Oxnard | Letter to Mayor and City Manager – Developers and New Fire Stations

Mr. Mayor, Mr. City Manager:

It has been stated numerous times that the average residential housing unit is occupied by 4 people. The city is under a state mandate to provide at least 7,000 low income housing units. According to city staff, the city will not be able to charge developer impact fees for these units. The city has many highly paid employees in the city manager’s office and development services. What answers have these highly paid staff members come up with to answer the following questions? They and the city’s consultants were to have addressed these issues over 30 days ago after studying the issues for over 9 months.

What impact will 28,000 additional people have on the city and what will it cost?

Fire Stations:

The last fire station built was projected to cost the tax payers $4,000,000  (2005 10 Year Fire Department Strategic Plan) with developers paying half. Fire Station was built for 12,000,000 with total payments being 22,000,000. With at least 2 new fire stations needed, I estimate that $8,000,000 will be needed for each station. Fire Station 8 has a training facility that the two new stations will not have. How will new fire stations be financed? Most of the other fire stations are over 40 years old. What is the funding source  to repair those stations. I suspect roofs are leaking and concrete is crumbling.

Parks:

The Park Master Plan has still to be released. I suspect that $40,000,000 to $60,000,000 will be needed to complete the plan. Where will that money cone from? The 28,000 additional residents will will require 70 acres of additional park land. Where is land for the 7,000 new homes? Where is the land for the parks? Where will the money come from to develop the 70 additional acres if there is no money to fund existing parks development needs?

Schools:

While the city has no jurisdiction over school districts, land will still be needed to build schools. I estimate that 28,000 additional residents will require at least a new high school (not including the one being built in East Village), 2 middle schools and 6 elementary school (or 8 K – 8 schools) will be needed. Where is the land for those schools?

Water:

The 7,000 new housing units are to be water neutral. The city’s ground water allocation is being cut in half. The city as not identified the funding to expand the GREAT Program from 7,000 acre feet to 21,000 acre feet of annual production. How will any, let alone the 7,000 new housing units, be water neutral?

Streets and alleys

With fuel efficient vehicles being built, the demand for gasoline per household is dropping, reducing gas tax per household. The gas tax for street and road repair is dropping per household. I am getting 50 miles per gallon compared to 15 miles per gallon 30 years ago. Our street are falling apart now. What is the expected funding sources as additional trip miles are added with 14,000+ additional drivers? Will alleys ever be repaired?

Government Services:

With Measure O expiring in a few years, what will be the funding source to provide services to the 28,000 new residences?

Respectfully submitted,

Lawrence Paul Stein

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