Voters to decide if Port Hueneme's name should be changed to Hueneme Beach
Supporters of the measure say the new name would boost tourism and bring new businesses to the city, but others aren't buying it.
PORT HUENEME, Calif. (KABC) -- Voters in the city of Port Hueneme could add a little tropical flair to their community in the upcoming election.
They'll be casting votes on the city's Measure D, which asks whether or not residents want to change the city's name to Hueneme Beach.
Supporters of the measure say the new name would boost tourism and bring new businesses to the city.
The city council doesn't have the power to change the name, so it puts the issue on the ballot for residents to decide.
"We have a beautiful port," said Port Hueneme City Manager Brad Conners. "We're very proud of the port, but anything with a port has an industrial, noisy and sometimes dirty connotation to it."
Conners said he and councilmembers are not advocating for either side in the vote, and that Port Hueneme stakeholders have been pushing the idea for roughly 10 years now as a way to make the city more attractive.
"This pristine beach is one of those things that is an asset and it goes to some of the rebranding we're trying to accomplish in the areas of wellness and the quality of life," Conners told Eyewitness News.
But plenty of Port Hueneme residents are not buying into the name change.
"Changing the name to Hueneme Beach? No!" said Rene Martinez after dropping his ballot off at city hall on Wednesday. "City of Port Hueneme is what it is and it should always be that way."
"To be honest with you, I think it's a little silly," Josh Arce said. "I think it's a waste of money."
The city estimates switching all the signage and filing all the necessary paperwork would cost about $190,000.
If Measure D passes, the new name Hueneme Beach would officially kick into gear in April 2023 on the city of Port Hueneme's 75th birthday.
