Area Code Split Is Hearing Topic
Ventura County residents will get a chance to speak their minds about a proposal to split the 805 area code during a public hearing at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli St.
The area code currently covers Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties and the southern part of Monterey County.
Without a change, the 805 area code--Ventura County’s code since 1957--would run out of numbers in about two years.
The state Public Utilities Commission has three options: allow Ventura County to keep the 805 code and remove the other counties; give Ventura County a new code and leave the other areas with 805; or approve a so-called overlay, which would add another code without geographically dividing regions.
Business and government officials have complained that a new area code would force the purchase of new business stationery, signs and cards.
The Ventura City Council has joined the county and other municipalities in writing letters to utility officials, asking that this area keep the 805 area code. The Ventura Chamber of Commerce is encouraging businesses to do the same.
Wednesday’s hearing was called by the North American Numbering Plan Administration, which makes decisions on area code splits for the PUC.
For more information, contact the California Public Utilities Commission at https://www.cpuc.ca.gov or the North American Numbering Plan Administrator at https://www.nanpa.com.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
