Candidates' Answers to Question #4

4. What changes would you promote for the Victoria Corridor, and how do they tie into our natural environment and quality of life?

Bill Fulton: In the short run, I believe that we can adopt a new zoning code that will encourage more mixed-use and more compact development on Victoria. In the long run, I believe we can reconfigure the traffic patterns on Victoria to encourage walking and bicycling as well as driving.

Doug Halter: I could support the plan as proposed by the Council if it included a bypass from 126 to 101 southbound. In addition, a tram like mass transit service that connects into a Downtown, Mall, Harbor loop would be appropriate.

Christy Weir: The new Victoria Corridor Code will be coming to the City Council for approval in the next few months. It will include requirements for a more pedestrian-friendly environment, including wide sidewalks, bike lanes, canopy trees and buildings that front the street.

Carroll Dean Williams: Victoria Corridore is a main throughfare. Lets keep it driveable.

Mike Gibson: I think the Victoria Corridor has some opportunities to move towards less traffic generating uses in the future by virtue of the type of development that is approved there in the future. For example, more light office space use as opposed to retail/strip mall centers along Victoria would help in this regard.

Having said this, however, I disagreed strongly with many of the recommendations that came out of the expensive Victoria Corridor study that was commissioned by the City for approximately $250,000. Most of the recommendations that came out of this study are not feasible for Victoria, which is a major thoroughfare through the center of town, with two freeways bisecting it (the 101 & the 126), two major arterials (Telephone & Telegraph), and some major employment and traffic generators (County Government Center, Ventura College, various shops and restaurants, etc.

Carl Morehouse: The Council started down the path of floating the idea about creating a new image for the Victoria Avenue Corridor over the next twenty years. The idea was to begin a process leading toward the creation of a grand boulevard concept so that local traffic could be segregated from through traffic, and Victoria Avenue could become more pedestrian friendly -- something it certainly is not today. That concept was poorly explained by the City, and the community has come unglued over the idea of doing anything with Victoria Avenue that will somehow or another impede traffic flow on this street. I still believe it is a concept worth exploring and should, over time, be re-examined and possibly implemented. However, given the current mood of the majority of Ventura residents, particularly on the East side, the timing of this proposal requires re-thinking. In the meantime, the Council will be reviewing other possible design changes in January of 2008 to guide the development of future buildings so that they begin to set a pattern for creating a more pedestrian friendly environment along Victoria Avenue south of Telephone Road, including the possible addition of residential units to provide a better citywide job-housing balance.

Jerry D. Martin: We must develop an alternate connection between highway 126 and highway 101 to ease the traffic gridlock on Victoria Avenue. I do no favor the introduction of a “Big Box Retailer” for the Victoria Corridor and I would promote the development of mixed use small commercial and moderate density residential community at the existing K-Mart center to establish a walkable friendly neighborhood.

Lou Cunningham: I would leave Victoria alone. I would look hard at what we allow to be built there to keep it as “Green” as we can. One thing we can do is to synchronize the traffic lights better to keep the traffic moving in a better fashion.

Return to the Main Questionnaire Page