Ventura County oversight board approves four ROPS items, presses Ventura on Site 7 surplus process

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — The Ventura County Consolidated Oversight Board on Jan. 28 approved proposed Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules (ROPS) for the cities of Ventura, Moorpark, Oxnard and Fillmore, each by a 6-0 vote, and requested follow-up material from the City of Ventura on a downtown parking-lot property known as Site 7.

Heather Bowling, speaking for the City of Ventura, told the board the two successor-agency parcels that make up Site 7 — located between California and Chestnut north of Main Street — were appraised recently at a combined $4,740,000. She said the city submitted roughly $1.2 million in enforceable obligations for the site and an administrative total of $61,792 for the ROPS. "The combined valuation of that whole parking lot is appraised at $4,740,000," Bowling said. She added there is currently no lease on the property and that it is tax-exempt as government land.

Board members pressed the city for more detail on near-term steps. Bowling said the city plans to ask its council to declare the property surplus in a presentation tentatively scheduled for April and then proceed through the Surplus Land Act process, which requires public notices and other administrative steps. "If you would like a copy of the appraisal, we can send it to Robert," Bowling said when asked by the board to provide documents. County counsel also reminded the board of Brown Act requirements around distributing materials with the agenda: "There's a 72 hours... that's the sort of minimum that it must be posted," counsel said.

Board members asked operational questions about the site — who maintains the lot, who would pay for repairs and who would face liability if someone were injured. One board member asked plainly, "If someone trips and falls, who gets sued?" Bowling said she would research maintenance and liability with the city attorney and return with more information. The board explicitly requested copies of the appraisal, title report, easement information and zoning documentation and asked Ventura to coordinate a follow-up presentation with other cities (Santa Paula, Moorpark) if possible.

Moorpark, Oxnard and Fillmore: quick outcomes and highlights

• Moorpark: Finance Director Hiromi Diva requested approximately $1.336 million in enforceable obligations — primarily bond payments — and $50,000 in admin costs for the coming fiscal cycle. City staff said the council is deciding whether to keep a remnant parcel for public use or to proceed under the Surplus Land Act; the board approved the ROPS item 6-0. Staff and board members agreed Moorpark should return with more documentation (historical actuals, title and easement documentation) and a likely council decision expected by March.

• Oxnard: Annie Jensen of the City Manager’s Office said Oxnard’s enforceable obligations are down roughly $951,000 from last year because a pre-2010 bond will terminate Sept. 1. She said some developer agreements produced contractual increases, and outside legal counsel expense drops off after June 30, 2026. The board sought a detailed admin-cost breakout; the ROPS item passed 6-0.

• Fillmore: Finance Director Deborah Capaletto said Fillmore’s admin request is $58,117 and remaining obligations total $3,664,650 for bond payments and associated charges. Community Development Director Kevin McSweeney reported two parcels are proposed for about 50 low-income housing units pending an application and that a third parcel is in negotiation with a developer; the board approved Fillmore’s ROPS 6-0.

Votes at a glance

Item 9 (City of Ventura ROPS, Site 7 discussion): Approved 6-0 Item 10 (City of Moorpark ROPS): Approved 6-0 Item 11 (City of Oxnard ROPS): Approved 6-0 Item 12 (City of Fillmore ROPS): Approved 6-0

Why it matters

The Surplus Land Act steers how former redevelopment agency parcels are marketed and prioritized for affordable housing and public uses; board members signaled they want the paperwork and legal analyses in hand before the city advances any sale or repurposing. Appraisal and title records, zoning and easement reports will shape whether Site 7 is legally and practically suitable for development or should remain public parking or open space.

What’s next

The board asked Ventura to provide copies of the appraisal, title report, easement and zoning materials as a supplemental packet via the public agenda process and requested a follow-up update (timing to be coordinated with other cities as appropriate). Several cities agreed to return with more-detailed admin-cost breakouts and supporting documentation at a future meeting.

(Reporting by the Ventura County Consolidated Oversight Board meeting transcript from Jan. 28, 2026.)