Meeting Summary
Present: Stix, Weirick, Francina, Haney
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Ventura County District Attorney Presentation
- The District Attorney detailed victim services, including the Family Justice Center and a planned short-term housing facility for survivors.
- Statistics showed 140 Ojai Valley residents utilized the center in the last two years, primarily for restraining orders.
- Council members inquired about pandemic impacts on domestic violence rates and vocational training alternatives for survivors.
Redistricting Public Hearing
- Staff presented the redistricting process under the Fair Maps Act, emphasizing equal population and community of interest principles.
- Discussion confirmed that no council member's term would be shortened or extended by the new district maps.
- The Council acknowledged the possibility of exploring five-district maps in the future but made no immediate decision.
Redistricting and Legal Updates
- Staff reported on a pending Supreme Court case regarding the Santa Monica decision and its potential impact on district-based elections.
- The recommendation was to proceed with the redistricting process as planned given the unlikely timing of a Supreme Court ruling.
- Public comment was received regarding the timeline and previous appeals court findings.
Ventura County-wide Homelessness Continuum of Care
- Council members discussed the Memorandum of Understanding coordinating homeless services, noting the city had been operating under it informally.
- Local service providers identified included the City of Ojai, Health of Ojai, and the Ojai Valley Family Shelter.
- The Council approved the MOU and expressed interest in exploring alternative first responder models involving de-escalation teams.
Donation of Benches and Sculpture at Clough Vista Park
- Public comment opposed the donation due to concerns over park design and procedural vetting by commissions.
- Council members discussed alternative locations, including the cemetery, Libbey Park, and the area behind City Hall.
- The item was continued with no action, directing the City Manager to investigate appropriate locations with the donor and commissions.
Ojai Certified Farmers Market License Agreement
- Staff proposed replacing the existing permit with a one-year license agreement including two one-year extension options.
- Discussion covered vendor restrictions, insurance requirements, and traffic safety measures such as speed limit reductions.
- The Council approved a motion to authorize the City Manager to negotiate terms, deferring final approval to a future meeting.
Review of City Council Protocols
- Council members debated changing the protocol for placing items on the agenda from a Mayor or two members to a majority vote.
- Public comment from eleven speakers largely supported retaining the current protocol allowing the Mayor or two members to add items.
- Motions to change or keep the protocols died for lack of a second, leaving the existing procedures unchanged.
Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element Update
- Staff presented a draft Housing Element with a state-mandated adoption deadline of October 15 and an allocation of 53 units.
- Discussion focused on the feasibility of requesting a state waiver based on water infrastructure limitations.
- The item was designated for file and receive, with a decision to return to the topic on September 28 to review state comments.
Closed Session
- No closed session report was provided in the meeting summary.
Full summary
Agenda Item: Approval of Agenda
- A motion was made to approve the agenda with a modification to the order of items, proposing to address items 2, 3, 5, and 6 in sequence, followed by item 4 (Housing Element Update) last due to anticipated discussion length. The motion was seconded. A roll call vote was conducted, and the motion to approve the modified agenda order passed.
Agenda Item: Presentation by Ventura County District Attorney
- Ventura County District Attorney Eric Nasarenko presented on victim services, detailing the Family Justice Center's operations for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and hate crimes. Statistics indicated 140 Ojai Valley residents utilized the center in the previous two years, primarily for restraining orders. The District Attorney announced plans to convert a building into short-term housing for domestic violence survivors, anticipating 14 beds with a groundbreaking in spring 2022, and described "Camp Hope," a program for children who have experienced abuse. Council members inquired about pandemic impacts on domestic violence rates, vocational training alternatives within the program, and transition plans for survivors. The District Attorney confirmed an increase in restraining order requests during the pandemic and noted that the college pathway program is funded by a grant specifically for university attendance. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Redistricting Public Hearing
- The Council addressed the redistricting item to comply with the Fair Maps Act (AB 849). Sophia Garcia of Redistricting Partners presented an overview of the process, emphasizing principles such as equal population, contiguity, and maintaining communities of interest, while prohibiting consideration of political party or incumbency. Staff clarified that the redistricting firm would not be informed of current council members' residences to prevent bias. Discussion covered the impact on the 2022 election, confirming that no council member's term would be shortened or extended; if multiple incumbents reside in the same district, they remain until their terms expire, and the district lacking a resident incumbent would be up for election. A Council member inquired about creating five districts instead of four; staff responded that this would require a new public hearing and a vote by the electorate. The Council did not make a decision on the number of districts but acknowledged the possibility of directing staff to explore five-district maps in the future. The public hearing was officially opened to receive input on communities of interest.
Agenda Item: Redistricting and Legal Updates
- Staff provided an update regarding a pending Supreme Court case concerning the Santa Monica decision, noting that the Court of Appeal previously found Santa Monica's switch to district-based elections did not improve representation for the Latinx community. Staff assessed that a Supreme Court ruling is unlikely before the city's redistricting deadline in April of the following year. The recommendation was to proceed with the redistricting process as planned, with the matter to be brought to the Council for evaluation if a favorable ruling were issued. Public comment regarding the timeline and appeals court findings was acknowledged. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Public Comment
- Library Programs: The Regional Librarian for the Ojai Valley Library presented information on the "One County, One Book" program featuring Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha, detailing upcoming events and noting that the library holds forms for public feedback on redistricting.
- Homelessness Concerns: A resident reported issues with a homeless encampment near Craftsman Village and Tennis Academy, citing public intoxication and lack of police response, and requested enforcement of no-parking ordinances. Staff clarified that while Ninth Circuit rulings restrict enforcement of anti-camping ordinances on public property, the city can enforce trespass laws on private property and other penal code violations. Council members discussed the need for legislative clarification regarding vehicle movement ordinances and suggested placing the issue on a future agenda for deeper discussion on first responder protocols. No formal motion or vote was taken on these comments.
Agenda Item: Consent Calendar
- The Council reviewed the consent calendar. Two items were pulled for separate discussion: Item H (Ventura County-wide Homelessness Continuum of Care Memorandum of Understanding) and Item L (Donation of Benches and Sculpture at Clough Vista Park). A motion was made and seconded to approve the remaining consent items. The motion passed.
Agenda Item: Ventura County-wide Homelessness Continuum of Care (Item H)
- Council members discussed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the Continuum of Care, which coordinates homeless services. Staff explained that the city had been operating under the MOU informally during the pandemic but had not officially signed it. Local service providers identified included the City of Ojai, Health of Ojai, and the Ojai Valley Family Shelter. Council members expressed interest in exploring alternative first responder models involving de-escalation teams. A motion was made and seconded to approve Item H. The motion passed.
Agenda Item: Donation of Benches and Sculpture at Clough Vista Park (Item L)
- Public comment was received regarding a proposed donation of two benches and a sculpture for a Children's Memorial Garden. One speaker opposed the addition, arguing it would compromise the park's design, and requested a resolution prohibiting future alterations. Another speaker raised procedural concerns, noting the proposal should be vetted by the Arts Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission. Council members discussed alternative locations, including the cemetery, Libbey Park, and the area behind City Hall. A motion was made and seconded to continue Item L with no action, directing the City Manager to conduct further investigation and discussion with the donor group and relevant commissions to identify an appropriate location. The motion passed.
Agenda Item: Ojai Certified Farmers Market License Agreement
- Staff presented a proposal to replace the existing non-proprietary encroachment permit with a one-year license agreement including two one-year extension options. Discussion covered vendor restrictions, county jurisdiction over food safety, insurance requirements, and traffic safety measures such as reducing speed limits or closing streets. Council members discussed increasing the annual fee from $50 to $100 to cover administrative costs. A motion was made to approve the agreement with a fee increase to $100. A friendly amendment was proposed to remove the fee increase and instead authorize the City Manager to negotiate terms with the market, with the agreement to return to the Council for approval at a future meeting. The motion was amended to reflect this negotiation approach, seconded, and passed.
Agenda Item: COVID-19 Update
- The City Manager presented a report on local COVID-19 trends, noting a data backlog that temporarily inflated case numbers but indicating decreased hospitalization and ICU rates. The report highlighted expanded testing at Serzatti Park and noted that the County face covering mandate for indoor public settings was set to expire September 19, though an extension was likely. No questions were asked, and no public comment was received. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Review of City Council Protocols (Agenda Setting)
- Council members requested a review of protocols regarding the process for placing items on the agenda. Discussion focused on whether to require a majority of the body to approve agenda items versus the current protocol allowing the Mayor or two council members to add items. Public comment was received from eleven speakers, with the majority supporting the current protocol. A motion was introduced to direct staff to rewrite protocols to require consent of two other members (three total) for agenda items; the motion was not seconded and died. Subsequently, a motion was made to keep the protocols unchanged; this motion was also not seconded and died. No vote was taken, and the protocols remain unchanged. The Council confirmed an understanding that items brought to the agenda require a council meeting to decide on the utilization of staff time before proceeding.
Agenda Item: Draft 2021-2029 Housing Element Update
- Staff presented a draft of the 2021-2029 Housing Element, noting a state-mandated adoption deadline of October 15. The presentation covered demographic data, a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation of 53 units, and the Site Plan List (SPL) overlay. Staff recommended removing two City Hall campus sites from the overlay and retaining existing sites. Public comment included support for not adding additional sites due to water supply concerns and a request for a waiver of RHNA requirements due to infrastructure limitations. Council discussion focused on the feasibility of requesting a state waiver based on water infrastructure. Staff advised that the state has not historically approved such waivers and recommended a dual-track approach: pursuing the waiver while preparing to adopt the element to avoid penalties. No formal motion was made to adopt the element or request a waiver. The item was designated for file and receive, with a decision to return to the item at the next council meeting on September 28 to review state comments and further discuss the waiver request. The plan remains to adopt the Housing Element on October 12.
Agenda Item: Council Member Reports and Future Agenda
- Council members provided brief reports, including a request for a budget update and a reiteration of the importance of reviewing council protocols. Staff confirmed that the Housing Element and the BAP Fire Hardening item would be brought back to the September 28 meeting. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Disaster Plan and Resiliency Framework
- A council member inquired about including an updated draft of the disaster plan with the upcoming Business Advisory Board agenda item. It was clarified that the council had previously approved the resiliency framework and that no further discussion was required at this time. The framework would be returned later as a funding plan. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Patrick Maynard's Presentation
- The Mayor stated that Patrick Maynard is scheduled to present at the end of October regarding his relationship with the council and coordination efforts. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
Agenda Item: Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned. No formal motions were moved, seconded, or voted upon in this segment.