Fillmore Gazette: Question 5

I’m in favor of the business park concept and look forward to studying the Business Park Market Analysis. If this concept will truly provide jobs for local residents then we need to proceed.

In 2004, the Ventura County Planning Department conducted a study of housing rich communities (Fillmore has the highest ratio of housing to jobs in the County – i.e. the most commuters). The study included a table indicating that Fillmore had 77 vacant industrial and commercial parcels in the City.

I do have a concern that the city currently has all this vacant commercial and industrial property. To sprawl out into undeveloped agricultural acreage may not be necessary at this time. The City has been designated as Redevelopment (blighted) and it would seem proper to rehabilitate some of the vacant commercial property that we already have with some of those redevelopment funds.

In addition, many cities, including the City of Santa Monica have required that all new commercial development be infill to beautify vacant and neglected properties. I think Fillmore could do the same thing as there are so many vacant and neglected properties throughout the city that are not inviting or drawing traffic to the downtown merchants.