Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 15 Amendments to This Chapter

a. The purpose of this Article is to establish procedures for the County's processing of and action on amendments to this Chapter, by adoption of ordinance, in a manner that is consistent with state law. These procedures shall apply to proposals to change any property from one (1) zone to another (sometimes referred to herein as a "Zone Change") or to amend the text of this Chapter (sometimes referred to herein as a "Text Amendment").

b. Pursuant to Government Code section 65853, this Article does not apply to amendments to this Chapter that are neither Zone Changes nor impose any regulation listed in Government Code section 65850 not theretofore imposed or remove or modify any such regulation theretofore imposed; such amendments to this Chapter may be adopted pursuant to Government Code section 25120 et seq.

c. This Article does not apply to amendments to this Chapter enacted through the voter initiative or referendum process in accordance with state law.

(Am. Ord. 3945—7/10/90; Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95; Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

Changes to the boundaries of any zone, changes to the zoning or land use classifications of any property, and amendments to the text of this Chapter shall be considered to be amendments to this Chapter.

Proposals to amend this Chapter may be initiated for study and processing by the Planning Division by any of the following methods:

a. By direction provided by the Board of Supervisors to the Planning Director at a public meeting;

b. By direction provided by the Planning Commission to the Planning Director at a public hearing;

c. By filing with the Planning Division a complete application for (1) a Zone Change by the owner of the property, by a person with the power of attorney from the owner or by the attorney at law of the owner; or (2) a Text Amendment by an interested person; or

d. By Planning Director action, for proposed Text Amendments only.

(Am. Ord. 3730—5/7/85; Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

a. The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors shall each hold at least one (1) public hearing on a proposed amendment.

b. The notice and public hearing requirements shall be the same as those prescribed in Section 8111-3 except that in addition, the Planning Commission's recommendation that is made on a proposed amendment pursuant to Section 8115-3.2(a) below shall be stated in the notice for the Board of Supervisors' public hearing of said amendment.

c. For rezonings involving TP zoned property, see Section 8109-4.3 of this Chapter.

(Am. Ord. 3730—5/7/85; Am. Ord. 4123—9/17/96—grammar; Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 4650, § 15, adopted Sept. 16, 2025, repealed the former §§ 8115-3—8115-3.7, and enacted new §§ 8115-3—8115-3.5 as set out herein. The former section pertained to similar subject matter and derived from the original codification as amended by Ord. No. 3730, adopted May 7, 1985.

This Chapter may be amended, by adoption of ordinance, upon a finding by the Board of Supervisors that the proposed amendment is:

a. In the interest of public health, safety and general welfare;

b. Consistent with good zoning practice; and

c. Consistent with the General Plan.

(Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

a. The Planning Commission shall hold a hearing on a proposed amendment. After the conclusion of the public hearing, the Planning Commission shall make a written recommendation by resolution to the Board of Supervisors, whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the proposed amendment.

b. Such recommendation shall include the reasons for the recommendation, the relationship between the proposed amendment and the General Plan, and shall be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors by the Planning Division at the time the proposed amendment is considered by the Board of Supervisors at a subsequent public hearing.

c. Notwithstanding subsection (a) above, pursuant to Government Code section 65856, a proposed Zone Change not initiated by the Board of Supervisors that the Planning Commission has recommended for disapproval shall not be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for public hearing, and the action by the Planning Commission shall be final, unless an appeal of the Planning Commission's recommended disapproval is filed in accordance with Article 11.

d. If the Planning Commission fails to make a recommendation on a proposed amendment initiated by the Board of Supervisors within a reasonable time, the Board of Supervisors may by written notice require that the recommendation rendered up within forty (40) days of such notice. Upon receipt of the written notice the Planning Commission, if it has not done so, shall conduct or complete the public hearing and make its recommendation as required. Failure to do so within the forty (40) days shall be deemed a Planning Commission recommendation that the proposed amendment be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

a. Following its public hearing on the proposed amendment, the Board of Supervisors may approve, approve with modifications or disapprove the proposed amendment. The Board of Supervisors shall announce its decision at the conclusion of the hearing. The Board of Supervisors may impose reasonable conditions on any proposed amendment for the protection of public health, safety, and general welfare or as otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate to allow the standards of approval of Section 8115-3.1 to be met.

b. If the Board of Supervisors proposes to approve a modification to a proposed amendment not previously considered by the Planning Commission during its public hearing, the proposed modifications shall first be referred to the Planning Commission, in compliance with Government Code section 65857, but the Planning Commission shall not be required to hold a public hearing thereon. A modification shall be deemed "previously considered" if the modification of a proposed amendment by the Board of Supervisors is based upon the issues and evidence initially heard by the Planning Commission. Failure of the Planning Commission to report within forty (40) days after being referred the modification, or such longer period as may be designated by the Board of Supervisors, shall be deemed a Planning Commission recommendation that the proposed amendment be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

Decisions of the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors, as applicable, on amendments that are not initiated by the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission or Planning Director shall be noticed in accordance with Section 8111-4.3 of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)

Decisions of the Board of Supervisors on amendments become effective thirty (30) days from the date of adoption of the amendment ordinance in accordance with Government Code section 25123.

(Ord. No. 4650, § 15, 9-16-2025)