City Council — 2022-06-14

Budget Approval

• The Council addressed discrepancies regarding museum funding figures and contingency funds.
• Members voted to approve a budget amendment of $151,000 for the current year.
• Council members agreed to revisit categorical funding allocations in subsequent years.

Cannabis Regulations

• Staff reported a Planning Commission recommendation for edible-only consumption lounges.
• Testimony from business owners urged smoking or hybrid models to capture tourism revenue.
• A motion passed directing staff to draft code modifications allowing on-site consumption lounges.
• Staff is tasked with analyzing potential future expansions outside the current industrial zone.

• The Ojai City Council meeting focused on two primary items: budget approvals and a review of cannabis regulations.

Budget Approval

• The Council addressed discrepancies regarding museum funding figures ($50k vs. $60k) and contingency funds. After discussion, the Council voted to approve a budget amendment of $151,000 for the current year, agreeing to revisit categorical funding in subsequent years.

Cannabis Regulations (Item 6)

• Staff reported that the Planning Commission had recommended allowing edible-only consumption lounges within the three existing dispensaries. Public testimony largely opposed this limited recommendation:
• Business Owners & Advocates: Representatives from Sespe Creek, Shangri-La, and an external advocate from West Hollywood argued that edible-only lounges are economically non-viable and unsafe due to delayed onset times. They urged the Council to allow smoking lounges or a "hybrid" model to capture tourism revenue, reduce the black market, and align with state laws.
• Concerns: Testimony highlighted liability, safety protocols (security, cutoff policies), and the need to destigmatize cannabis to prevent residents and tourists from traveling to neighboring cities like Port Hueneme or Santa Barbara.

Council Discussion and Vote

• Council members debated the proposal. While Councilman Blatts noted that no general public members had spoken in favor—only business owners—and expressed caution about writing policy for specific enterprises, the majority emphasized the need to support legal businesses and modernize the city's approach.
• Outcome: A motion passed directing staff to work with the existing dispensaries to draft code modifications allowing on-site consumption lounges as an ancillary use. Staff is also tasked with analyzing potential future expansions or relocations to more commercial areas outside the current industrial zone.

Administrative Reports

• The meeting concluded with updates on upcoming Bowl events, Sewall Park management agreements, enforcement discussions regarding the downtown arcade, and a request to add Historic Preservation Commission recommendations regarding Mills Act tax benefits to a future agenda.