Topic
Equity
The section below identifies goals and policies throughout the General Plan related to Equity. Use the buttons below to jump to a specific chapter.
Goal LU-3: Promote a diversity of housing types for Thousand Oaks residents through all stages of life.
LU-3.1 Diversity of housing.
Promote a diversity of housing types in locations throughout the City, specifically in neighborhood areas that contain goods and services, parks and open space, and public schools in a walkable setting.
LU-3.2 Housing for different life stages and incomes.
Encourage new housing types for all residents including young professionals, older adults, and middle- and low-income families.
LU-3.3 Intergenerational supportive housing.
Support extended family living within residential neighborhoods through modifications to existing homes.
LU-3.4 Aging in place.
Promote development of housing types that support opportunities to age in place.
LU-3.5 Housing for special needs.
Support housing for older adults, special needs groups (including those with developmental disabilities), and non-traditional family groups by allowing a diverse range of housing configurations and universally accessible design features.
LU-3.6 Universal Design.
Encourage the use of Universal Design principles in new construction and rehabilitation of housing.
Goal LU-4: Support the creation of safe, affordable, and sanitary housing for all ages, income levels, and abilities.
LU-4.1 New housing in very high fire hazard zones.
Discourage developing housing on undeveloped land within the City’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
LU-4.2 Incentives for healthy housing.
Create incentives for new and rehabilitated residential buildings to be designed and constructed to consider the health of residents, such as:
- Siting buildings to encourage walking;
- Designing buildings to allow for high levels of natural light and air; and,
- Providing safe connections to parks, trails, schools, and recreation.
LU-4.3 Barriers and buffers.
Require design features such as site and building orientation, trees or other landscaped barriers, artificial barriers, ventilation and filtration, construction, and operational practices to reduce air quality impacts to new residential development from high-volume roadways.
LU-4.4 Air quality of homes.
For new residential land uses that cannot be sited at least 500 feet away from high-volume roadways, require design mitigation, such as:
- Design residential units with individual heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to allow adequate ventilation even with windows closed;
- Locate air intake systems for HVAC systems as far away from existing air pollution sources as possible;
- Use High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) air filters in the HVAC system and require a maintenance plan to ensure the filtering system is properly maintained;
- Use sound walls, berms, and vegetation as physical barriers; and
- Notify new potential home buyers and renters of risks from air pollution.
LU-4.5 Affordable housing stock.
Increase the number and diversity of affordable housing units in the City and encourage housing of varying income levels and unit sizes/floor plans.
LU-4.6 Affordable housing locations.
Focus on locating affordable housing close to areas with retail and services and in high resource areas as identified in the TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map.*
LU-4.7 Affordable housing preservation.
Preserve or replace affordable housing units that are subject to expiration with the use of new housing subsidies.
*The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Opportunity Map identifies areas in every region of the state whose characteristics have been shown by research to be most strongly associated with positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families.
Goal LU-12: Promote healthy living for all residents of Thousand Oaks.
LU-12.1 Access to healthy foods.
Promote access to healthy foods through opportunities such as, certified farmers’ markets and community gardens.
Goal M-2: Create and maintain a public transit system that is safe, equitable, affordable, efficient, and accessible to all people in Thousand Oaks.
M-2.6 Equitable mobility.
Address the needs and perspectives of people of color, those who speak limited English, are cost-burdened, senior citizens, and the disabled in the design and development of new mobility services and technologies.
Goal M-4: Create a transportation system that will accommodate future growth that provides for all modes.
M-4.10 Transportation innovations.
Seek opportunities to support new and emerging mobility trends, especially those focused on equitable distribution of mobility services.
Goal M-5: Create and maintain a transportation system that fosters vibrant commercial centers and economic resiliency.
M-5.5 Transit equity.
Consider measures that enable fare affordability, including free and/or reduced fares for people without access, such as special needs, seniors and low-income families.
Goal POS-6: Create and maintain beautiful and accessible parks and recreational facilities that meet the needs of all residents of Thousand Oaks.
POS-6.5 Equitable park access.
Ensure that new parks and recreational facilities are placed equitably throughout the city to maximize access to parks for all residents.
POS-6.6 Accessible parks.
Park design should consider usability by and safety for children, seniors, and those with mobility, sight, hearing or other special needs.
Goal C-10: Achieve and maintain air quality that protects public health, safety, and welfare for those who live or work in the City and for visitors.
C-10.6 Health Risk Assessments for residential near freeways.
Require new development within 500 feet of freeways and roadways with over 100,000 vehicle trips per day that include residential uses or other sensitive receptors prepare a health risk assessment (HRA) to identify potential health risk impacts. Based on the results of the HRA, the City shall require mitigation measures as necessary, to reduce potential exposure to toxic air contaminants.
Goal CFS-2: Support access to high quality telecommunication services.
CFS-2.2 Digital access for all.
Work with telecommunications providers to ensure that all Thousand Oaks residents and businesses have equal access to high quality and affordable internet and broadband services.
Goal CFS-12: Provide high quality, safe, well-maintained, and sustainable facilities, and services for City operations.
CFS-12.1 City facilities.
Equitably expand and improve the City’s facilities and buildings as needed to meet the community’s needs, based on regular monitoring and evaluation of their condition and the needs of the community, especially in disadvantaged and underserved communities.
Goal CFS-13: Provide public library services that support residents of all ages and abilities.
CFS-13.2 Library accessibility.
Ensure accessibility to Thousand Oaks libraries and community centers by maintaining ADA accessibility, complete sidewalks, onsite bicycle parking, and access by transit to support residents and visitors of all abilities and ages.
Goal AC-3: Enhance and expand arts, cultural, and creative experiences throughout all areas of the community.
AC-3.2 Citywide arts experiences.
Through the Cultural Affairs Department, expand the current arts and cultural programming to extend to venues and spaces throughout the city, including informal places and experiences.
Goal AC-4: Foster new generations of culturally literate and healthy residents.
AC-4.1 Lifelong learning in the arts.
Working with local organizations and the schools, support access to lifelong learning in the arts for all residents of all ages in community settings.
Goal AC-6: Utilize arts and culture as a policy tool for other civic goals.
AC-6.1 Equity, inclusion, access.
Utilize art to provide a unique opportunity for engagement and programming content strategies to develop relationships with the Thousand Oaks community.
Goal G-1: Engage and empower all members of the community to participate in the City’s decision-making process.
G-1.3 Education and capacity building.
Take creative steps to educate community members about the City’s decision-making process.
G-1.4 Translation at public meetings.
Provide live translation services as feasible and if requested for City sponsored public workshops and hearings.
G-1.5 Meeting and event accessibility.
Provide accessibility for members of the public with special needs or disabilities at all City meetings and City-sponsored events.
Goal G-2: Create a more equitable, accessible, safe, welcoming, and inclusive government and community regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, language, education and/or socioeconomic status.
G-2.1 Racial and social equity.
Seek opportunities to increase racial and social equity within the City’s organizational structure.
G-2.2 Equity trainings.
Create equity trainings for all City staff, elected officials, and appointed officials.
G-2.3 City staff diversity.
Strive to ensure that City staff’s diversity reflects the City’s diversity and Ventura County region.
G-2.4 Boards and commissions diversity.
Strive to ensure that the City’s boards and commissions reflect the diversity of backgrounds, races, ethnicities, physical abilities, gender, sexual orientation, and ages of Thousand Oaks residents.
Goal G-6: Support and promote a City brand and identity that represents a multigenerational, diverse, welcoming, and innovation-driven community.
G-6.2 Promote inclusivity and diversity.
Promote Thousand Oaks as an inclusive, diverse, and safe place for all people including those who identify as LGBTQIA+, those with intellectual, physical and/or developmental needs regardless of ethnicities, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and socio-economic status.
Corresponding Implementation Actions
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Action | Goal | Chapter | Timeframe | Lead Responsibility | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.1 Comprehensive zoning code update. Following the adoption of the General Plan, prepare a comprehensive update to the Citywide zoning code. | LU-1 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | |
| 2 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.2 Create new mixed-use zoning district. Following the adoption of the General Plan, create a new mixed-use zoning district, including performance standards for infill development on parking lots and commercial structures. | LU-5 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Parking, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 3 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 16/12/2024 10:39 PM | LU-A.3 Inclusionary Housing Program. Adopt and implement an Inclusionary Housing Program. | LU-3 and LU-4 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Equity, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 4 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.4 Campus Master Plan. Implement vision of the Downtown Core Master Plan by redesigning the Civic Arts Plaza. | LU-13 | Land Use | Medium | City Manager’s Office | Civic Arts Plaza and Culture |
| 5 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.5 Creation of a downtown core. Initiate public/private partnerships to redevelop Thousand Oaks Boulevard as a “main street” with public, retail, lodging, entertainment and/or multi-family uses. | LU-13 and LU-14 | Land Use | Long | City Manager’s Office | Jobs and Economic Development, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 6 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.6 Update specific plans. Update Specific Plans where policy changes are required pursuant to the 2045 General Plan policies, starting with the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan. | LU-1, LU-13, and LU-14 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | |
| 7 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.7 Specific plan or master plan preparation. Coordinate with property owners of key opportunity sites to prepare Specific Plan or Master Plan efforts for the following areas: The Oaks, Moorpark Road/Janss Marketplace, Highway 101 Corridor/Borchard Property | LU-15, LU-16, LU-17, and LU-18 | Land Use | Medium | Community Development | |
| 8 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.8 Mixed-use and adaptive reuse parking requirements study. Conduct a study to investigate modifying parking requirements for new mixed-use development and adaptive reuse projects. Revise the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code accordingly. | LU-5 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Sustainability, Health, Parking, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 9 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.9 Municipal code review for healthy housing. Review, revise, and update the municipal code (as well as other relevant plans, procedures, regulations, guidelines, programs, and design manuals) to promote healthy housing quality. | LU-4 | Land Use | Long | Community Development | Residential Neighborhoods, Health |
| 10 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.10 Affordable housing linkage fee. Study and determine nexus to implement a fee program where new commercial and/or industrial developments pay a fee to fund affordable housing units. | LU-3 and LU-4 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Equity, Mixed-Use and New Development |