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Plan for new city gets skeptical response
Panel discussion of the proposal sparks many questions
STORY TOOLS 
More from Local NewsPlans to merge half of Oxnard with nearby beach communities to create Ventura County's 11th city was met with skepticism at a forum Tuesday.
During a question-and-answer session, potential problems were left hanging.
One man asked how incorporation would affect Oxnard's gang injunction zones that would cross city boundaries.
"It doesn't make sense," added a woman who was puzzled that the new boundary would take a fire station across the street from her business out of Oxnard.
They were among more than 35 residents, government officials, business leaders and community activists who attended a panel discussion at the California Lutheran University satellite campus in Oxnard.
The proposed city of Channel Islands Beach would stretch from Oxnard's wealthiest areas in River Ridge and Mandalay Bay to working-class neighborhoods of Southwinds and Lemonwood. It also would include the unincorporated communities of Silver Strand, Hollywood Beach and Hollywood by the Sea.
Hollywood Beach resident Jonathan Ziv said he proposed the city partly over frustration with Oxnard's urban planning decisions that have increased traffic on streets leading in and out of the beach communities.
"It's this kind of planning that disturbs me," said Ziv, a dentist with a practice in Agoura Hills.
The new city would be able to create sustainable communities, where residents could walk or cycle to shopping or restaurants, said Ziv, a board member of the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District.
City leaders also would hold seats on countywide boards that examine regional solutions to traffic and planning, Ziv said.
In addition, City Council members would be elected from districts they live in, as opposed to the at-large system used by Oxnard.
The Oxnard City Council has not taken a position on the proposal, said Director of Development Services Matthew Winegar, who joined Ziv and others on the discussion panel.
But under a recently revised map that was expanded to include south Oxnard, proponents appear to be poaching areas for property and sales taxes to pay for services, Winegar said.
Official questions motives
The proposal includes the Centerpoint Mall and Reliant Energy Plant at Ormond Beach, said Winegar, adding that it is an example of "gerrymandering."
"It's a map that would make a New Jersey politician proud," he said.
Winegar also questioned the motivation behind the proposal, saying there's no compelling reason for it. He also wondered how the new city would provide services.
Michele Pettes, president and chief executive of the Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County, asked if Ziv had talked with or created an advocacy group to address the problems.
Ziv said no. "Things happen that way," Ziv said, adding that his group is dealing with "100 years of inertia in the city of Oxnard."
Ziv did not answer many questions, conceding the proposal raises a "gazillion" issues that must be addressed before approval. And that would take some time. Proponents must circulate a petition to get 8,750 signatures — roughly 25 percent of registered voters in the proposed city.
Procedure long, involved
The Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission then would analyze the request to ensure the new city could finance itself and not drain Oxnard's ability to deliver services.
If LAFCO approves the plan, voters in Oxnard and the proposed city must consider it at the ballot box, possibly by 2010.
Proponents would also conduct a fiscal analysis, which would likely cost as much as $300,000, said Everett Millais, executive director of LAFCO.
Ziv cited strong support at two community meetings about the issue. But one Silver Strand resident at Tuesday's forum blasted the idea.
"It's ridiculous," said Dana Weber Young, noting that a new city means more government and administrative costs.
"Houses don't pay for services, and he's creating a bedroom community," Young said. "In this day and age, we should be dealing with regional solutions."
Speaking later, Keith Moore, Ziv's partner in the proposal and another beach district board member, said he welcomed the criticism.
"That's what we want," Moore said, adding that raising issues will help focus analysis of the proposal. "That, to me, is a form of leadership."
Posted by lthrnek on October 10, 2007 at 4:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great to see some good, healthy discussion on a very controvertial issue! Democracy at work in America. . . I for one, look forward to future meetings. . .
Posted by GWAR on October 10, 2007 at 6:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't want to be part some retard's dream of a city with a stupid name. I also want to get hired by the Oxnard Fire Dept., oneday. If that dream of some idiot becomes real, I'll have less chance of getting hired because the Oxnard Fire Dept. would lose three stations and have to let go of 29 firefighters. That's not cool.
Posted by GWAR on October 10, 2007 at 6:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Correction: 33 firefighters would lose their jobs.
Posted by cmnelson7890 on October 10, 2007 at 6:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you don't like Oxnard. Go get a Island where you can Name It Ziv Gold. Leave Oxnard alone. We like it like this. I have lived here over 40 years. And plan to stay.
Posted by Coasty on October 10, 2007 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He doesn't even think the community is good enough to have his practice here.
As far as I'm concerned.....if you can't support the city with YOUR business, stay out of IT'S business.
Posted by 2cusmile on October 10, 2007 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I’m a 3 generation of Oxnard. I have lived and owned a home in the area thy want to change the name of.
Sorry but I have passion for my home town OXNARD.
With every city you have good and bad.
Instead of trying to improve OXNARD, we change the name????
Come on get real?
We need to vote on this one, so it can be shot down.
Don’t waste time changing the name of OXNARD; help make it a better and stronger place to live.
Obtain some pride in your home town OXNRAD.
Stand beside it and guide it and if you don’t like OXNARD GET-OUT.
OXNARD!!!
OXNARD!!!
OXNARD!!!
May the name live on!
Posted by RelaxPeople on October 10, 2007 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The one areas i agree with him is the way in which Oxnard plans traffic. If you live in silver strand or south oxnard it could very well take you 25 minutes to get down victoria or ventura roads to the freeway. Oxnard's solution to everything is to throw up a new light! Quite frankly its getting old. I've long felt that Victoria, Ventura, And Oxnard Blvd should be used as corridors accros the city, more like a local highway, with limited lights and over/underpassed that avoid having to cross major intersection and with turn lanes so the entire flow doesnt have to stop. more and more houses are being built but the same outdated roads exist. my crytal ball sees the day when it takes over 30 minutes to get accross oxnard and then what will happen? i'll tell you what will happen, the southside of oxnard will become further removed from any sort of economical progress and will fall further into the decay inwhich it already witnesses. no one will want to live there except for the poor, which will lead to even more gangs and more problems. there needs to be a long term solution that doesnt take a long time to implement.
Posted by shaver_one on October 10, 2007 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ziv doesn't even live in Oxnard. He lives in the County.
I've said it before...I'll say it again:
If you want the City Services that you say you don't get, officially join Oxnard, as another district.
If you don't like the name Oxnard, go ahead and form your city...just form it out of only those non-Oxnard communities along the coast.
Don't have the gall to think you can take our revenue sources away. Find your own.
If neither of those solutions suit you, you can always contract with the City of Oxnard for our services.
Or...you can move away!
Posted by theblondway on October 10, 2007 at 11:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If the guy has a problem with Oxnard, the whole of it. He should move to Augora Hills where he has his practice. Oxnard obviously is not good enough for him. Why change a city for one guy. Just because he has a temporary problem he's trying to make a permanent change. Get a grip. It's just another way to segregate poorer people from the rich. Move to Spanish Hills then!!!!!
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