HPC DISBANDING THREAT
City Council to decide fate of HPC June 9, 2026
DONT GIVE UP, THERE IS STILL A WAY FORWARD TO SAVE THE HPC WITH YOUR SUPPORT!
Late On Tuesday June 9, 2026, the City Council will decide on the future powers of the Historic Preservation Committee. There is still hope to make this a winning meeting adding two members to the HPC for a total of 7.
The options
One: end the HPC.
Two: have HPC only do landmarks and Mills Acts but not historic design review.
Or the entire council could decide to maintain the HPC's powers, because of our (your) advocacy.
While the options are not optimum and will result in inferior outcomes, the Conservancy will advocate at City Council to try to maintain the CLG status and powers of the HPC.
The City Council Staff Report for AGENDA ITEM 10 is linked here:
https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/50479/10
The recently adopted Ventura 2050 General Plan (GP) has a "Preservation Element" – an entire chapter devoted to historic preservation. The Conservancy enthusiastically supported the GP because the GP is full of goals and actions involving the HPC and recognizing historic preservation as an economic driver and a pathway to meet our housing goals through adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
The City Council made preservation a priority in the GP and now the ad hoc is suggesting this expert committee should be merged with a commission that may not even be able to read blueprints. The Planning Commission is meant to look forward and make Ventura's future projects better. In contrast the HPC is meant to review significant sites in the existing built environment to maintain the charm, vitality, and authenticity that makes Ventura a special place. A historic place.
We don't understand the disbanding recommendations because very few people dislike preservation, history, and authenticity. Removing the HPC, an important expert committee that was established in 1973, and has done so much to protect Ventura's historic downtown, west side and midtown landmarks and districts seems to be counter to what the public is looking for.
From the Elks Lodge, to Watermark, to 24 Hour Fitness at the mall, to new buildings like 60 California Street, which fit into their context and feel right, HPC review and comment has made these projects better. Projects near landmarks and districts require review by the Historic Preservation Committee which can recommend mitigations and changes that make developments more compatible – resulting in a win-win of growth AND harmonious infill.
HPC Highlights
- Landmark nominations should be reviewed by a committee of experts.
- The General Plan requires historic projects to follow the General Plan.
- The HPC will need fewer meetings since the City-Wide Survey identified historic places.
- The HPC is the only group that qualifies as a CLG and can get preservation grants.
- The HPC is the only committee expert in the Secretary of the Interior Standards.
- Here are six points that could save the HPC:
- The HPC will take fewer meetings, less staff time, when the City Wide Survey is adopted in July.
- The new General Plan has 27 policies (see our website) supporting preservation that the HPC was going to oversee, the Planning Commission and Staff do not have the bandwidth.
- The HPC has never stopped housing. HPC has never caused a housing development to have fewer units. HPC can accelerate residential units through adaptive reuse
- The HPC is a the Council's in-house experts, and it can access grants and do state reviews because of this status, the PC will lose this status.
- Every project that has gone before the HPC is BETTER than before it got to the HPC. That’s the HPC value proposition.
- Elimination HPC contradicts the “CORE VALUES" stated on page 39 of the General Plan: “We (City Council) believe civic engagement is essential to a thriving community. We will ensure transparency in the public decision-making process and inclusive community participation in shaping the city’s future."