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Ventura planning commission rejects staff’s public-notice overhaul after large public outcry
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing with more than a dozen speakers, the Planning Commission voted to reject staff’s proposed code changes that would trim courtesy mailings, shrink posted signs and standardize notice radii, and asked staff to pursue full cost recovery, a larger removal fee and a 300-foot tenant notice for coastal permits.
The City of San Buenaventura Planning Commission on Wednesday rejected a staff proposal to streamline citywide public-notice rules, citing strong public opposition and concerns about reduced transparency.
Senior planner AJ Burnernhard presented the draft ordinance, saying the goal was to consolidate scattered noticing rules, standardize distances and reduce costs. Burnernhard told the commission the proposal would “streamline and consolidate our noticing requirements” and expand the coastal-permit tenant notice to 300 feet while eliminating a separate courtesy postcard requirement.
But the item drew a packed public hearing: 13 speakers criticized eliminating the courtesy mailing and shrinking the 4-foot-by-8-foot posted notice to a 2-by-3 sign. Bob Guthrie, a neighborhood resident, said reducing the sign to "six square feet" would make it far less visible and called the change “counterintuitive.” Several speakers also urged the commission to retain a 1,000-foot notice radius for hillside variance decisions that can affect views far from a property line.
Commissioners questioned staff about costs and practical effects. Staff said the applicant typically pays sign and postcard costs, that a recent example showed 4x8 signs can cost about $260 each plus installation, and that an earlier $500 deposit did not reliably encourage sign removal. Staff also described the development map on the city website and explained why newly submitted-but-unpaid applications are not shown until applicants pay fees and the application is active.
After deliberation, Commissioner Mccardi moved to reject the staff’s proposed amendments in full. The commission approved the motion 5–0 and directed staff to take three steps in the next draft or in recommendations to council: require applicants to pay 100% of noticing costs, set a higher upfront fee to cover sign removal (discussed at the hearing as about $1,000), and amend coast permit tenant notice to 300 feet (up from the draft’s 100-foot tenant notice).
Commissioners and members of the public emphasized alternatives staff might pursue to reduce burdens while maintaining public access — for example, issuing courtesy notices at the point an application is deemed complete, improving the Argus development map and using QR codes on posted signs to link to project details.
The commission’s action was to reject the draft as written and ask staff to return with amendments that preserve meaningful notice while addressing administrative costs and sign-removal enforcement. The item will next be considered by the City Council if staff pursues an updated ordinance.
The public hearing included examples from residents who said earlier notices changed outcomes on past projects; commissioners underscored the need to balance efficiency with transparency. The meeting adjourned at about 8:20 p.m.
