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On September 15, 2020, the County of Ventura completed a comprehensive update to its General Plan for the first time in almost 30 years. The update process began in 2015 and was open and accessible to anyone who wanted to be involved and share ideas. The adopted 2040 General Plan will help shape the next 20 years of Ventura County’s growth and change. The outcome of the update will have a real impact on the quality of life in the County.

The adopted 2040 General Plan became effective on October 15, 2020, thirty (30) days following its adoption by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

Throughout the General Plan Update process, the public was encouraged to review and comment on various General Plan Update Project documents including:

  • Draft Background Report
  • Preliminary Public Review Draft 2040 General Plan
  • Public Review Draft 2040 General Plan
  • Program Environmental Impact Report
  • 2040 General Plan

2040 General Plan

Adopted by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on September 15, 2020.  The 2040 General Plan became effective on October 15, 2020, thirty (30) days following its adoption. Due to large file sizes, the document is provided in its entirety as a compressed file, with a lower resolution, as well as in individual chapters that possess higher resolution which may be helpful for sections that rely on maps and other figures.

Background Report for the 2040 General Plan

Adopted by the Ventura County Board of Supervsiors on September 15, 2020.

Final Environmental Impact Report and EIR-related documents for the 2040 General Plan

Certified by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on September 15, 2020. Due to large file sizes, the document is provided in sections as noted below.
 

Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Ventura County 2040 General Plan

Dated July 2, 2020. Click on the links below to access documents.

A Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared by the County of Ventura, State of California, and is available for public review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines for the County of Ventura's Draft 2040 General Plan (State Clearinghouse No. #2019011026).

Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Ventura County 2040 General Plan

Published January 13, 2020. 

A Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared by the County of Ventura, State of California, and is available for public review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines for the County of Ventura's Draft 2040 General Plan (State Clearinghouse No. #2019011026).

Draft Environmental Impact Report – Cover, Table of Contents, and Chapters 1 through 9 (LARGE FILE, 20+ MB). Appendices saved separately due to file large size.

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Ventura County 2040 General Plan

Click HERE for Notice of Availability.

Dated January 13, 2020. Click on the above link.

Public Review Draft 2040 General Plan

Dated January 13, 2020. Click on the links below to access documents.

2040 General Plan, Public Review Draft - Combined Table of Contents, Elements, Chapters 1 to 12, and Appendices (LARGE FILE, 25+ MB). File does not contain Area Plans due to file size. Use links below to access Area Plans.

  1. Introduction
  2. Land Use and Community Character Element
  3. Housing Element (*The certified 2014-2021 Housing Element consists of Chapter 3.3 of the Goals, Policies and Programs document with supporting documentation in Chapter 3.3 of the Land Use Appendix. Click here to access the certified 2014-2021 Housing Element)
  4. Circulation, Transportation, and Mobility Element
  5. Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element
  6. Conservation and Open Space Element
  7. Hazards and Safety Element
  8. Agriculture Element
  9. Water Resources Element
  10. Economic Vitality Element
  11. Area Plans (combined)
  12. Glossary

(REVISED) Draft Background Report

Dated January 13, 2020. Click on the links below to access documents.

Draft Background Report (2020) – Complete Document (LARGE FILE, 50+ MB)

(Superseded) Public Review Draft Background Report – Dated January 2018

(REVISED) Draft Background Report

Dated January 2018. Due to large file sizes, the document has been uploaded as separate chapters. Click on chapter title to view:

Changes made since the prior publication of the revised Draft Background report (October 2017) are tracked.

(Superseded) Public Review Draft Background Report - Dated October 2017

Dated October 2017. Due to large file sizes, the document has been uploaded as separate chapters.
Click on chapter title to view:

(Superseded) Public Review Draft Background Report - Dated March 2017

Dated March 2017. Due to large file sizes, the document has been uploaded as separate chapters.
Click on chapter title to view:

2040 General Plan, Preliminary Public Review Draft

Dated May 9, 2019. Click on links below to access documents.

 2040 General Plan, Preliminary Public Review Draft - Combined TOC, Elements, Area Plans and Appendices (LARGE FILE, 70+ MB)

  1. Introduction
  2. Land Use and Community Character Element
  3. Housing Element (*The certified 2014-2021 Housing Element consists of Chapter 3.3 of the Goals, Policies and Programs document with supporting documentation in Chapter 3.3 of the Land Use Appendix. Click here to access the certified 2014-2021 Housing Element)
  4. Circulation, Transportation, and Mobility Element
  5. Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element
  6. Conservation and Open Space Element
  7. Hazards and Safety Element
  8. Agriculture Element
  9. Water Resources Element
  10. Economic Vitality Element
  11. Area Plans (combined)
  12. Glossary

Newsletter No. 2 - Preliminary Public Review Draft 2040 General Plan

Published May 13, 2019. Click HERE for Newsletter No. 2.

Notice of Preparation

January 10, 2019. Click HERE for Notice of Preparation

The County, as the lead agency, has determined that the proposed 2040 General Plan Update may have one or more significant effects on the environment and will prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The purpose of the Notice of Preparation (NOP) is to call attention to this EIR and to request that interested persons help the County identify significant environmental issues, mitigation measures, and range of reasonable alternatives that should be addressed in the EIR. Information on the 2040 General Plan Update, topics to be addressed in the EIR, and instructions on how to provide comments on the scope and content of the EIR are provided below.

Pursuant to Section 15063(a) of the State CEQA Guidelines, no Initial Study will be prepared. The EIR will analyze the full range of environmental topics contemplated under CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines, including the following:

  • Aesthetics
  • Agriculture and Forest Resources
  • Air Quality
  • Biological Resources
  • Cultural Resources
  • Energy
  • Geology/Soils
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Hazards/Hazardous Materials
  • Hydrology/Water Quality
  • Land Use/Planning
  • Mineral Resources
  • Noise
  • Population/Housing
  • Public Services
  • Recreation
  • Transportation
  • Tribal Cultural Resources
  • Utilities/Service Systems
  • Wildfire

The EIR will analyze alternatives, cumulative impacts, growth-inducing impacts, and other issues required by CEQA. In addition, the EIR will expand on the environmental topics addressed in CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines by addressing the full range of environmental topics contemplated in the County’s 2011 Initial Study Assessment Guidelines which are available online at: https://docs.vcrma.org/images/pdf/planning/ceqa/current_ISAG.pdf.

Alternatives Report (Chapters 7 through 9)

Dated October 31, 2018. Click HERE for Alternatives Report.
Note: Chapter 8 of this document was revised following its initial release on October 24, 2018.

The Draft Alternatives Report (Chapters 7 through 9) corresponds with the report presented to the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission during a joint work session November 6, 2018.

To view larger versions of the Existing Community and Area Plan maps found in Chapter 8 (Appendix 1), click on the links below:

Alternatives Report (Chapters 1 through 6)

Dated July 26, 2018. Click HERE for Alternatives Report.

The Draft Alternatives Report (Chapters 1 through 6) corresponds with the report presented to the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission during a joint work session on July 31, 2018. Additional chapters will be added to this document during an additional joint work session scheduled for November 6, 2018.

Draft Vision and Guiding Principles

Dated May 8, 2018. Click HERE for Draft Vision and Guiding Principles.

The Draft Vision and Guiding Principles are those resulting from input and refinement provided by the public, Board of Supervisors, and Planning Commission between November 2017 and May 2018.

Alternatives Concept Report

Dated April 17, 2018. Click HERE for Alternative Concepts Report.

Documents acts as an annotated outline of the topics to be covered and approach to be taken within the General Plan Update’s Alternatives Report.

General Plan Update Public Opinion Survey Summary Report

Dated November 1, 2017. Click HERE for Public Opinion Survey Summary Report - Public-Opinion.

Assets, Issues, and Opportunities Summary Report

Newsletter No. 1 - General Plan Update Overview

Dated March 2017. Click HERE for Newsletter No. 1.

Scope of Work

Click HERE for Scope of Work
Dated October 30, 2015. The General Plan Update Scope of Work includes details related to project tasks as adopted by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.