THE BIRTH OF SOAR
1990 – Napa Valley passes a measure to stop urban sprawl that serves as the model for SOAR.
November, 1995 – The City of Ventura passes SOAR with 52% of the vote.

COUNTY-WIDE EFFORT IS LAUNCHED
July, 1996 – The county-wide SOAR group has its first meeting.
March, 1997 – SOAR holds its first fundraiser to launch the county-wide SOAR campaign. The event was held at the Chart House restaurant in Ventura on the night of the Academy Awards.
June, 1997 – The Moorpark SOAR group is formed.
July, 1997 – The Camarillo SOAR group is formed.
Summer- Fall, 1997 – The county-wide fundraising effort kicks into high gear with the mailing of a "rolling" fundraising letter. Over 1,500 people respond.
September, 1997 – The Oxnard SOAR group is formed.
September, 1997 – SOAR holds fundraising events at the Moorpark Melodrama Theater and a boat cruise at Ventura Harbor.

THE SOAR MEASURES ARE DRAFTED
December, 1997 – February, 1998 – The huge task to draft the county-wide and six city SOAR measures is completed.
January, 1998 – The Simi Valley SOAR group is formed.

January, 1998 – The fundraising drive successfully nets $90,000 in pledges and a SOAR angel contributes $15,000. SOAR’s executive committee gains confidence in the fundraising effort and decides to launch the petition drive in March.
February, 1998 – The Thousand Oaks SOAR group is formed.
February, 1998 – SOAR publishes its first newsletter, News & Views.
March, 1998 – In keeping with tradition, the Academy Awards once again serves as a night to hold a successful fundraising event.

A HISTORIC PETITION DRIVE IS LAUNCHED
March, 1998 – The petition drive is launched in the County, Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. The deadline to successfully collect the necessary signatures is May 31, 1998.
May, 1998 – The Santa Paula SOAR group forms and launches a last-minute petition drive effort. In an impressive four days, volunteers gather enough signatures to qualify SOAR for the November ballot.
May, 1998 – The Oxnard City Council votes to place the Oxnard SOAR measure on the November ballot without the need to collect signatures.

SOAR QUALIFIES FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT
June, 1998 – The largest all-volunteer petition drive effort in Ventura County history comes to a conclusion. All measures qualified for the ballot. Over 75,000 signatures, gathered by more than 300 volunteers, are submitted to the County for verification. An astounding 82% of the signatures were verified by the County as valid.
June, 1998 – The League of Women Voters endorses SOAR.
Summer, 1998 – Moorpark gathers 5,000 signatures to place both a second SOAR measure and a referendum to stop the massive Hidden Creek development project on the ballot. The effort was successful and resulted in a special election to be held on January 12, 1999.

THE CAMPAIGN KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR
Fall, 1998 – The SOAR phone bank effort is organized in the cities of Ventura, Ojai, Las Posas Valley, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Oxnard. Four campaign brochures were developed and mailed to 150,000 households county-wide.

A VICTORIOUS NIGHT TO REMEMBER
November 3, 1998 – Ventura County becomes the first in Southern California to stop
urban sprawl!

Voters resoundingly pass SOAR measures with impressive numbers:
Ventura County, Measure B – 62.7%
Thousand Oaks – 71%
Camarillo – 66%
Simi Valley – 70%
Santa Paula – Defeated
Oxnard – 70% (Due to competing measures)

MOORPARK VOTERS FINALLY GET THEIR DUE
January 12, 1999 – Voters in Moorpark finally pass their SOAR measure (67%) and stop the massive Hidden Creek development project (65%).

WE CELEBRATE!
January 24, 1999 – 400 volunteers and supporters celebrate SOAR’s accomplishments and their hard-fought victory at a party at Spanish Hills Golf & Country Club.

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