Meeting Summary
Present: Stix, Rule, Lang, Whitman, Francina
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details — verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Public Comment Protocols
- The Council adopted a temporary schedule placing a 30-minute public comment session at 8:00 p.m.
- Speaker time limits were reduced to two minutes for the remainder of the current session.
- Establishing a permanent public comment protocol was deferred to a future agenda item.
Arts Commission Report
- The Arts Commission Chair presented a five-year plan and updates to the city's arts master plan.
- Discussion covered public arts budgets, inventory, and long-term goals like an arts hub.
- No formal motion or vote was taken on the commission's report.
Historic Preservation Commission Appointment
- Rick Bisaccia was appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission following a passed motion.
- Concerns regarding the lack of in-person interviews were raised during the discussion.
- The Council agreed to place an item on the April agenda to discuss increasing the commission size.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Code Ordinance
- The Council approved the ordinance with amendments to exempt specific remodels and additions.
- Exemptions were added for health care and emergency animal care facilities.
- Staff was directed to return with options for a Climate Action Plan.
Valley Parking Initiative and Litigation
- The Council voted to take no immediate action on the valet parking issue.
- Valet parking was directed to be included as a subject within a broader parking study.
- Discussion addressed legal implications and the distinction between ordinances and voter initiatives.
Building Code Amendments and Fire Hardening
- The public hearing on fire hardening requirements for renovations was continued.
- The hearing was rescheduled for the March 28th meeting to allow for further review.
Sewell Park Negotiations
- The Parks and Recreation Commission was added to the negotiation team regarding Sewell Park.
- The Commission will review terms and provide recommendations before a final proposal is sent.
- The motion included a one-year Memorandum of Understanding and potential pickleball court terms.
Cabrillo Project and Future Agenda
- The City Attorney advised Council members to refrain from stating positions on the quasi-judicial Cabrillo project.
- Rent Stabilization and the formation of a Housing Committee were added to the March 14th agenda.
- The Tiny Home Program Annual Report was moved to the March 28th meeting.
Ojai Avenue Safety Concerns
- Staff was requested to conduct a nighttime assessment of crosswalks on Ojai Avenue.
- Residents were encouraged to submit safety reports via the MyOjai app.
- No formal motion was made regarding the safety assessment.
Closed Session
- No closed session report was included in the provided meeting summary.
Full summary
Meeting Administration and Public Comment Protocols
- The meeting was called to order, and a quorum was confirmed. The Council addressed the placement of public comments for the current session. A proposal was made to hold a 30-minute public comment session at 8:00 p.m., with remaining speakers allowed to speak at the end of the meeting. Following discussion regarding the flow of the agenda and accommodation requests, the Council reached a consensus to adopt this timing for the current meeting. It was agreed to place the establishment of a permanent public comment protocol on a future agenda.
- Regarding the approval of the agenda, a motion was made to approve the agenda as modified by the prior decision on public comment timing. The motion was seconded and passed.
- During the public comment session, speakers addressed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Code, city governance, and procedural matters. Following the initial round of comments, the Council discussed time limits for speakers. A consensus was reached to reduce the time limit to two minutes per speaker for the remainder of the session; no formal vote was taken.
Commission Reports and Appointments
- The Arts Commission Chair presented a report on the commission's visioning exercises, a five-year plan, and the update of the city's arts master plan. Topics included the public arts budget, an inventory of public art, stakeholder surveys, and long-term goals such as a major public art installation and an arts hub. Council members asked questions regarding climate sustainability integration and facilitation processes. No formal motion or vote was taken on this item.
- The Consent Calendar was addressed. A motion was made to approve the calendar. Item F, regarding a Historic Preservation Commission appointment, was pulled for separate discussion. The remaining consent items were approved.
- Regarding the Historic Preservation Commission appointment, the Council discussed the selection process and candidate preferences. A motion was made to appoint Rick Bisaccia to the commission. The motion was seconded and passed.
- Following the appointment, the Council discussed the commission's size and appointment process. Concerns were raised regarding the lack of in-person interviews. The City Manager noted that commission sizes are defined in city code and would require an ordinance change to increase the Historic Preservation Commission from five to seven members. The Council agreed to place an item on the April agenda to discuss adjusting the size of this commission and potentially others.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Code Ordinance (Second Reading)
- The Council received a staff report on the second reading of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Code Ordinance (formerly the REACH Code). The report detailed the code's history, current exemptions, and the proposal to eliminate most exemptions except for a general "infeasibility" clause. Staff highlighted concerns regarding impacts on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), emergency generators, and commercial kitchens. The City Attorney identified ambiguous language in Section 9-1704 regarding the application of natural gas prohibitions to new restaurants versus remodels.
- Public comment was received on the ordinance, covering climate benefits, infrastructure costs, grid reliability, and the need for specific exemptions. Council discussion focused on clarifying the scope of application and exemptions. Proposals included exempting remodels or additions to buildings with certificates of occupancy issued prior to January 1, 2002 (with exceptions for new residential units), and exempting public buildings and non-profit social service projects.
- A motion was made to approve the ordinance with specific amendments. The amendments included revising "whereas" clauses to emphasize the climate emergency and energy consumption, modifying Section 9-1704 to exempt remodels or additions to buildings issued a certificate of occupancy before January 1, 2021 (while maintaining requirements for new residential units), adding exemptions for health care and emergency animal care facilities, and directing staff to return with options for a Climate Action Plan. The motion was seconded. Following a roll call vote, the motion passed.
Valley Parking Initiative and Litigation
- The Council received a staff report on a valet parking initiative and related litigation concerning the Hotel El Roblar project. Staff presented options including taking no action, drafting an ordinance to regulate or prohibit off-site valet parking, or drafting an initiative for voter submission. Discussion addressed legal implications, costs, and the distinction between ordinances and voter initiatives. Public comment was received regarding traffic impacts, overdevelopment, and alleged conflicts of interest.
- A motion was made to take no immediate action on the valet parking issue and instead direct that valet parking be included as a subject within a broader parking study conducted by the Parking Committee. The motion was seconded. During discussion, one Council member expressed concern regarding the timeline of a study versus the litigation pause period, while another stated an intention to abstain from voting due to perceived conflicts of interest among other members. The motion to defer action and include valet parking in a future parking study was put to a vote and passed.
Building Code Amendments and Fire Hardening
- Staff recommended continuing the public hearing on an ordinance amending the municipal code to adopt Building Appeals Board recommendations regarding fire hardening requirements for renovations. Public comment was received concerning the 20% fire hardening requirement, plastic skylights, documentation of code changes, and potential conflicts with state laws regarding ADU fees. The Council agreed to continue the public hearing to the March 28th meeting.
Sewell Park Negotiations
- Staff presented a proposal to involve the Parks and Recreation Commission in negotiations with Ventura County regarding Sewell Park. The proposal included a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and potential terms for additional pickleball courts. A motion was made to include the Parks and Recreation Commission in the negotiation team, with the understanding that the Commission would review terms and provide recommendations to the City Council before a final proposal is sent to the county. The motion was seconded. The motion passed.
Council Reports and Future Agenda Items
- Council members provided reports on sanitation, the California Planning Association lobby day, the Green Coalition's campus re-envisioning events, and a mountain lion education event.
- Regarding the Cabrillo project, the City Attorney advised that if the project is quasi-judicial, Council members must refrain from stating positions prior to an application to avoid due process challenges. It was determined that a presentation could occur at a future forum provided no positions are taken, or the project could be addressed through the standard application process.
- The Council discussed the agenda for the March 14th meeting, which included the introduction of the new Fire Battalion Chief, the Drowned Street Demonstration Project, the Planning Department Annual Progress Report, and a discussion on public comment protocols. It was agreed to bring both Rent Stabilization and the formation of a Housing Committee to the agenda. The Tiny Home Program Annual Report was moved to the March 28th meeting.
- Regarding public comment timing for future meetings, a proposal was made to hold the discussion on public comment protocols first, followed immediately by public comment. The Council reached a consensus to proceed with this ordering for the next meeting, subject to final confirmation during agenda review.
Safety Concerns on Ojai Avenue (Drown Street)
- A question was raised regarding crosswalk safety on Ojai Avenue. It was noted that while historical requests for lighting existed, no recent safety reports had been received. Residents were encouraged to submit reports via the MyOjai app. A request was made for staff to conduct a nighttime assessment of the crosswalks, with the clarification that children would not be involved in such an assessment. No formal motion was made, seconded, or voted upon regarding this topic.