The entire County of Ventura is a state-designated Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ). The zone includes the incorporated cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Ventura, as well as the unincorporated areas of the county.

The County’s population exceeds 800,000, and the largest city, Oxnard, has a population over 200,000. Ventura County features 42 miles of coastline, the Los Padres National Forest, and 1.2 million acres of land, including 15,000 acres of industrially zoned land. The RMDZ overlaps a foreign-trade zone, centered around the county’s deepwater port. Ventura County has a dependable labor supply, uncrowded freeways, a thriving agricultural industry, and an infrastructure geared to handle planned growth. The county is adjacent to Los Angeles, providing access to large urban markets as well as sources of materials for manufacturing.

RMDZ INCENTIVES INCLUDE:

• Low Interest Loans and Other Assistance with Financing – The RMDZ can finance up to 75% of a project, up to $11 million per loan. Loan terms are up to 15 years, and the low interest rates are from fixed-rate State funds. Rates are kept at or below the prime rate
• Permit Assistance – public agencies will assist businesses through local and state permitting and regulatory processes.
• Location Assistance – businesses will be guided to over 12,000 acres of industrially zoned property, and other sites, throughout Ventura County.
• Materials for Manufacturing – Ventura County recycles over 200,000 tons of solid waste per year. Recyclables are collected through curbside, buyback, and drop-off programs and are processed in four main locations.
• Other Benefits – include business plan assistance, business incubator and industry cluster networks, promotion, capital network access, and financing assistance.
• Who’s Eligible – Most program incentives are designed specifically for manufacturing businesses located in Ventura County. If a business manufacturers a new product from recycled materials, processes recyclables in such a way that their market value is increased, repairs items that would otherwise become waste, or makes products using less materials or while generating less waste, it may be eligible for low-interest loans.

For more information, see https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/rmdz

Advantages of Starting a Business in Ventura County

Beautiful Location: Ventura County’s coast curves along 42 miles of mostly southwest facing beaches. Further inland, Ventura County’s northern border runs alongside Kern County through the sparsely populated Los Padres National Forest. Focusing growth in urbanized areas, Ventura County still has significant amounts of agriculture and open space.

Quality of Life: The Healthy Communities Institute gave Ventura County a top score for public safety because it has one of the lowest crime rates in the state based on data from the state Department of Justice.

Land Available for Siting New Businesses: There are thousands of acres of industrially zoned land in Ventura County. Some of this designated land is undeveloped while other pieces have vacant buildings of varying sizes. Ventura County also has a well-developed infrastructure geared to handle planned growth.

Access to Markets: Ventura County, with a population over 800,000, borders the counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Kern. Ventura County is served by uncrowded portions of highways 101, 126, 118, 23, and 1 as well as Southern Pacific rail lines and the Port of Hueneme, a deep water port with port of entry and foreign trade zone status.

Work Force: Ventura County has an educated, dependable labor supply and several programs enabling employers to obtain assistance through subsidized workers and employment training programs.

RMDZ Loan Application Checklist

Printable RMDZ Loan Application Checklist (CalRecycle 721)

Printable RMDZ Loan Application and Exhibits A, F, G, H and I (CalRecyle 722)

Printable RMDZ Loan Application and Exhibits B, C, D and E (CalRecycle 723)