedical jobs.
J. Implement high quality revitalization projects within Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Newbury Road Areas; develop a pedestrian-oriented, viable, and self- sustaining "Downtown;” and, continue to support production of long-term affordable housing.
PREPARED BY: Ryan Roman, Assistant to the City Manager
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – City Council FY 2026-27 Top Priorities
Attachment #2 – FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 Citywide Goals
Attachment #3 – City Council Norms
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