Guest opinion
County agencies could perform better through consolidation
By Mayor Patrick Hunter

Ventura County faces many challenges: the expansion of efficient and effective transportation systems, the implementation of regional emergency management programs, the continued development of policies that promote a vibrant economy, the protection of our open space and agricultural resources, and the construction of affordable housing.

Solutions will not come easily, but one thing is certain: they will only be found with our communities working together as a region to solve them.

The Ventura Council of Governments, commonly referred to as VCOG, is a joint-powers authority comprised of Ventura County's 10 incorporated cities and the county of Ventura whose goal is to facilitate regional planning and coordinate technical assistance on issues of mutual concern.

VCOG is based on the premise that Ventura County can have more representation without more government and issues of mutual concern extend beyond the boundaries of single jurisdictions or agencies. VCOG utilizes existing resources to the greatest extent possible, working collaboratively to find new ways to perform needed activities while attempting to avoid a duplication of effort.

In addition to VCOG working on regional planning issues, the Ventura County Transportation Commission, or VCTC, is a transportation planning agency comprised of representatives from the county's 10 cities, the members of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and appointed residents who address regional transportation issues.

Transportation is obviously a key component in effective regional planning. Unfortunately, since VCOG and VCTC are entirely separate agencies, there is a profound disconnect in Ventura County's regional planning efforts. To resolve this issue, many counties throughout California have one agency perform all regional planning.

Representatives from VCOG and VCTC have met to discuss how Ventura County's elected leaders can better work together to achieve greater results. One option is a consolidation of the two planning agencies. These preliminary discussions led to a recent meeting of the agencies' board of directors. At that time, the directors elected to develop specific strategies to work together, but abandon further discussions of a consolidation.

While developing strategies to work together is an important step, I do not believe it goes far enough to allow Ventura County's leaders to comprehensively work together to plan for the future.

Regional planning is complex and cannot be resolved independently. Unfortunately, the concept of regional planning implies to some a loss of land use control by individual jurisdictions. That is quite simply not the case. The right of Ventura County's 10 city councils and the Ventura County Board of Supervisors to make land use decisions on behalf of their residents is a fundamental part of local control and should never be infringed.

While each city is as unique as it is independent, there are times when a collective effort will achieve better results.

Ventura County should have a single regional planning agency with a powerful voice in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to determine how best to move people and commerce, provide housing for our residents, create and maintain good paying jobs, and enhance the quality of life that Ventura County residents enjoy. The Board of Directors of VCOG and VCTC should continue to evaluate the best way to combine these two planning agencies.

A single agency to address Ventura County's important regional issues is needed. A dissolution of the Ventura Council of Governments with their duties absorbed by the Ventura County Transporta

tion Commission is the wisest course of action. Comprehensive regional planning is best performed by an agency that considers land use planning and transportation needs-and, in fact, all the county's needs-simultaneously.

Such a strategy would be consistent with a vision of partnership, persuasion, and performance- even if it resulted in its demise.