Ventura business owners and supporters press council to stick with car-free Main Street as opponents demand review

Supporters and opponents of Ventura’s downtown Main Street project used the city council public-comment period to push rival visions for the future of the city’s commercial core.

Dozens of speakers delivered rapid-fire testimony on May 5 during the public comment portion of the council meeting, with business owners, residents and developers arguing over whether the six-to-one decision last September to keep Main Street car-free should be sustained.

Among the speakers, a coalition of 72 businesses asked council to put reopening on the agenda and to respond to what they described as steep revenue losses. Nick Thomasello, CEO of local construction company New Line Partners, cited city sales-tax data for Q4 2025 that he said showed downtown zones were “down seven and a half percent” versus other parts of the city. He asked the council to place a formal review of the closure on a future meeting agenda and to commission an independent economic analysis by a neutral third party.

Other speakers, including multiple owners of long-established Main Street businesses, urged the council to maintain the pedestrianized street and finish implementation. Emily White, owner of Bell Ringer Brewing Company, told the council that parklets and street activation require “clarity and consistency” from the city so businesses can make multi‑year investments. Several property owners and downtown entrepreneurs described new leases and retail interest in the pedestrian zone, noting lower vacancy rates in some blocks.

Council members did not reverse the prior action during the meeting. Speakers and council members repeatedly asked for better economic information and for city staff to track and compare downtown retail performance over time. Several business leaders said a short technical study would help resolve competing claims about whether the closure is causing the reported declines or whether broader retail trends and seasonal shifts are responsible. One speaker presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures and a list of 72 businesses that want the street reopened.

The council also discussed operational supports raised by commenters, including a proposed 90‑minute free parking option for downtown employees and programs to help workers and families with parking needs. The council noted that the Public Works director has some discretion to adjust the free time for on‑street paid parking; the full ordinance was retained by the council with direction for staff to consider administrative adjustments.

What happens next: Council members suggested staff gather clearer, verifiable sales-tax and business‑performance data and to return with options for targeted analyses. The city manager and economic-development staff said they would consider requests for an independent analysis and will brief the council at an upcoming budget/workshop date. No immediate change to the September decision was made at the May 5 meeting.