Ventura · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Ventura public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Ventura River intake structure pipeline removal
A $2.27 million project removes an exposed pipeline at the city's historic Foster Park river intake, tied to the Ventura River water rights physical solution.
Measure D water bond presentation
United Water Conservation District presented its $350 million bond on the November 3 ballot, funding dam safety, the Freeman Diversion, and a seawater intrusion barrier — roughly $24 per $100,000 of assessed value, about $121 a year for the average homeowner.
East Side to Midtown water interconnect project
Ventura is finally building the pipe to tap its state water allocation — better water quality, drought insurance, and emergency water-sharing with neighboring agencies. Construction starts fall 2026 and wraps in 2029, with noise walls and detours along the route.
Water bill assistance for low-income households
Ventura Water is expanding its customer assistance program, adding 355 households through a Housing Authority partnership and a $35,000 budget increase, though about 600 households may still fall short of affordability targets.
Street lighting assessments and safety
The annual street lighting assessment was adopted at roughly $31 per typical home. One speaker, reading a disabled resident's letter, urged better lighting funding as a life-safety matter.
Monmouth Way sewer line repair
A gasoline-contaminated sewer line near Harbor Boulevard will be replaced starting mid-June, with lane closures, detours, 24-hour construction, and possible noise through late July.
Proposed water rate increases
A resident said ratepayers face increases around $130 a month, hitting fixed-income residents on the Avenue, Montalvo, and Eastside hardest, and urged cost cuts.