Meeting Summary
Present: Gilman, Mang, Rule, Lang, Whitman ✓
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At a glance
Ventura County Fair and Parks Proclamation
- The Council accepted the official 2026 Ventura County Fair poster and reviewed concert lineup details.
- A proclamation declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month was presented to the Commission and staff.
City Manager Updates
- The City Council chamber is operating as a cooling center with potential for extended hours based on weather.
- The City is pursuing a $25 million federal grant for storm drain infrastructure improvements currently under committee review.
- The inaugural meeting of the Public Safety Commission is scheduled for August 3.
2026 City Hall Campus Landscape Master Plan
- The Council adopted a resolution to transform the campus into an ecological hub with nature-based play areas and restored gardens.
- The plan includes preserving the Carriage House and City Hall with a preliminary cost estimate exceeding $6 million.
- Council questions addressed the Children's Memorial location, amphitheater noise concerns, and parking availability.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
County Civil Grand Jury Report Response
- The Council directed the City Attorney to draft a single consolidated response to the Grand Jury's findings on supportive housing.
- Discussion focused on using the report to analyze and improve City processes while ensuring transparency.
Passed 4–1 · against: Mang
Municipal Code Revisions
- The Council tasked the City Attorney with proceeding on revisions including ADU regulations, affordable housing incentives, and purchasing ordinances.
- Future status reports must include time estimates for the legal work required for these code updates.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
Contracted Services Review
- Staff was directed to refine the contract log and include an in-house delivery analysis for every future contract renewal.
- A long-term analysis regarding the police contract and potential alternatives was authorized.
Affordable Housing at 312 West Aliso
- The Council approved the affordable housing agreement for two units with local resident priority provisions.
- The Area Housing Authority was authorized to vet applicants under a per-file fee structure.
- Staff was instructed to request additional information from Help of Ojai regarding their service capabilities.
Community Land Trust Ad Hoc Committee
- An ad hoc committee was formed to study the feasibility of a community land trust over a six-month term.
- Mayor Gilman and Councilmember Whitman were nominated to serve on the committee.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
Building Code Options for Home Hardening
- Staff was directed to present a menu of local building code amendment options focused on home hardening.
- Discussion noted state code freeze limitations but identified potential incentives funded by the fire mitigation budget.
Future Agenda and Meeting Structure
- Council members identified several items for future concept reviews, including vacancy tax viability and ember screen mandates.
- A future agenda item will be added to review implementing "no decision" work sessions to improve meeting efficiency.
Full summary
Call to Order and Roll Call
- The July 14 regular meeting of the Ojai City Council was called to order by Mayor Andy Gilman. Roll call confirmed the presence of Mayor Gilman, Mayor Pro Tem Kim Mang, and Council Members Leslie Rule, Rachel Lang, and Weston Montgomery. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Approval of Agenda
- Council Member Rachel Lang moved to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded. With no objections, the agenda was approved.
Presentations
- Ventura County Fair: Representatives from the Ventura County Junior Fair Board presented the official 2026 Ventura County Fair poster, announced Youth Poster Contest winners, and detailed the grandstand concert lineup. The City Council accepted the poster.
- Parks and Recreation Month: A proclamation declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month was read and presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission and staff.
City Manager's Report
- City Manager Ben Harvey provided updates on the following:
- Cooling Center: The City Council chamber is operating as a cooling center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with potential for extended hours based on weather.
- Aquatics Program: Attendance figures for the swimming program were reported as steady with sufficient staffing.
- Storm Drain Funding: The City is pursuing a $25 million federal grant for storm drain infrastructure improvements; the application is currently in committee review.
- Public Safety Commission: The inaugural meeting is scheduled for August 3 at 1:00 p.m. in the historic council chamber.
Public Comments
- Residents addressed the Council on topics not on the agenda, including:
- Library Closure: The Regional Librarian announced the Ojai Library will close on July 31 for renovations projected to last six to eight months, with a reopening expected in Spring 2027. Interim services include a weekly mobile library visit.
- Agenda Publication: A speaker requested a future agenda item to discuss publishing agendas earlier to meet newspaper print deadlines and improve accessibility.
- Cabrillo Development: A speaker urged the acquisition of an adjacent lot to create a park for the anticipated population increase.
- Council Compensation: A speaker detailed the salary and benefits package for Council members to encourage residents to run for office.
- Financial Reporting: A speaker noted delays in the city's Financial Transaction Report and Audited Financial Statement compared to prior years.
- ICE Raids: A speaker discussed recent ICE enforcement actions. Council Member Leslie Rule noted a Town Hall on the topic is scheduled for August 26.
- Fire Safety: Upcoming workshops on insurance for wildfire-prepared homes and home hardening were announced.
Consent Calendar
- Council Member Rachel Lang moved to approve the consent calendar. The motion was seconded. The consent calendar was approved via roll call vote.
Passed 3–0 · unanimous
2026 City Hall Campus Landscape Master Plan
- The Council discussed a resolution to adopt the 2026 City of Ojai City Hall Campus Landscape Master Plan. A presentation by the Ojai Valley Green Coalition outlined the plan's vision to transform the campus into an ecological hub, including nature-based play areas, educational programs, and restored historic gardens. Key elements included the preservation of the Carriage House (Hobson Barn) and City Hall, four identified sectors (Discovery Corner, Restoration Area, Historic Gardens, and Workshop Hub), and a preliminary cost estimate of over $6 million with a potential start date in June 2027. The plan accounts for existing parking and emphasizes long-term stewardship.
- Council questions addressed the location of the Children's Memorial, noise concerns regarding a proposed amphitheater (clarified as a non-acoustical space), and parking availability. Public comments included support for the plan's historical accuracy and ecological goals, a request to correct a deed date, suggestions regarding the hilltop viewpoint and pickleball court noise, and a recommendation to commission a seismic and structural engineering evaluation of the Carriage House.
- A motion was made to approve the resolution accepting the master plan as presented. The motion was seconded. Following a roll call vote, the motion passed.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
County of Ventura Civil Grand Jury Report Regarding Permanent Supportive Housing
- The City Attorney presented the item to seek Council direction on preparing a response to the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury report, which contains 18 findings and 6 recommendations regarding the Permanent Supportive Housing project. The City Attorney recommended a single consolidated response drafted by the City Attorney's office, to be presented to the Council for approval at a future meeting. Discussion focused on the format of the response and the potential to use the report to analyze and improve City processes. Public commenters urged the Council to respond and agree with findings to avoid legal fees and improve transparency.
- A motion was made to task the City Attorney with preparing a draft response to the Grand Jury report for further Council consideration. The motion was seconded. Following a roll call vote, the motion passed.
Passed 4–1 · against: Mang
Municipal Code Revisions
- The City Attorney presented a list of proposed municipal code revisions, including updates to public bidding procedures, purchasing ordinances, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations, affordable housing incentives, design standards, parking standards, sign standards, code enforcement liens, and the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The purchasing ordinance was identified as a top priority to meet the Grand Jury's recommended timeline. Discussion addressed the process for revisions, noting that items affecting Title 10 require Planning Commission review. Council members requested that future status reports include time estimates for the legal work required.
- A motion was made to task the City Attorney with proceeding with the listed code revisions and providing status reports to the Council, including time estimates. The motion was seconded. Following a roll call vote, the motion passed.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
Concept Review of Contracted Services
- The City Manager presented a list of primary contract services currently utilized by the City, including law enforcement, building and safety, code enforcement, and rental assistance programs. The purpose was to solicit Council direction on which services should be analyzed for potential in-house delivery. Discussion included trade-offs between contracting and hiring employees regarding pension liabilities and budget flexibility. Public commenters generally supported maintaining contracts to avoid long-term pension obligations.
- A motion was made and seconded to direct staff to: 1. Group, combine, consolidate, and pair items on the existing contract log to refine and categorize the list. 2. Include an option to bring services in-house, along with an analysis of constraints, for every contract renewal presented to the Council. 3. Conduct a long-term analysis regarding the police contract and potential alternatives. 4. Consider expanding city job families where appropriate to address contracted services.
- The motion passed.
Affordable Housing Agreement at 312 West Aliso and Third-Party Monitoring
- Staff presented an affordable housing agreement for two units at 312 West Aliso Street, developed in accordance with a settlement agreement. The agreement includes provisions for local resident priority. Staff proposed a third-party monitoring arrangement to vet applicants, recommending the Area Housing Authority under a per-file fee structure. Discussion addressed the selection of the third-party vendor, with suggestions to consider "Help of Ojai" or issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). Staff clarified that the contract value was below the threshold requiring an RFP.
- A motion was made and seconded to: 1. Approve the affordable housing agreement as written. 2. Authorize the third-party vetting process using the Area Housing Authority under Option 2 (per-file fee). 3. Request additional information from Help of Ojai regarding their ability and interest in providing these services.
- The motion passed.
Ad Hoc Committee Formation for Community Land Trust
- Staff presented a report to form an ad hoc committee to study the feasibility of a community land trust. Staff recommended a six-month term and advised against including community members at this stage to maintain agility. Council members discussed the need for a structured work plan and interim reports.
- A motion was made and seconded to nominate Mayor Gilman and Councilmember Whitman to serve on the ad hoc committee to study the community land trust. The motion passed.
Passed 5–0 · unanimous
Concept Review of Building Code Options (Home Hardening)
- Staff presented a concept review regarding local amendments to the building code to address home hardening, noting a state code freeze prohibits most amendments until 2031 with limited exceptions. Staff highlighted potential options such as non-combustible gutter covers and discussed the possibility of an incentive program funded by the city's fire mitigation budget. Public comment emphasized the need for urgency and incentives.
- A motion was made and seconded to direct staff to bring forward a menu of items for Council consideration regarding local building code amendments specifically focused on home hardening. The motion passed.
Passed 4–0 · unanimous
Council Reports and Future Agenda Items
- Council members discussed several items for future consideration, including a concept review on the legal viability of a vacancy tax, a concept review on making ember screen installation a mandatory condition of sale, resetting the timeframe for agenda publication, and adjusting the meeting schedule to accommodate public speakers. No formal motions were made on these items.
Future Meeting Structure and Work Sessions
- Discussion focused on methods to improve meeting efficiency, including the concept of holding "no decision" meetings or workshops where items are presented and discussed without immediate voting. It was agreed that a future agenda item would be added to conduct a concept review on implementing these work sessions. No formal motion was moved, seconded, or voted upon during this segment.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned with a scheduled return in August.