Condition Compliance Program
General Information
The Planning Division checks for compliance with land use permits in the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. The Planning Division works with the residents, tenants, and businesses owners of Ventura County for a safe and desirable living and working environment through compliance with approved permits.
What does Planning staff check?
The Planning Division approves two types of permits: ministerial permits (commonly referred to as “over-the-counter” permits) and discretionary permits (for example, Condition Use Permits or Planned Development Permits).
Planning staff only inspect properties with an active and approved discretionary permit. To find out if you have a discretionary permit on your property, email plan.counter@ventura.org or call (805) 654-2488 with the property’s location information (address or Accessor Parcel Number). County codes and ordinances at other properties are enforced by the County Code Compliance Division or by other County departments such as the:
- Public Works Grading Division
- Environmental Health Division
- Fire Protection District, or
- Watershed Protection District.
The County’s zoning regulations require discretionary permits to be reviewed every three years, unless the permit conditions require otherwise. Thus, a condition compliance review is every three years.
Planning staff also respond to complaints on properties with active discretionary permits.
What are "Conditions of Approval"?
Conditions of approval (“conditions”) are permit requirements. These conditions are enforced at various times for compliance with local regulations. Some conditions are finished before a building is constructed, while others start later, such as when a business opens.
Examples of conditions that are inspected include:
- Landscaping
- Required number of parking spaces
- Signs
- Business hours
If you would like to change your conditions of approval, you must apply for a permit modification.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a state law that requires a review to evaluate whether a project will cause a “significant” impact on the environment. If a project may have a significant impact, that impact may be reduced through mitigation measures. In such cases, a Mitigation Monitoring & Reporting Program (Mitigation Program) is approved with the project. Mitigation Programs are specific to each project and approved with the permit.
The Mitigation Program includes mitigation measures that are monitored at specified time intervals (e.g., annually). This can include providing reports throughout the Mitigation Program. Planning staff review these reports when they are submitted. Mitigation Program reports can be emailed directly to Condition.Compliance@ventura.org
What are Annual Reporting Requirements?
Some discretionary projects must submit annual reports to the Planning Division. These reports can be tree reports, habitat restoration reports, and event reports. The type and detail of these reports are found in the permit conditions.
You may submit reports to Planning staff for review by email. Call Planning staff at (805) 654-3327 or by email at Condition.Compliance@ventura.org for questions about your annual report.
Submit your farmworker and animal caretaker annual verification here.
What do I Need to Prepare for a Site Visit?
Before a site visit, you should review the terms of the permit and all approved plans. Planning staff will schedule a site visit with you and request that you walk with them through the property.
Staff will check if the structures (e.g., buildings, sheds, metal cargo containers) on the site match the approved site plans. All structures must be permitted. If you have questions about your permit, you should ask during the review.
The permit holder is the “permittee” and responsible for following the requirements and conditions of approval of the permit. If the property is sold, the permit is transferred to the new property owner (or permittee). The new property owner is responsible for maintaining compliance with the permit.
What are the Next Steps after the Site Visit?
After the site visit, staff will send you a Condition Compliance Report. If there are no issues on the property, the Report will note that the property is “in compliance” and the review will be closed.
If the Report notes that the property is not in compliance, it means that there are issues (e.g., missing landscaping, new structures, or lack of parking, etc.). These issues may include a violation of the permit conditions or the zoning ordinance. The issue may be fixed by removing the issue or by modifying the permit. The Planning Division aims for a prompt resolution of issues.
What is the Enforcement Process?
If there is a violation, the Planning Division works with the permittee to gain voluntary compliance. When compliance is delayed, the Planning Division starts enforcement by issuing a Notice of Violation. This Notice includes:
- A list of the issues;
- A summary on how to resolve the issues— which may include getting a permit or removing items/structures;
- A reference to the permit conditions or zoning ordinance regulation that the issue violates;
- Phone number and email for the Planning staff member handling the case; and,
- A deadline to fix the issue (often within 30 days of the letter).
Example of the Enforcement Process
How Do I File a Complaint?
The Planning Division has a fair and unbiased enforcement process to protect the community. All complaints are taken seriously.
Only complaints in the unincorporated Ventura County can be investigated. County staff cannot investigate complaints in the cities.
Land-use complaints (e.g., illegal construction, zoning violations) are investigated by two departments. Answer the below questions to see which department will investigate your complaint:
- Is your complaint about a property in the unincorporated Ventura County? Confirm that the property is in the unincorporated county with our online map. And,
- Is your complaint related to violations of a discretionary permit on the property?
If you answered “No” to the second question, submit your complaint to Code Compliance here.
If you answered “Yes” to both of the above questions, submit a complaint here.
You must provide your name, email address, and phone number so Planning staff can contact you if there are questions about your complaint. Anonymous complaints will not be investigated.
The more detail that you provide, the more easily we can investigate your complaint. You can also include: photographs, diagrams of the site, and/or logs of dates and times when the violation(s) happened.
If you have questions about a complaint, call us at (805) 654-3327 or email us at condition.compliance@ventura.org.
Resources
Reimbursement Agreement for Condition Compliance Accounts
Condition Compliance Complaint Form
Oprima aqui para obtener al Forma en Espanol de Quejas
Civil Administrative Penalty Brochure
Civil Administrative Penalty Ordinance
Civil Administrative Penalty Ordinance Guidelines
Condition Compliance Sections of the Non-Coastal Zoning Ordinance
Condition Compliance Sections of the Coastal Zoning Ordinance
Employment Verification Declaration of Farmworker/Animal Caretaker Dwelling
