The City of Oxnard is located on the “Gold Coast” of sunny California, approximately halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, and is known as the gateway to the Channel Islands. Named for the Oxnard brothers who began an agricultural community in 1903 by opening a sugar beet factory, today Oxnard is a thriving center of commerce, tourism and industry in Ventura County. Oxnard is the largest city in Ventura County with its population of over 200,000 residents. Oxnard services the needs of its culturally diverse population.
In the fall of 2012, The Collection of RiverPark, a high-end office and retail shopping center with a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema, opened in the northern end of the City. While the City maintains steady growth with new development, it also promotes the preservation and economic health of its historic downtown, including the unique Henry T. Oxnard Historic District, with beautifully preserved turn of the century homes. The long-awaited completion of the Oxnard Boulevard and Rice Avenue interchanges at Highway 101 and Santa Clara River Bridge provides easier access to the City from all points. The City also operates more than 50 park facilities for its residents, as well as special purpose facilities such as River Ridge Golf Course. Oxnard’s leadership has adopted a plan with vision and conviction for an exciting future to further enhance business development and the quality of life.
Oxnard is the only full-service city in Ventura County. Incorporated as a general law city in 1903, Oxnard operates under the council-manager form of government. The City consists of an elected Mayor holding a two-year term and four councilmembers elected at large for four-year overlapping terms. The City’s other elected officials are the City Clerk and the City Treasurer. The City Council acts as the Community Development Commission’s Successor Agency and, supplemented by two tenant commissioners, as the Housing Authority. The City Council is advised by several citizen commissions and committees.
The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney. The City Manager is responsible for assisting the City Council in its policy-making role, provding information and advice, implementing policy and managing approved services.
Oxnard developed a 2030 General Plan that strikes a unique balance between the beauty of its agricultural heritage while continuing to accommodate dynamic changes. The population has grown significantly in the last fifty years, providing many challenges to local government and residents. Oxnard continually offers many opportunities for its enterprising and forward-thinking business community, while maintaining a family-friendly environment, as evidenced by the new parks that have opened throughout the City. As Oxnard evolves, the City will continue to strive to maintain a balance between its residents’ needs and being a “business friendly” community.