City Council — 2021-08-10

commission reports, James?

Gail,

did we have any commission reports today?

No commission reports.

Okay, thank you. We'll move on to public communication. So we're going to start with just general communications items not on the agenda. So let's begin with Wendy Larner.

Good evening again. Thank you for allowing me to speak Forgive me for seemingly kicking a dead dog, but I'm going to speak on the ATP project. I do think we ought to reestablish local control over that If we want bike lanes on Maricopa Highway, then let's decide in Ojai how we want them. Caltrans may have jurisdiction over those but they have seemingly given local communities the opportunity to submit plans that they desire and unless that's a ruse then I presume they really want to hear what we want So this is not China, thank God. In Ojai and across the USA cycling is primarily a recreation.

Let's not congest Maricopa Highway with crazy confusing designs like short bi-directional bike lanes and impeding emergency vehicles trucks and all traffic by narrowing the road You have approved the plan before the demonstration project is truly relevant, because the high school obviously hasn't been open and we've been under COVID restrictions. So all of these counts and stats that have been put out to say this is acceptable are really not relevant to what's really gonna happen when everything has opened up.

Pedestrian cross lights as have been provided at Carrillo and Maricopa Highway are great safety features. It would be prudent to add them to all critical highway crossings in Ojai, however curb extensions will only increase danger as they force cyclists to turn out toward traffic to pedal around them. Even on less traveled Ojai streets, curb extensions have proved undesirable. They were tried several years ago at North Montgomery and Aliso and were summarily removed shortly after installation.

The ones currently on Country Club Drive by the Ojai Valley Inn entrance are routinely clipped. After the initial installation, they have had to be shortened, lights were added, signs, reflectors and different paint colors have not alleviated the problem. In response to pointing this out to the Public Works Department I was told Ojai drivers just have to get used to proceeding more cautiously.

Unfortunately, the majority of cars using that entrance and exit are visitors to Ojai. Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you Wendy. Two more public communications Ron Solorzano please correct me and then Debra

Moe. All righty Thank you all members of council. My name is Ron Solorzano and I am the regional librarian for the Ojai Valley. Tonight, I wanted to provide you with a general update on the operations of the Ojai Library. To begin with as of June 15th, the Ojai Library has been fully open to the public and has resumed its normal hours of operation which are Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM and Friday through Sunday 12 PM to 5 PM.

Our library continues to comply with all state and county guidelines relating to COVID safety. This means that among other things, face coverings are required for unvaccinated individuals who are visiting us and are strongly recommended for all persons regardless of vaccination status while indoors. Our building and collection are fully accessible for browsing, and customers can request items online using our catalog as normal.

In addition some programs are returning to the Ojai Library including our ukulele club which meets on Mondays at 10 a.m., and our knitting and fiber arts clubs for both children and adults which meet on Sundays at 2 and 3 30 p.m.. We're even offering our annual summer reading challenges for children and adults, which you can register for online and participate in through August 22nd.

Since the pandemic began our youth librarians throughout the county have been offering virtual story times through our YouTube and Facebook pages and have designed and distributed take-home activity kits for children that are still available at the library. We've also been providing online homework assistance for students and virtual programming for adults.

Many of these remote offerings continue to be available even as our libraries have opened their doors again. The library has also rolled out a number of other great programs relating to our new Library of Things, including do-it-yourself home energy kits and computer kits that include a laptop and Wi-Fi hotspot. You can learn more about these kits and our virtual offerings by contacting our library or visiting our website at www.bencolibrary.org The last year and a half has been a challenging time for all of us, and more than anything I want to communicate to you all that your library is and will continue to be available to you If you have any questions about our library programs, collections or services please do not hesitate to reach out to me and thank you so much for your time.

Mayor Sticks I have a quick question for Ron if that's all right. Ron are your interior courtyard and meeting areas open for rental use again by groups?

The courtyard in the back is available for general use. We don't typically reserve that space, so it's just free to use and then the meeting room out behind the library is available for rental if anyone is interested they can contact the library. Everything's open okay thank you.

Thank you Ron. Next we have Deborah Moe

I'm so glad to be here. And I'm so glad that the library is open. I want to start off by saying thank you, Mr. Weirich for continuing your support of our water lawsuit. But I am here to talk about senior affordable housing I have worked in the senior community in this town for about 33 years. And over the last year and a half, several of our local seniors have been displaced due to rental costs.

I'm starting to get involved with a company called ICON that does 3D printing houses It is phenomenal. They have just built a little village in Austin, Texas for homeless. The houses are 400 square feet. They have a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room and they have a huge front porch. I think it's really, really important. And I don't mean when I say senior housing, affordable senior housing, I don't mean a rest home assisted living.

I mean seniors that have retired that didn't end up being homeowners or well off. And that's where our town has gone to unaffordable rents, people being displaced that grew up here have been here their whole life. addressed. I know the ADUs and the tiny houses are on the agenda, which are all well and fine but this is what i want to talk about also i want to say that our streets are just awful.

I've seen kids fall off bikes skateboards go down. I think they really really really need serious attention. I know that Maricopa Highway's getting a Improvement all the way to, I can't think. Way up there but yeah anyway the senior housing is what is really important to me and I'd like to see something get started on that because I know several seniors that are about to be displaced as well That their social security didn't turn into.

Thank you for listening, and I'm sure I'm glad everybody's back.

Thank you, Deborah. Yeah there are two buzzers, two bells. Two microphones, yes. Gail any public communications on Zoom?

None.

Okay, great. All right we will move on to the consent calendar. A motion to approve everything?

Move to approve the consent calendar.

Second. We have a roll call here? We don't need a roll call?

Roll call is not required.

All

in favor all opposed it's sufficient. Hi.

Okay, wonderful. All right we will move on to the public hearing now. The public hearing is now open. We'll begin with number two designation of the Hummel House and surrounding property at the City of Ohio Historic Landmark Number 29 located at 1105 Signal Street. James any staff report?

Just a brief staff report, Lucas Seibert our newly appointed Community Development Director will be giving the staff report for a brief staff report for this item.

Excuse me. Is there no public comments on the different items on the agenda, on the consent calendar? Because it was my intention to ask that a few of those items be postponed on the agenda and I neglected to do that but is it possible to speak on those items?

Well nothing was pulled from the agenda

Certainly any member of the public may comment on any item on consent. I understand that comment cards have a box to check for that? Yes, and

I did but the consent calendar has already been passed and now you're moving on where there's going to be comments on other items.

There's something in your blue cards. So if your comment card did have that checked then we apologize for missing that and my recommendation to the council would be to take your comments now If and if any member of the council wishes to revisit, that could be done. If the council wished, of course it's their choice.

You want to go ahead Wendy? Thank you.

I was wanting to ask some questions about 1L. It's my understanding that this eliminates R1 zoning

No.

Is that a correct assumption? Not at all,

no.

In the chart it said all R zones and so in all those R zones it sounded like and this is just trying to interpret what I'm not that familiar with that many single family homes could have ADUs and a guest house. Is that correct?

So the rule is as set by state law, not the city council. All single family residential zones can have the main house to single family house and an ADU under various rules and regulations and a junior excessive dwelling unit, a JADU also under various rules and regulations.

Okay that was my understanding.

But that, the key there I'll note if I may is that that is set by state law. The council in this item L is proposing to extend the availability for a window to allow an ADU built without permits to be legalized if safe and meeting certain requirements but the underlying reality that single family zoned residents may have an ADU and a JADU has already been the law for several years and was set by state law

What was the purpose of our letter to the state regarding SB 9?

So SB9 is not on item, not germane directly to item L the ADU ordinance.

But it was about ADUs and it was about because of our unique nature and everything because SB9 has a provision that I don't know if it's passed. Not yet. I've tried to find out if it has passed yet but is the provision still in it where eight units can be built on an R1 lot?

Very briefly, I will note for the Council and public SB9 is still pending that Senate Bill 9 which would among other things it would allow six units on an existing single family lot by allowing lots splits under various rules and regulations in any not any most Single-family residential zones could be one lot split into two, then a main house, then an ADU, then a JADU each. So what's now three allowed becomes six allowed if you maxed it out with ADU and JADU and had the land to do so. That bill is still pending.

And split the lot. It would require a lot split.

And it only applies, it allows the city or rather forces the city to require approval of a lot split should the owner so ask for it in various conditions be met. It has not yet passed the legislature. It's pending in the assembly and I don't have a crystal ball so I'm not sure if it will pass or not. Although the scuttlebutt, if you read Sacramento Bee and similar newspapers is it will pass.

And then it will be up to the governor to sign, which will be his

choice.

We're going to be apprising the Planning Commission and Council if SB 9 passes we'll be apprising the Planning Commission and Council on some options

about their control over zoning have they never had control over zoning in their own city?

You know I'm just gonna say these. This is not on the agenda. We're not really, I think it might be best and I'll defer to the mayor but to have these questions maybe presented to the city manager via email or something that we can maybe get you a more appropriate response that would hopefully better answer it than we can right now.

Thank you Ryan. Can we take care of that James? Okay and we do have one more comment from the consent calendar so do you want to Brian Akins you want to make that comment right now then we'll get to you Lucas

So multiple hats tonight. First at museum hat since I'm trying to put everything in three minutes. Public Comments Museum on July 9th, the museum held a wonderful event. It was more rather than a fundraiser or friend raiser we're looking for more members and younger members. We had a concert with The Expanders and Jamie Drake in the back of our property who knew that you could put 250 chairs back there. So we had that with food provided by La Fuente and had about 241 people that showed up that night. So it was a wonderful event. On the other hand, for item number 1H I would like to thank the council for Getting our commission field. Last time we actually had a commission field, Lucas will remember this because I was flying home from Atlanta trying to make the meeting and it was Lucas's first meeting.

I got to the Y actually from Atlanta and almost made that meeting but again now thanks tonight to the consent item we now have a full commission thank you Councilman Haney and Councilman Blatts for recommending myself and Valerie to fill that. So thank you for that. Those are the two things that I had under that item, I'll be back.

Thank you Brian. All right Lucas we're ready for ya.

All right, thank you. Lucas Seibert Community Development Director here at the City of Ojai. The item before the council for consideration tonight is the Ojai Historic Landmark number 2029 located at 1105 North Signal Street. The site is designated as the Hummel House. Historic Reservation Commission on June 10th, recommended on a 5-0 vote approval to City Council for consideration as a historic landmark. The historic report which was prepared by Post Hazleton identifies this really kind of wonderful architectural representation of a mid century modern and California ranch style home as being designated or recommended for designation. Keeping this brief, within the objects of record there is reference to hand-painted Japanese style murals by Robert Cowder.

What's interesting about that is there's a lot of information in regards to the objects of record. This is an interesting note simply because The fact that every design element for this home remains mostly intact, keeping within the Fred Hummel mid-century modern theme. Truly a true representation or testimony to the owners before them and the current owner now which now has identified this as a, and is recommending historic designation. So with that staff recommends approval based on the attached resolution which is attachment A to the staff report.

All right, thank you Lucas. Any questions from council? Gail any public comments on this?

Yes let me pull it up. Thank

you

We have Tiffany Rochelle for agenda item two. Tiffany if you're there you should be able to speak if you're muted please unmute yourself Hi I can hear you yes go ahead

Oh, so I'm actually the current homeowner and I just wanted to be available. I'm not exactly sure how this works but I just wanted to be available and hear if anyone had any questions for me.

Great thank you Tiffany. All right discussion?

Randy? Yeah the only 1105 this house rings a bell didn't we have a discussion about this couple years ago about a wall going in And wasn't there some Native American artifacts that had been historically known? And are they a part of this study? Lucas, are the grounds and that immediate area a part of what's being... What's the right word? Historicized.

So the

landmark, thank you. That's

right. So not only is the home being recommended for designation but the site is as well. So yes.

And when we do something like that or is there anything for the Native Americans to sign off on? Or is there anything that receives any form of blessing from them? Not formally. OK. All right. Go ahead.

Anyone else? I'm ready to make a motion, if there's no other comments. I was at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting when this was discussed and I'm familiar with the house and I'm thrilled that this is going to be designated, receive historical designation. It's completely appropriate So, and thank you Craig Walker for your letter bringing out the historic significance of this

house.

I'll second that.

Great,

and thank you Lucas for your work on that such a beautiful house thank you Tiffany for preserving it the juxtaposition of all materials so thank you stunning so thank you

can I just interject uh i submitted a speaker's card for item number two oh okay go ahead Brian So again, I'm just here as the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. Tiffany who was...I was looking around her when and then I didn't realize she was on Zoom. They gave tours to each of the commissioners. I was fortunate to go with Jenny Prebor. She was our newest commissioner and Tiffany took us through the house as was emphasized much of what was put in that place when it was originally built still exists in a fine fashion so it was wonderful Also what was referred to as another story that yes, this house a number of years ago was put forth with the request that it be torn down to the ground because it had no historical value left.

Fortunately, it did and we saw that in our tour. The other question that was raised were there any items that were from the local Chumash people? That property is the one that caused all of the work that took place in putting in place the municipal code talking about Native American items and what needed to take place prior to doing any work, while any work is taking place and after any work. So again it was groundbreaking not to use that term bad term but a set of precedents for what's going to happen in the future thank you all very much.

Thank you Brian that's great news All right,

Yes thank you. So I'll start quickly with a little bit of background because this originated a few years back. So on August 1st, 2018 the city's planning commission reviewed and ultimately recommended a movable tiny homes ordinance that ordinance was presented to the city council on August 28th, 2018 but the city council chose not to adopt the ordinance at that time So. Fast forward to earlier this year in April, as we talked about the need for housing and we had a city council meeting which focused on potential housing programs that could help increase housing stock. The City Council discussed the tiny home issue at a high level So, from there.

Staff has prepared this ordinance and brought it back at this time for the city council to consider the ordinance is very similar to the 2018 version, but it's modified to create a two year pilot program with 10 permits for movable tiny homes issued per year resulting in up to 20 total tiny homes at the end of the two-year period. To be eligible for a tiny home under this ordinance, the tiny home must be accessory to a principal residential dwelling unit which means the tiny home cannot be the only housing unit on a site. It must be accessory to a residential dwelling unit And it must meet the following criteria per the ordinance. It must be licensed and registered with the DMV, it must meet ANSI standards which are essentially similar to the standards that an RV will meet, must be towable or on a towable frame In other words, it cannot be designed to move on its own power.

It can't be an RV with its own steering wheel and steering mechanisms. It must be appropriate size for public highways so that it can be movable. It must have at least 150 square feet of first floor living space, must include living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation areas Must be designed to look like a conventional building. In other words, it should look like a house not like an RV or at least it should look like a conventional building.

It must be sited behind the principal dwelling unit In other words, it should not be in front of the residential property. It should be behind that and between the housing unit and the rear setback. It must be placed on a permanent foundation with wheels removed or with levelings and support jacks to prevent movement. And it should have an all-weather surface pedestrian path from the street to the main entrance of the tiny home.

Should also have at least 80 square feet of exterior decking. And one of the big issues that the Planning Commission really dug into was what the, the utility requirements should be and ultimately decided that Essentially the ordinance says that as long as it's the same utility requirements that an ADU would have, which is essentially that it be approvable by our building official, that it would be sufficient. So it must at least have the same utility requirements as an accessory dwelling unit The ordinance also includes a prohibition on excessive movement.

That was intended to, among other things make sure that these don't become short term rentals that move in and out of properties frequently so each parcel will only be allowed to have one tiny home at a time and only one per year under this ordinance. And then those are the key criteria. One, a couple of comments that I know were important issues discussed last time around is that at this time it's unclear how the state and our regional housing needs assessment or RANA numbers would be impacted by tiny homes.

And it's also not completely clear how the property tax impact could be impacted. But the city's belief is that if the wheels are removed and the home is placed on a permanent foundation, that that would likely be considered a permanent improvement that would trigger reassessment. That those are kind of two pending issues as these are kind of a new area of law especially within Ventura County And then finally, as I mentioned it's a two year pilot program is what's proposed in the ordinance.

The ordinance also includes a requirement that at the end of that two years staff will be required to return with a report on the program and with recommendations for future adjustments. So with that, the ordinance is presented

Thank you, James. Mayor Stix, I have a couple of questions for staff if that's okay? James, I have really three questions one just clarifying that this is very clear that this is an ADU in terms of count so in other words you can't add an ADU if you put it if you have a permit for one of these or if you already have an ADU then you can't get a permit for one of these it's mutually exclusive right my understanding

Yes. Yes, Council Member Mayor President Weirich that is noted in the ordinance. Attachment A page three towards the purpose section limited pilot project to permit movable tiny houses as an additional type of ADU. Right

and then the other question I had really quick I'll just combine the two into one there are two model codes from the National Fire Protection Agency that I believe are applicable. One is 225 labelled model manufactured home installation standard which handles the foundation, stem walls and utility hookups that we're talking about here in the dual permit system And the other is NFPA 1192, which is a fire safety standard for recreational vehicles that other jurisdictions have applied to tiny homes. I was just wondering if those were considered for inclusion as standards in this permitting or not?

Or whether you think it's not applicable?

The we had a meeting yesterday actually about building appeals board meeting to talk about fire related issues and fire hardening, and the building official at that meeting so I'll repeat for this meeting is the building official noted that he is investigating whether or which. Potential fire code requirements would apply to tiny homes, but we don't have that answer definitively at this point. Well

I just did some research in other jurisdictions and those are two that pop up NFPA 225 for the foundation and NFPA 1192 for the tiny home itself yeah i just thought i'd bring it up for possible consideration and inclusion all

right thank you randy

I just had one question for staff. You know, we talked it talks to hear about 80 years being connected to public sewer systems. How are they impacted on a site that has septic and most septic tank installations have fixture counts and determined amount of on an annual basis. I don't see anything in here that talks to that at all.

So the ordinance as drafted essentially says, the tiny homes are going to be treated the same as accessory dwelling units and that the property owner much like an ADU when they propose it will have to meet the requirements of the building official So there isn't one standard answer but when each item which when each tiny home comes before the building official, he will review it just as he would an ad you and in certain circumstances that may mean.

If septic would be allowed, that that would be allowed. And in other circumstances, that may not be allowed. So it's just there's not one standard answer. It's dependent upon what would be allowed if it were just an ADU. Thank you, James.

I have a question or comment. This morning, I received a question from someone who was concerned because someone had put an RV in their backyard right by their fence And it was quite high and it blocked their view. And I think it's really important for the public to understand that what our city manager just said all the rules and regulations that apply to us, all other accessory dwelling units will apply to these tiny houses on wheels. It will look like a house, it has to be placed at certain distance from the property line and correct me if I'm wrong on any of this but there's height restrictions.

There should not be the problems that some people have with RVs, like RVs can be humongous. My neighbor had one permanently in their driveway and it totally blocks the view. This is completely different from a giant RV. It looks like a house. And then if there's any comments on that and I have one more question.

Yes, exactly. And the positive thing about the way it's drafted right now where the city's building and planning do review and permit the foundation so that we will through that process make sure that the foundation is located appropriately and that it's not just you know placed somewhere where it's in somebody's setback or too close to the property line.

My other question is this, there are some people and I was asked by a homeowner who has a very large property. Actually she's not there anymore but she had a huge property on North Signal first and that's just an example her house is set way back there's no backyard all the yard is in front and she wondered if she could get what you would call it an exemption Lucas for We don't have to have that, but it's a question that has come up. If you don't have a backyard but your front yard is set far from the road

Yeah, I think as drafted the ordinance requires that it's in between behind the house and before the rear setback. So I don't believe and correct me if i'm wrong that there was any exception for other than that?

There was no exception built into the current ordinance. The property owner in this case could seek planning commission review and approval through a variance if they can show that something about the property, perhaps preservation of another geographic feature, oak tree, something like that could justify variance but it would require a variance.

That was my question. Thank you. A variance. Thank you. And I just want to say, I thought the staff report was excellent and ordinance all looks good. Thank you.

And James in relationship to junior ADUs are there any we're saying that these are going to count as an ADU? So are we saying that in turn that we can have a junior ADU on the same lot

Yes, yeah so these are you know essentially treated as ADUs. So if you can have an ADU and a junior ADU then you would be able to have a movable tiny home in a junior ADU under this ordinance.

Any other questions? Okay we'll move on to public comments. We'll start with Bill Miley and then Ray Powers and Diane Squire

Good evening, and for the record my name is Bill Miley. I've lived here since 1968. This proposal to add tiny houses on rails or in serious review from a living condition viewpoint. Several years ago, I spent lots of time and energy on this issue especially comparing them to 399 single bedroom modulars and 499 square foot two-bedroom modules. This is an enlarged version of the three dimensional houses I made for the city council. The little blue one is the tiny house on wheels I have some thoughts. They have extremely limited space to walk around and to sleep.

They are recreation vehicles rebranded as houses. As tiny homes on wheels, they were designed to be moved about allowing their users freedom of travel. If you put them on a permanent foundation, skirt them, but not for families. They are very expensive per square foot of living. Modulars are very economical to buy and live in, tiny houses or not. Can tiny houses on wheels be used for state regional housing numbers? We don't know.

And neither does the state apparently. Modulars are ADUs and can be counted Tiny houses are too costly to charge a rent level that meets an affordable income. It's important to remember this tiny structure has very little storage space and very little inside room to spread out. Our proposed ordinance states that at least 80 square feet deck needs to be built, And they must be behind the primary house. But there's going to be a lot of outside living, folks because there's no space inside.

Regarding heating and cooling, heating is no problem. It's small. Although a loft bedroom upstairs, the loft will have to have some sort of recirculating to get the heat up there or heat down. Cooling in Ojai will be mandatory. Air conditioning units are extra cost Because of the loft structure, there will need to be a circulation function to get the cool air upstairs.

Modular units don't have lofts so they're all one level and they can be heated and cooled very efficiently. In summary, tiny houses on wheels are not best for our city. Modular homes are best. The tiny house pilot demonstration Will show what? In my opinion, it won't show that it will help our workforce housing needs. So please seriously consider going for modular not tiny houses. Thank you.

Thank you Bill. Next we have Ray Powers

I'll break this mic in. Thank you, Council. Thanks for bringing this back up for discussion I do agree with some of what Mr Miley spoke about. I have some other things, and I'm going to be jumping around a little bit, but I'm glad you're introducing this ordinance, though I do find it very limited in scope in terms of affordable housing Are we going to need to make a separate ordinance for Cobb and Super Adobe and Yurts and Geodesic Domes, and other types of affordable by design housing?

That's the point I want to make. So I'm all for this ordinance but I think it is very limited in scope in terms of really making housing affordable What's going to prevent a homeowner from building $120,000 tiny home? Because that seems to be what they're coming in at. 110, 120 thousand dollars and then charging whatever costs they want for rent. They could still be charging 1200 dollars to live in 125 square foot home.

How are we gonna address that? A yurt, a geodesic dome, Cobb, Superendobe. Much more affordable if we expand our scope. I remember a few years ago Councilman Wyrick and Councilwoman Francina, myself, Kathy Nolan from the Planning Commission. I was on the Planning Commissioner there. We met with Bill Kelly from Marin County who wrote their green building ordinance for Marin County They made cob legal up there so people could build cob. If you don't know what cob is, it's basically soil mud and water and what many of the homes in England and Europe and the Middle East and even Africa are built of and they've lasted hundreds of years.

Considering Quail Springs is almost done with their cob seismic and fire testing and they'll probably be done with that within a year and Ventura County building inspectors Uh, is very supportive of that. I would seriously consider allowing people to do that. So I'm asking you to just expand your consciousness on what is affordable housing by design? Because honestly, realistically, I don't think you're going to get 10 tiny homes a year. Honestly, they're expensive to build. They're very unique. They're beautiful because they're custom But I don't know how many people are really going to live in them.

And as a homeowner, as wanting to be a new homeowner can you afford $120,000 to build a tiny home versus 20 or 30,000 for a yurt? I think it was a big mistake to shut all the yurts down a few years ago. Thank you.

Thank you Ray. Next we have Diane Squire and then after that Leslie Hess and Wendy Hilgers.

I'm a co-manager of an apartment complex here in Ojai at the end of North Ventura Street, 34 units, Ojai Gardens. When I first moved there 13 years ago, I paid $907 a month for a two bedroom one and a half bath unit townhome style. That same unit is now renting for 2,200 per month All of our tenants just got additional rent increases. I like the idea of allowing tiny homes as a pilot project. It's one option in a total mix that you really need to consider. I concur with Ray, that you need to allow or consider other options.

I have in that complex four seniors, no five over 85 years old and they're getting priced out And so Ojai really doesn't have affordable housing available anymore. When we just rented that two bedroom in May, I had 10 people waiting to try and get it and many of them out of town. So that you're not only closing out affordable housing for locals But you're doing it for seniors as well.

And you really need solutions in this town, if you're going to grow now I think tiny homes are a great way to go for those who want them. It's one piece of the puzzle. Yurts, other options are other parts of the puzzle. In fact I'd love to see some land dedicated that would allow the development of say a tiny home your Cobb Village as a test pilot in Ojai but i think basically you really need it's almost like this ordinance and a two-year pilot is little too little too late people need Attention now to affordable housing. Even if you put up a tent city, it almost be better.

It's very hard for people on limited incomes and I'm a senior, I know. I can't afford home. I can't afford one. I'll probably never in the rest of my life be able to. I could build a tiny home. I could build a cob home. Whether I could afford the land is another issue But it's something we just encourage you all to think bigger.

Thank you.

I don't know how I feel about tiny homes, but I am in fan of providing homes for those of modest means. I encourage you tonight to direct staff to investigate our options a little hard to hear. To ask staff to investigate our options for rent stabilization and deed restricted availability of tiny home pads, so that they serve only those who need them the most.

Mobile home pads are rent stabilized in some areas of Ventura County and then other counties. We have the opportunity to do that with tiny home pads here in Ojai. This maintains housing availability for very low and extremely low income families. Once you allow tiny homes with no clearly defined affordability controls, It could be very difficult, if not impossible to change course later. The time is now.

Most of what is proposed in Ojai's draft housing element does not ensure housing for those of modest means. Using affordability measures and this ordinance as an effective way to serve those of modest means first, not serve them last. Before proceeding with this ordinance, please direct staff to explore the city's options to regulate the rental of tiny home pads so that they are available to very low and extremely low income families.

Thank you.

Thank you, Leslie. Wendy Hilders?

Thank you. Thanks, Chief. I did send a short letter to each one of you requesting that this be The letter was sent back to the planning commission because there really are a lot of things that need to be discussed. But even more important than my letter, I think was the fact that the chair of the Planning Commission made a similar request. It's very complicated. I think talking about ADUs which are homes built on permanent foundations and tiny home on wheels is foundation on property. The foundation is permanent, but the recreational or the tiny home on wheels is just strapped to it or put onto it some way but can be removed again and moved again. It talks about that in the ordinance. But I think basically, I don't understand how the city can go ahead and have a two year pilot program for something like this, which the HCD still has not approved to be counted in the RAINA numbers.