City Council — 2020-06-09

Economic Recovery and Business Support

• Chamber representatives reported on business support efforts and loan navigation assistance.
• Council discussed expanding outdoor dining capacity by potentially closing Montgomery Avenue.
• Discussions addressed business concerns regarding flexibility with city permit approvals.
• Staff noted constructive outreach and increased grant representation for local businesses.

Public Safety and Police Services

• Officials proposed engaging the Sheriff regarding use-of-force policies and policing updates.
• High per capita costs for sheriff services were noted due to minimum service requirements.
• Council members noted local police performance exceeds the low statewide county average rating.
• Staff will review specific facts regarding the county police report card.

Utilities and Fire Safety

• The Council requested daytime power line repairs be moved to night shifts during fire season.
• Staff reported successfully moving most repair requests to minimize disruption for families.
• Future exceptions will be weighed based on safety risks versus community impact.

Commission Review and Appointments

• Several commissions face expired terms including Planning, Park & Rec, and Historic Preservation.
• A motion passed to reduce the size of Park & Rec and Historic Preservation Commissions.
• Staff will draft the necessary code changes to implement the commission size reduction.
• Decisions on the specific appointment process structure were deferred to a future meeting.

Environmental Initiatives

• An ad hoc committee formed to update the Forest Management Plan to prioritize ecological balance.
• The plan update will also clarify appointment terms for the Tree Committee.
• Potential partnership discussions occurred regarding global environmental projects at Stewart Creek.

Administrative and Policy Updates

• Council reviewed rising pandemic case numbers and new state reopening guidelines.
• Requests were made for Casitas water rates to include a sunset clause for adjudication funds.
• APCD and VCTC budgets were passed with noted impacts from reduced ridership.

• Here is a summary of the Ojai City Council meeting:

Economic Recovery and Business Support

• Chamber of Commerce Update: Jamie Fleming (Chamber) reported on efforts to support local businesses, including a new banner for Main Street and assistance with navigating loans through the Economic Development Collaborative (EDC).
• Outdoor Dining & Capacity: Discussion arose regarding restaurant capacity and outdoor dining. Council Member Ryan noted that establishments like OBC and TopaTopa are turning away customers due to space limitations (waits of up to 90 minutes). Ryan suggested closing a section of Montgomery Avenue to create a dining cluster, an idea supported by Council Member Bill.
• City-Business Relations: Ryan expressed concern that businesses feel fearful of asking the city for flexibility, citing mixed experiences with permit approvals for patios. Council Member Bill defended the City Manager and staff, stating outreach has been constructive and Ojai businesses are now overrepresented in EDC grants compared to the past.

Public Safety and Police Services

• Sheriff Contract: Mayor Johnson and Council Member Bill addressed the contract with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. They proposed engaging in dialogue regarding use-of-force policies and updating the contract to reflect community-based policing, noting that Ojai’s per capita cost is high due to minimum service requirements for a small city.
• Police Scorecard: A statewide police report card gave Ventura County a low rating ("F"), but Council Members argued Ojai's specific performance is better than the county average and more similar to smaller northern counties. They plan to review the facts with staff.

Utilities and Fire Safety

• Edison Power Outages: With fire season underway and heat rising, the Council discussed Edison’s request for daytime repairs. The Council wants repairs done at night to minimize disruption to families during the pandemic (e.g., homework, air conditioning) but acknowledges fire risks. The City Manager reported success in moving 12 out of 15 requests to night shifts, with future exceptions to be weighed based on safety risks.

Commission Review and Appointments

• Term Expirations: Several commissions (Planning, Park & Rec, Historic Preservation) have expired terms.
• Motion on Commission Size: Council Member Bill moved to reduce the Park & Rec and Historic Preservation Commissions to five members each and have staff draft code changes. Council Member Randy suggested applying this reduction to all commissions, but Bill argued the Arts Commission should remain at seven due to its structure. The motion was passed for the two specified commissions.
• Appointment Process: Discussion followed on how commissioners are appointed (Mayor vs. Council member nominations), with a decision to defer specific structure to staff for the next meeting.

Environmental Initiatives

• Community Forest Management Plan: Council Member Bill moved to update the plan to focus on ecological balance rather than just tree numbers, and to clarify Tree Committee appointment terms. An ad hoc committee (Bill, Susan, and staff) was formed to draft recommendations.
• Stewart Creek & Global Partners: Council Members Bill and Ryan reported on a potential partnership with a global environmental group for projects at the Stewart Creek area and behind City Hall, leveraging existing grants without additional city expenditure.

Other Updates and Reports

• Pandemic Status: Cases in Ventura County continue to rise (1,381 cases, 35 deaths). New state guidelines allow schools, gyms, and hotels to reopen with modifications effective June 12th, pending county approval.
• Water Rates: A public hearing for Casitas water rates is scheduled for June 24. The Council requested Casitas consider a sunset clause and restricted fund for adjudication; Casitas is currently drafting policy responses.
• Budgets: The APCD and VCTC budgets were passed, noting significant impact from the CARES Act due to reduced ridership.
• Virtual Art Tours: The Arts Commission launched virtual public art tours.
• Ojai Day: Planning is underway for Ojai Day in October, with a focus on making it more earth-friendly.

Next Meeting

• A special meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday at 6:00 PM specifically to discuss the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and Maricopa Highway changes.
• The Council discussed Zoom capacity for public comment during the special meeting, deciding to keep capacity manageable to ensure discussion time is not consumed by comments alone.