... from the 2008 Open Space At Risk Report

Ventura County is a spectacular place to live, with striking wild and rural landscapes, distinctive and inviting cities, rich soils and thriving farms, outstanding recreation, a vibrant economy and some of the most important remaining natural habitats, river systems, and wetlands in Southern California.

But Ventura County faces a major challenge: how to preserve our region's environment and high quality of life in the face of mounting regional and global challenges.

Between 1995 and 2000, voters in Ventura County overwhelmingly approved a series of ballot measures – the SOAR initiatives – which effectively created the most comprehensive protection against urban sprawl of any county in the United States. Iin contrast to los Angeles and Orange counties, Ventura County has not turned into a single large urban mass. Our cities remain distinct, each with a unique sense of identity and place, defned in no small measure by the intact expanses of open space and farmland that surround them.

The choices Ventura County residents and leaders make over the next ten years will determine whether our region merges into the sprawl of Los Angeles or fnds its way toward a healthier and more sustainable future.

SOAR is working to stop urban sprawl and build vibrant and sustainable communities. Once cities sprawl together, each city loses the unique character vital to a real sense of community. SOAR is working to stop runaway, ill-planned growth before the problems associated with urban sprawl get out of hand.

SOAR ordinances call for well-planned cities that work, focusing development within existing urban areas, and strive to protect farming and greenbelts in Ventura County.

Contact us for more information on these issues and to help us work to build a vibrant and sustainable future.