City Council — 2021-05-04

Maricopa Highway Demonstration Project

• The Council voted to proceed with the two-vehicle travel lane demonstration configuration.
• Staff were directed to study the feasibility of a bi-directional bike lane on the Nordoff side.
• A substitute motion to restore four travel lanes failed to gain a second.
• Council acknowledged space constraints may limit full implementation without design exceptions.

Ojai Avenue Right-of-Way Acquisitions

• Council members expressed concern regarding late surfacing of estimated Right-of-Way acquisition costs.
• Staff explained federal funding requirements necessitate specific appraisal and acquisition processes.
• The Council postponed authorizing specific Right-of-Way acquisitions pending further analysis.
• Staff will return with details on necessary costs and potential encroachment permit alternatives.

• Dear Kathy,
• Here is a summary of the Ojai City Council meeting transcript provided, covering public comments and council decisions regarding the Active Transportation Program (ATP) and Go Ojai projects.

Public Comment Overview

• The public hearing included a mix of strong support and concern regarding the road modification demonstrations on Maricopa Highway and Ojai Avenue.
• Supporters: Many residents (including Bill Miley, Kathy Lattice, John Lamar, Diana Blanchard, and Michelle Ellison) expressed strong support for the project. Key arguments included improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists, reduction in air pollution and noise, climate change mitigation, and the importance of keeping Ojai a "gentle" city. Several speakers specifically advocated for keeping the highway reduced to two lanes to discourage speeding and passing.
• Opponents/Critics: Speakers Dennis McCarthy and Cynthia Jones represented the "Save Maricopa Highway" group, arguing for restoring four lanes and adding bike lanes on both sides, citing concerns over emergency access and medical traffic flow. Leigh Heidman raised concerns about two-lane backups near medical facilities. Russell Sidney emphasized the need for better separation between cars and bikes to align with Caltrans safety guidelines.

Council Decisions & Discussion

1. Maricopa Highway Demonstration Project

• The Council debated the design of the demonstration project, specifically focusing on lane reduction and bike lane configuration.
• Motions:
• A motion was made to maintain the two-vehicle travel lanes and direct staff to study a bi-directional bike lane on the Nordoff (South/West) side, removing necessary parking to accommodate this.
• A substitute motion to restore four travel lanes was offered but died for lack of a second.
• Outcome: The Council voted to proceed with the two-lane demonstration configuration but directed staff to look into the feasibility of a bi-directional bike lane. The Council acknowledged that while two-way bike lanes are desired, space constraints (curb-to-curb width) and parking may limit where this can be fully implemented without design exceptions from Caltrans.

2. Ojai Avenue & Right-of-Way (ROW) Acquisitions

• Significant discussion arose regarding the need to acquire private property rights for curb extensions and ADA compliance on Ojai Avenue.
• Concerns: Council members (Mayor Sticks and Councilmember Haney) expressed confusion and concern over why Right-of-Way acquisition costs ($300k–$500k estimated) were surfacing late in the design process (60-90%). They questioned whether these costs would impact funding for other project elements like curb extensions or lighting.
• Staff Response: Staff (Greg Grant) explained that federal funding requirements necessitate specific appraisal and acquisition processes for permanent improvements impacting property lines. They noted additional funding was secured to cover these costs.
• Outcome: Following the City Attorney's recommendation, the Council postponed authorizing specific Right-of-Way acquisitions. They directed staff to return with a detailed analysis of exactly which acquisitions are necessary, their costs, and whether existing encroachment permits might resolve some issues before authorizing spending.

3. Administrative & Next Steps

• Next Meeting: Scheduled for May 11th at 7:00 PM (temporary time change).
• Agenda Items: Budget review (General Fund, CIP, Measure C), COVID update, demographer contract for redistricting, and a demonstration of the "MyOjai" smartphone app.
• Fire Safety: The item regarding fire safety preparedness and brush clearance was scheduled for the meeting after the next one.
• The meeting concluded with the Council agreeing to revisit the Maricopa and Ojai Avenue financial and design details at future meetings to ensure all costs and impacts are fully understood.