May 6, 2026 — Planning Commission Regular Meeting

Meeting Summary

Present: Murphy, Chesley, Reichman, Stewart

This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details — verify against the official recording and the transcript.

Staff presented draft standards needed for state housing law compliance.
Commissioners discussed balancing historic character with varied design styles.
Public input suggested using digital modeling and creating a design advisory board.

Staff presented potential topics including design guidelines and parking codes.
Design standards were identified as the highest priority for the upcoming meeting.
Staff was requested to coordinate a new date to ensure full member attendance.

The Planning Commission meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. on May 6, 2026. Roll call was taken, noting one vacancy. There were no changes to the agenda. The agenda was approved as submitted.

Public comment was opened prior to the approval of minutes.
Larry Stanko commented regarding door safety and fire code consistency at the Arcade and Mountain Home. He noted concerns about outward-opening doors impacting pedestrian safety and requested consistency in code enforcement.
Nate Mitchell introduced himself as a property owner with a Design Review Permit (DRP) application pending. He shared his background and expressed interest in participating in the planning process.

A motion was made to approve the minutes from the April 15th meeting. Another Commissioner seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed.

The Commission discussed the draft City of Ojai Multifamily and Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards. Staff presented the draft standards, explaining the necessity of objective standards (measurable requirements rather than subjective ones) for compliance with the Housing Element and state laws. Staff compared the draft to standards from Temecula, Gilroy, and Solvang, noting varying levels of detail.
Commissioners and staff discussed the following:
Compliance: Staff noted that state housing laws increasingly require objective standards to facilitate ministerial approval for housing projects.
Design Identity: Discussion arose regarding Ojai’s design identity, balancing historic Mission Revival elements with other styles. Commissioners expressed a desire to protect the community character while allowing variety.
Code Structure: The difference between objective design standards and form-based codes was discussed. Some Commissioners suggested form-based codes might offer more parcel-specific guidance.
Public Input: During public comment on this item, Larry Stanko urged the Commission to maintain the town's historic character and unity. Nate Mitchell suggested using digital modeling to visualize design standards and help the community understand the built environment.
Advisory Support: Commissioners expressed interest in creating a design advisory board or committee to assist with technical design guidance.

Following the discussion on design standards, a motion was made to create an ad hoc committee to assist with the development of the objective design standards. The motion specified that two Planning Commission members and design professionals would serve on the committee. The motion named Commissioner Chesley and Commissioner Reichman as the Commission members. Another Commissioner seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed.

The Commission discussed topics for the upcoming joint meeting with the City Council, tentatively scheduled for June 9th. Staff presented a list of potential topics, including design guidelines, parking codes, fire hardening, underground utilities, noise standards, and allowed use charts.
Priorities: The Commission identified the objective design standards as the highest priority due to state deadlines and HCD requirements.
Scheduling: Two Commission members indicated they would be unavailable on June 9th. The Chair requested that staff coordinate a new date based on member availability to ensure full attendance.
Topics: The Commission agreed to prioritize design standards for the joint meeting. Other topics were noted for future discussion or informational purposes.

Staff provided updates on the following items:
Tree Workshop: A workshop is scheduled for May 28th. Commission members were invited to attend as community members.
Safety Element: A review of the Safety Element update is scheduled for May 20th.
Housing Projects: Staff reported that remediation work had commenced at 611 South Montgomery Street and that construction was expected to begin soon on 304 South Montgomery Street. The Habitat for Humanity project on North Montgomery Street had submitted plans for plan check.
Future Agenda: Staff outlined upcoming agenda items for May 20th and June 3rd, noting a zone change item requiring re-hearing due to updated state notification laws.