Ventura has designated a waterfront parking lot to be surplus land, a move that will allow the city to solicit affordable housing plans for the deed-restricted site.
The Ventura City Council voted 5-2 on April 28 to give the designation under the Surplus Land Act.
The city solicited proposals for the site, at Harbor Boulevard and California Street, in September but received only plans for hotels and resorts. Those proposals angered some community members, including one who felt it was “something that nobody wants.”
The Ventura waterfront project consists of three parcels extending from the Harbor Parking Structure toward the pier, said Meredith Hart, the city’s economic development manager.
What is the Surplus Land Act?
The Surplus Land Act requires local agencies to prioritize affordable housing on surplus parcels and parks or open space on exempt parcels when considering long-term leases of public land, Hart said.
The act, which is mandatory for any lease longer than 15 years, requires making the property available to any affordable housing developer before negotiating with a specific developer, she said in October.
The parcel between the pier and the parking structure is subject to a deed restriction requiring recreational use, which distinguishes it from the other parcels, she said. No portion of the pier is included in the designation.
On Sept. 25, three conceptual plans to build hotels with more than 200 rooms each, ranging from eight to 10 stories, were submitted to the city and discussed at a Ventura City Council economic development subcommittee meeting.
The process to accept ideas is currently paused as the city complies with the act, Hart said last year. Since 2018, about $2.3 million has been spent on repairs on the parking structure, with costs continuing to grow as more repairs are needed on the structure’s elevators and stairwells, Hart said.
Why is this happening?
“Due to the Harbor parking structure nearing the end of its useful life, the City Council has directed that they would like to discuss the site’s future,” Hart said on May 11. “Council acknowledges that to have an informed and meaningful conversation about the future of this structure site, we needed to understand what could be possible.”
Councilmembers Ryyn Schumacher and Liz Campos voted against the item, with Schumacher saying residents should have a stronger voice earlier in the process.
The Surplus Land Act process is highly regulated and detailed through the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Hart said in response to Schumacher’s statements that the decision is being made without public input.
“Public input should not be the last checkbox in the process; it should be the foundation of it,” Schumacher said in a May 11 email. “I want something beautiful there, and it should come with the support of the people who live here.”
When did the Surplus Land Act begin?
The Surplus Land Act was enacted in the 1960s and updated in 2020 to “make land first available for development of affordable housing,” Hart said.
A 2024 update expanded the law to include long-term leases, which the city is considering for the Ventura waterfront project.
With council approval, a notice of availability under the Surplus Land Act will be sent to affordable housing developers and other interested parties that have contacted the city directly, Hart said. An open space notice of availability will also be sent to the parks or recreation departments of any city or county in which the surplus land is located.
The outcome of the Surplus Land Act process could result in no deal, a deal or continued negotiations, she said.
During the April 28 meeting, councilmembers directed the city’s communications and economic development teams to create a public engagement plan, Hart said.
“The plan is in the works but will, at a minimum, include a public meeting focused on the topic and a workshop component,” she said.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura seeks housing plans, deems waterfront parking lot ‘surplus’
Reporting by Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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