On July 8, 2025, the Ventura City Council decided to reconsider their previous ruling to maintain a car-free Main Street. This followed a 56 percent property owner objection rate of the Pedestrian Mall Law (PML), a legal reinforcement of a downtown area closed to cars. Now, on Sept. 16, the council will make another ruling to decide on the future of Main Street.
The PML is not necessary for the downtown area to legally be closed to cars. However, if passed, it would make car-free Main Street more permanent. In other words, the PML is designed to secure the continuance of a pedestrian-only area, but not essential for it to exist.
At the Jan. 28, 2025 council meeting, the council voted to continue their support of Main Street Moves (MSM) and the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The council has also supported the removal of street signs from Main Street and many other projects aimed at building place and culture around a pedestrian-centered downtown…