Meeting Summary
Present: Gilman, Lang, Rule, Whitman, Mang
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
Workshop: City Goals and Priorities
- Staff presented consolidated goal documents and clarified that formal policy adoption requires future staff reports.
- The Council agreed to identify high-priority items immediately while deferring full policy development.
- Discrepancies between the spreadsheet and original notes were noted and addressed during the review.
Goal 1: Affordable Housing
- The Council verified that original tactics were consolidated and agreed to prioritize specific research items.
- Items 1F (Housing Trust), 1E (Workforce Housing), and 1G (Housing Commission) were identified as top priorities.
- Staff will determine specific timelines and feasibility in a subsequent work plan based on these rankings.
Goal 2: Fire Safety and Hazard Mitigation
- Language for items 2A and 2F was consolidated into item 2I to focus on partnerships, grants, and home hardening.
- Items 2C and 2D were merged to streamline communication and warning system efforts.
- The Council prioritized item 2I, followed by 2D and 2L, noting these rankings for staff action.
Goal 3: Arts, Culture, and Recreation Funding
- A new item regarding Cliff Vista Park maintenance was added to the list of potential goals.
- Discussions clarified the scope of nonprofit summits and the feasibility of specific projects like a community pool.
- Top priorities identified included the Arts Grant Program, Bike Paths, Nonprofit Summits, and the Community Pool campaign.
Meeting Logistics and Scheduling
- A follow-up meeting was scheduled for July 29th to complete the prioritization of remaining goals.
- The Council confirmed that the upcoming July 24th agenda item will serve as a concept review for fire safety.
Fire Mitigation and Concept Review
- The Council agreed to proceed with a concept review to evaluate the scope of fire mitigation programs.
- This review will determine whether to issue an RFP or evaluate the existing Fire Safe Council proposal.
- No formal vote was taken, but the item was added to the working agenda for future consideration.
Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvement
- Item 4I was refined to research advancing the road paving timeline to reduce long-term expenditures.
- Negotiations with the County regarding trail ownership and maintenance were added to item 4G.
- The top three priorities selected were Trail Maintenance, Parking Concept Review, and Road Paving Timeline research.
Public Safety
- A new item was added to research the creation of a Traffic Safety Commission for initial complaint review.
- Item 5B was refined to broadly research traffic calming measures beyond just speed humps.
- The Council prioritized the Traffic Safety Commission, Traffic Calming Measures, and Speed Limits research.
Chamber of Commerce Pilot Project
- The Council agreed to add a three-month pilot project to the working agenda to diversify the local economy.
- Formal approval of a professional services agreement will be required at a future meeting.
Closed Session
- Public comment was received regarding the indemnification issue involving Council Member Rule.
- Speakers urged the Council to follow through on a previously drafted indemnification offer.
- Requests were made for a full accounting of legal costs and complete indemnification to remove barriers for candidates.
Full summary
Agenda Approval
- A motion was made to approve the agenda and was seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Workshop: City Goals and Priorities
- The Council convened a workshop to review and prioritize city goals using a document package carried over from a previously cancelled meeting. Staff presented the meeting packet and verbatim notes from a March 11th session to ensure no proposed goals were omitted. Council members noted discrepancies between the consolidated spreadsheet and original notes, including renumbered or combined items. The Council discussed a procedural approach to identify high-priority items immediately rather than waiting for full policy development. Staff clarified that while priorities could be identified during the workshop, items requiring funding or formal policy adoption would need to be placed on a future agenda with a staff report, as the following week's agenda was already finalized.
Public Comment
- Members of the public provided comments on various city goals:
- Housing and Fire Safety: Speakers urged the creation of a Housing Commission and Housing Trust, emphasizing the need for funding and proactive measures.
- Cliff Vista Park: Multiple speakers advocated for including Cliff Vista Park in city goals, highlighting its native plant demonstration garden, cultural significance to the Chumash people, and the need for a dedicated maintenance budget.
- Trolley Service: Concerns were raised regarding the Ojai Trolley, including driver shortages, staffing issues, and the need for increased funding and better working conditions to ensure reliable service.
- Wildfire Mitigation: Speakers emphasized wildfire safety as a top priority, citing available state grant funding and urging the adoption of defensible space standards and partnerships with the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council.
- Sanctuary City: A speaker requested the Council declare Ojai a sanctuary city to protect community values and families from immigration enforcement actions.
- Community Garden: A suggestion was made to renovate the garden behind City Hall into a functional community garden managed by Parks and Recreation.
- Other Suggestions: Additional comments included requests for a parking commission, an annual city report, energy audit programs, and modifications to closed session recording policies.
Goal 1: Affordable Housing
- The Council reviewed Goal 1, comparing the current spreadsheet against original notes to verify that all proposed tactics were included. It was confirmed that several original items had been consolidated. Council members discussed the nature of the tactics, many phrased as "research" items, and suggested prioritizing them to guide staff. Staff advised that while prioritization is helpful, specific timelines should be determined by staff based on feasibility and cost estimates in a subsequent work plan. The Council agreed to identify their top three priorities for Goal 1. Council members selected their top three items from the list (1A through 1G). The consensus identified items 1F (Research and establish a housing trust), 1E (Identify opportunities to create workforce housing), and 1G (Explore creation of a housing commission) as the top priorities. No formal motion to adopt the prioritized list was made or voted upon; the rankings were noted for staff.
Goal 2: Fire Safety and Hazard Mitigation
- The Council discussed the prioritization of fire safety items, focusing on Goal 2I (pursuing partnerships and grants to reduce hazardous conditions). Members debated proceeding directly with a proposal from the Fire Safe Council versus issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids from multiple vendors, balancing fire season urgency with the need for competitive bidding. The Council agreed to consolidate language from items 2A (Home Hardening Incentive) and 2F (Volunteer Training) into item 2I, striking the separate 2A and 2F items. The language for 2I was revised to include land clearing, educational outreach regarding defensible space and home hardening, and assessment tools. Additionally, items 2C and 2D, both relating to communication and warning systems, were merged by appending 2C language to 2D and striking 2C. Item 2E was expanded to include "planning standards" in addition to "building standards." Regarding scheduling, Staff indicated a concept review item could be placed on the July 24th agenda, though meeting the statutory deadline for publishing the agenda would be difficult. The Council cast votes for the top three priorities under Goal 2, identifying 2I, 2D, and 2L (or 2K) as the top priorities. No formal motion to adopt the list was recorded; the rankings were noted for staff.
Goal 3: Arts, Culture, and Recreation Funding
- The Council reviewed items related to arts, culture, and recreation funding. Discussion included the scope of nonprofit summits, cultural contributions, and specific projects such as a community pool and dog park. Members debated whether to keep "Cultural Contribution" (3A) and "Nonprofit Summits" (3K) as separate items or combine them, clarifying that 3K was intended to resurrect an annual application process for nonprofits. A new item, 3L ("Cliff Vista Park Maintenance"), was added to the list. Clarifications were made regarding the feasibility of a drone show versus fireworks for the 4th of July due to cost and provider availability, and the bike path extension to Soule Park (3I) was discussed in the context of county partnerships and bridge costs. Council members cast votes for the top priorities under Goal 3, indicating strong support for 3A (Arts Grant Program), 3I (Bike Paths), 3K (Nonprofit Summits/Cultural Contribution), and 3D (Community Pool Capital Campaign). No formal motion to adopt the list was recorded; the rankings were noted.
Meeting Logistics and Scheduling
- The Council discussed the remaining agenda items (Goals 4 and 5) and the need to complete the prioritization process. Due to the 4th of July holiday and staff availability, the Council agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting on July 29th to complete the remaining goals. The Council clarified the intent of the upcoming July 24th agenda item regarding fire safety, confirming it would be a concept review to develop a menu of services for an RFP/RFQ rather than a direct vote on the Fire Safe Council's specific proposal.
Agenda Item: Fire Mitigation and Concept Review
- Discussion focused on the scope of fire mitigation programs regarding private property and the capacity of city staff versus non-profit partners. Council members debated defining the scope over several months versus proceeding with a robust proposal submitted by the Fire Safe Council. Staff suggested a "concept review" item to allow the Council to direct staff to develop an RFQ or RFP or to evaluate the existing proposal. It was clarified that selecting the Fire Safe Council proposal would require a subsequent item to approve the contract. The Council agreed to proceed with a concept review item to gather public input and determine the path forward. No formal vote was taken on the concept review itself in this segment; the item was added to the working agenda for future consideration.
Agenda Item: Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvement
- The Council reviewed a list of infrastructure priorities:
- Road Paving Timeline (Item 4I): Members discussed the financial benefits of accelerating the road paving timeline to reduce long-term expenditures. The item was refined to "Research advancing road paving timeline to reduce expenditures."
- Pedestrian Crossings (Item 4D): It was noted that research on improved pedestrian crossings at Arcade and Montgomery is already included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget. The Council determined this item did not require a vote to initiate.
- ATP Phase 2 Options (Item 4F): Staff confirmed that options for the ATP Phase 2 project will be presented to the Council regardless of a vote on this specific agenda item.
- City Asset Maintenance Schedule (Item 4J): The Council discussed the need for a schedule detailing major improvements and estimated investments for city buildings and equipment, cross-referencing existing financial inventory items.
- Trail Maintenance (Item 4G): Discussion centered on a proposal for the City to take over ownership and maintenance of a trail currently managed by the County. Members suggested tying negotiations for the trail transfer with other discussions, such as the bypass project or Soule Park. The item was modified to include entering into negotiations with the County regarding the trail transfer.
- Parking (Item 4H): The Council discussed various parking-related issues, including a comprehensive parking study, utilizing school property for parking, and alternative transportation modes. Staff suggested a "Parking Concept Review" to address multiple topics, including availability, wayfinding, and alternate transportation. The item was renamed "Parking Concept Review, Multiple Topics."
- The Council conducted a ranking vote to prioritize infrastructure items. The top three items selected were: 1. Item 4G (Trail Maintenance/Negotiations) 2. Item 4H (Parking Concept Review) 3. Item 4I (Research Road Paving Timeline) Items 4D and 4F were noted as already in progress or scheduled, rendering a vote unnecessary for their initiation.
Agenda Item: Public Safety
- The Council reviewed public safety items:
- E-Bike Policy and Education (Item 5A): Discussion covered the need for a specific e-bike policy and educational campaign distinct from general vehicle code enforcement. Staff noted that while education and enforcement are underway, a formal city policy regarding e-bikes is still needed.
- Traffic Calming Measures (Item 5B): Members discussed various techniques, including speed humps, road diets, and curb extensions. It was noted that a speed hump policy is already in development, making a separate vote on researching that specific tactic redundant. However, the broader topic was deemed significant. The item was refined to "Research traffic calming measures."
- Speed Limits (Item 5F): The Council discussed the feasibility of lowering speed limits to 20 mph. Staff explained that lowering limits below 25 mph requires a traffic engineer's study to justify the change for enforcement purposes.
- Traffic Safety Commission (Item 5I): Staff proposed the creation of a Traffic Safety Commission to serve as an initial review body for traffic and infrastructure complaints. The Council agreed to add this as an item to "Research Traffic Safety Commission."
- Code Enforcement Priorities (Item 5H): Staff explained the difference between reactive, complaint-based enforcement and proactive enforcement based on Council-established priorities. The Council discussed directing staff to proactively address specific code violations.
- The Council conducted a ranking vote to prioritize public safety items. The top three items selected were: 1. Item 5I (Traffic Safety Commission) 2. Item 5B (Research Traffic Calming Measures) 3. Item 5F (Speed Limits) Item 5A (E-Bike Policy) received significant support but was ranked fourth. Item 5E (Speed Hump Policy) was removed from the voting list as it is already in progress.
Agenda Item: Chamber of Commerce Pilot Project
- The Council discussed re-establishing a relationship with the Chamber of Commerce regarding a proposal to diversify the economy. A proposal was made to initiate a three-month pilot project to allow the Chamber to refine their proposal while work begins immediately. The Council agreed to add this to the working agenda for discussion and consideration at a future meeting, with the understanding that a professional services agreement would be required for formal approval.
Public Comment: Closed Session Indemnification
- During the public comment period regarding the upcoming closed session, three speakers addressed the indemnification issue involving Council Member Rule. Speakers urged the Council to follow through on a previously drafted indemnification offer, advocated for complete indemnification to remove barriers for future candidates, and requested a full accounting of costs incurred by the city regarding the legal dispute. No formal motions were moved, seconded, or voted upon regarding the indemnification issue during this segment; the comments were recorded for the upcoming closed session.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned following closing remarks. No formal agenda items, motions, or votes were recorded in the final segment.