Ventura Harbor project is OKd

The Ventura City Council has approved plans to develop one of the last vacant waterfront parcels in Southern California.

The council voted Monday to rezone a nearly 25-acre tract and amend its coastal development plan to accommodate 300 apartments and 20,000 square feet of commercial space next to Ventura Harbor.

“This will not only be a benefit to the people who live there, but to boat owners and to the city’s general population, because we’ll have new parks and a promenade all along the water,” Deputy Mayor Christy Weir said. “It will also benefit the businesses at the harbor; it will create a whole new clientele for them.”

Sondermann Ring Partners of Marina del Rey has worked with the Ventura Port District since May 2000 to design a mixed-use waterfront project.

Because of its proximity to the ocean, the project must still be reviewed by the California Coastal Commission. Douglas R. Ring, a representative of the development company, said it’s not known how long the state’s review of the $60-million project will take.

“We still have a long way to go,” Ring said. “If you had told me [nearly] eight years ago that I’d be where I am today with this project, I would not have believed you.”

Gary Timm, general manager of the commission’s South Central Coast District, said it could take up to 18 months after the paperwork is submitted before agency staff make a recommendation. The first step would be to ensure the project conforms with the city’s amended local coastal plan and meets the state’s goals to improve public access of the waterfront. The plan was delayed when Sondermann Ring sued the city in 2005, alleging that changes to city design standards halted its project.

Despite the continuing legal dispute, the developer and the city hired an architect to redesign the project to promote “new urbanism” ideals, such as pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. The changes came about the same time the council hired Rick Cole as city manager. Cole, an advocate of new urbanism policies and so-called smart growth, has pushed to ensure that future development is consistent with the city’s design and growth objectives.

Cole said the original plan called for building a gated neighborhood of 10 identical buildings in three sections along private streets. Instead, the city negotiated a design that includes 17 buildings of varying size that will house 270 apartments and an additional 30 lofts above first-floor commercial space. The project will also include a 2.5-acre public park. Twenty-seven apartment units will be set aside for renters of low and moderate income. Additionally, the developer agreed to contribute $3.25 million to help fund a fire station at the harbor, which should substantially increase response times.

Cole said turning this vacant land into a mixed-use town home village would provide a long-term income stream for the port district, which was in bankruptcy for five years during the 1990s. The project is estimated to add $700,000 to $1 million a year to the district’s coffers, a substantial increase over the $500,000 in profit the district expects to collect this fiscal year.

greg.griggs@latimes.com