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VENTURA — The County of Ventura invites the public to attend a Planning Commission hearing on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. at 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura, in the County Government Center, Hall of Administration, Lower Plaza Assembly Room. At the hearing, the Planning Commission will consider a General Plan amendment to implement updates to the County’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Implementation Manual and the Initial Study Assessment Guidelines (ISAGs). These two key documents guide how the County evaluates environmental impacts of proposed projects in the unincorporated areas of the County.
The CEQA Implementation Manual includes procedures to comply with CEQA, such as filing public notices. Key updates to the Manual include updated CEQA requirements, procedures to amend the document in the future, and County agency responsibilities.
The ISAGs inform the public, project applicants, consultants, and County staff on environmental impact thresholds and ways to determine whether a project has the potential to cause a significant negative effect on the environment.
The ISAGs cover a range of topic areas, including air quality, transportation, water quality, biological resources, and many others. Key updates to the ISAGs include consolidation of topic areas, alignment with state guidelines, updated thresholds and methods for analyzing potential project impacts, and incorporation of certain General Plan programs and policies. Text revisions to some of the General Plan programs and policies are needed to improve clarity, reduce ambiguity, revise references, and where applicable, clarify County processes and procedures. These revisions are proposed as a General Plan Amendment.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearing, provide comments, or watch the meeting remotely. Spanish interpretation will be available. For participation details, visit rma.venturacounty.gov/planning-commission.
The County began public outreach on this project in April 2025. Several revisions were made in response to public comments. Updated drafts of the ISAGs and CEQA Implementation Manual are now available online and in person at the Planning Counter (Hall of Administration, 3rd Floor).
For more information and to view the revised draft documents, visit rma.venturacounty.gov/isags.