2005 General Plan - City Of Ventura

C H A P T E R 1Rivers and BarrancasThe Ventura River flows south to the PacificOcean along the western edge of the city, and theSanta Clara River bisects the Oxnard coastalplain south of Ventura. A series of seasonalwatercourses called barrancas traverse the city innarrow incised drainage channels running downfrom the hillsides. The rivers and barrancas andtheir larger watersheds provide undevelopedopen space, riparian vegetation, wildlife habitatand corridors, recreational opportunities, andaesthetic beauty.Where local watercourses have not beenchannelized, riparian trees and shrubs grow infringing woodlands and thickets. Severalsensitive bird species breed in these areas,including the least Bell’s vireo, willow flycatcher,yellow warbler, and yellow-breasted chat.Steelhead and rainbow trout seasonally inhabitboth the Ventura and Santa Clara Rivers.Riparian and freshwater marsh areas in Venturarepresent only a remnant of pre-human coverage,but the City has initiated conservation andrestoration efforts such as the Ventura RiverEstuary Program to help reverse this trend. Theestuaries at the mouths of the Ventura and SantaClara Rivers serve as breeding grounds andfeeding areas for migratory and residentshorebirds and waterfowl, as well as home tomany terrestrial animals, fish, and free-swimminginvertebrates.restoration of natural drainage features, andprohibiting the placement of manmade materialsin drainages – can protect and improve water andhabitat quality in local watersheds. The bolderaction of removing concrete channel structureswould further enhance natural functions andaesthetics.Resource ConservationAs Ventura continues to grow, conservingresources, increasing energy efficiency, andachieving environmental sustainability becomeever more important. The City desires toincorporate green building measures into thedesign, construction, and maintenance of publicand private buildings which can result insignificant cost savings and promote overallhealth and productivity of residents, workers, andvisitors to the city. Raising conservationawareness can help minimize waste and pollutionreleased into the natural environment. Improvingenergy efficiency in buildings, expandingrecycling programs, and reducing transportationrelatedenergy consumption will make the city agreener place. The policies and actions in thischapter provide clear direction to guideconservation, green practices, and responsibleuse of resources.Actions in this chapter – such as maintainingadequate buffers from watercourses, requiring2005 Ventura General Plan August 8, 20051-4