The Sustainability Council is proud of the projects it has initiated or co-developed. Listed below is a growing list of our past efforts.
Town-hall Conferences on Sustainability – Co-hosted with the U. S. Navy conferences in 1996, 1997, and 1998 in Port Hueneme.
Design Workshop - Sponsored a design workshop in Camarillo for the interpretive center planned for Mugu Lagoon. Co-sponsors included UCLA School of Architecture, CALTRNS, The Navy, and The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Sustaining Dialogue Conference - at the Ventura County Government Center focusing on facilitating dialogue among groups that are contentious and traditionally at odds with one another.
Energy Deregulation Conference - with the Ventura Council of Governments on energy deregulation and its implications for local government and businesses.
Sales Tax Distribution Debate - in Camarillo on the impacts on land use decisions and relations between jurisdictions as they pursue sales tax dollars with various retail shopping centers.
Livable Communities Conference – with the Ventura Council of Governments and featuring panelists who spoke about local and state-wide programs to enhance the livability of our communities.
Agricultural Preservation Proposal - Developed an 8-Point Plan to address loss of farmland which was reflected in the November 1998 ballot as “Measure A”, which passed overwhelmingly.
Cal State Channel Islands’ Curriculum – Developed a plan to incorporate principles of sustainability into the school’s design, and curriculum.
Faulkner House Group – Initiated this Santa Paula based group which meets regularly to coordinate several research and educational projects dealing with land planning and agricultural preservation.
Sustainable Indicators Forum – in Ventura to develop possible sustainability indicators for use in grant study with CSUN.
“Smart Growth” Conference - co-sponsoring with the County APCD and other organizations a “Smart Growth” conference in March 2,000.
Gauging Our Future Conference – Outlining the status of the County on three different fronts: broad range of community indicators that contrast Ventura County with all of Southern California, public health measures, and broad preliminary indicators of sustainability in light of the SOAR initiatives. (August 23, 2000)
Greenbelt Forums – Partnering with the League of Women Voters to hold public forums on behalf of the County Board of Supervisors to explore the function of urban growth boundaries around cities in the county. (Winter 2001)
“Limits to Growth and Quality of Life in Oxnard, California” – a joint project with Cal State Northridge to develop measures of sustainability for the City of Oxnard in light of the passage of the sprawl curbing SOAR initiatives. (Fall 2001)
Quality of Life Indicators Project Report Fall 2001
Sustainability Initiatives Conference – Highlighted the efforts of fourteen individuals and organizations that are promoting a more sustainable future for the county of Ventura. The projects which ranged from “green” non-toxic auto repair garages, to use of green waste to improve orchard health and production; and living wage programs to the institution of a “sustainable management system” at BMW’s Designworks USA facility in Newbury Park. (May 22, 2002)