Chamber Opposes City Proposal to Increase Fees for Residential and Commercial Development

Originally posted April 27, 2020

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oxnard Chamber continues working for its members and positive economic development in Oxnard.

The Chamber has taken a strong stance against the city's proposed increase of its Development Impact Fees, which will be discussed by the Public Works and Housing and Economic Development Committees on Tuesday, April 28. 

If passed, Oxnard's fees for single family dwellings and commercial office development would be more than double the fees in Ventura and Camarillo.

Already, our economy is in a freefall due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we have ongoing crises for affordable housing and homelessness. The proposed fee increases will exacerbate those housing-related challenges. 

Regarding commercial office space, there is bound to be a substantial softening in the market in the coming months and years as we recover from the pandemic. The Chamber feels any increase in Oxnard's fees would inevitably lead business development to our neighboring communities.

In the Chamber's letter to the Public Works Council Committee, the Housing and Economic Development Committee, and Jeff Lambert, Community Development Director for the City of Oxnard, Chamber leadership stated that it believes that local government must be fiscally balanced:

​"We are not advocating the Community Development Department be subsidized by the general fund. If our neighboring communities can provide development services for substantially lower fees, perhaps we should research how they accomplish that. We urge you not to move forward with the proposed fee increases at this time."