ADVOCACY

Chamber-Supported OceanKamp Project Passes Planning Commission

On July 25th, the long-awaited OceanKamp Resort project was approved by the City of Oceanside’s

Planning Commission. Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton attended the meeting to express the Chamber’s

support for the project slated for the old drive-in theater/swap meet site on Hwy 76 in Oceanside.In his remarks, Ashton emphasized the importance of the project with regarding to supporting tourism. “As we have developed more hotels, and visitor serving businesses like restaurants, breweries and experiential retail, we have put Oceanside on the map as a destination and not just a place to pass through. In fact, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is the 3rd biggest source of revenue for the City of Oceanside, generating over $7M to provide essential services to our businesses and residents. Oceanside was the beneficiary of approximately $507 million dollars in visitor spending in 2021, with about $140 million of that spent on accommodations and the remainder benefitting our restaurants, retailers, arts & entertainment venues and other local businesses. This generated $17m in tax for the City of Oceanside. There are almost 3,500 jobs in Oceanside that are heavily supported by travel. Adding a one-of-a-kind attraction like OceanKamp will further solidify Oceanside’s growing stature as a Southern California Destination and will provide additional jobs and tax revenue that enhance the quality of life for all Oceanside residents.”

Ashton also noted the importance of the housing that is planned for the project. “Oceanside's share of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for the current cycle is approximately 5,400 housing units. As the RHNA report shows, we need housing of all types to meet the needs of a wide variety of income levels of our current and future workforce. OceanKAMP will help make housing more accessible by developing multifamily units and allowing for a broader range of housing at a variety of market rates. This project goes a long way in meeting our City’s housing needs, with up to 700 housing units planned.”

CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS

Chamber Endorses Rick Robinson for

Oceanside’s District 2 Council Seat

The Chamber’s Advance Oceanside Political Action Committee (AOPAC) has been busy over the past few months interviewing Candidates for Oceanside’s District 1 and District 2 City Council seats.

Last month AOPAC brought its recommendations to the Chamber Board for approval. As a result, the Chamber Board has endorsed Rick Robinson for the District 2 seat. Robinson, who has served as Oceanside’s Fire Chief since 2016, officially retired from the position at the end of July. With a desire to still actively serve the residents of Oceanside, Robinson decided to make a run at the Council seat in District 2, where he and his wife have lived for many years.

In its endorsement recommendation to the Chamber Board, AOPAC noted several strengths that they saw in Robinson during the interview process. The group noted that Robinson has a strong grasp on where Oceanside’s future opportunities lie in the coming years including continuing the strong progress we have made with the development of hotels and influx of new businesses. He also demonstrated an understanding of the importance of marketing Oceanside as a destination in order to drive sales tax and transient occupancy tax to keep our City in a strong fiscal position.

“We are pleased to put our support behind Rick Robinson for the D2 seat,” noted Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton. “Rick is a team player, and he approaches this opportunity with a sense of humility and optimism. He is genuinely focused on this as a way to continue his service to the City of Oceanside. We are grateful that Rick acknowledges that a business friendly climate is essential for the City to remain financially strong and able to provide a high level of service to its citizens.”

Councilmember Christopher Rodriguez, who currently serves as the District 2 representative, is not seeking a 2nd term in the seat.

While the Chamber’s PAC interviewed several candidates for the District 1 race, the group decided not to make and endorsement recommendation to the Chamber Board and instead focus its resources on the District 2 Race.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPEMT

Accelerate your Business in New Program Offered by

Chamber Partner BBB

The 100 graduates of the Oceanside and National Veterans chambers of commerce women’s business

leadership incubator program and anyone who has completed a local, associated incubator program are

eligible for participation in the Better Business Bureau’s free accelerator program.

The Better Business Bureau Serving Pacific Southwest and GoDaddy Inc. are accepting applications for their Empower by GoDaddy and BBB Main St. Accelerator Program. The hybrid in-person/virtual program is open to those operating in Southern California and Greater Arizona and will offer attendees educational classes, networking, mentoring and GoDaddy products to help their businesses grow.

The business development program is seeking established business owners looking to increase revenue, improve online presence and grow ethically. Unlike tech-focused business accelerators, the goal of this program is to serve everyday entrepreneurs who comprise much of our economy. As a nonprofit trade

organization, BBB is ensuring the tools offered through this program meet the needs of tradespeople and momand- pop stores.

Participants will learn and work alongside leaders from GoDaddy, the Better Business Bureau, Desert Financial Credit Union, Snell and Wilmer, Lifeguides and other industry leaders. Topics covered will include creating a standout virtual brand, website and e-commerce presence, leveraging ethical values, legal and financial auditing, marketing strategies and social and emotional support for entrepreneurs.

Applications are being accepted at bbbempower.com until early September and the cohort session of 50

businesses will run for two months, starting on Sept. 20. Accepted participants will receive a full scholarship that covers the cost of programming (valued over $3,000) and will be responsible for a one-time materials fee of $99 to BBB before the start of the program. For more information on the accelerator, please email innovation@bbbcommunity.org.

To register for the chamber’s next women’s business leadership incubator, starting Sept. 29, please email

victoria@oceansidechamber.com.

Free Employee Retention Training Available

How much does it cost to train an employee? According to Training Magazine’s 2021 Training Industry Report, the average U.S. company spent $1,071 per employee on training costs. We want to help you invest in your employees and invest in your business. Our grant-funded programs provide FREE company trainings for employees in California on numerous topics including crisis communication, diversity and inclusion, leadership, and supervisory training. Special preference is given to the advanced manufacturing, information technology, and biotech industries. Register for a free information session at

victoria@oceansidechamber.com.

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