Planning Commission Regular Meeting

I'm calling the Planning Commission meeting of June 3rd to order at 6.01.

Absent Vice-Chair Chesley and Commissioner Ray Schmidt? Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any changes to the agenda this evening?

No, they're not. Okay.

Do we need a roll call for that approval?

For the

minutes? Yeah. No, for the agenda. The

agenda is not

being changed. So no approval needed. OK. At this time we will open up public communications. This is time set aside during the Planning Commission meeting for members of the public to address the Planning Commission on items of city business other than what we have on our agenda this evening. I have no cards. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak?

Seeing no one, is there anyone online? No. Thank you. We will close the public communications. The consent calendar consists of the minutes of the May 2026 Planning Commission meeting Are there any changes or corrections to those minutes?

No.

Hearing none, could I have a motion to adopt? Accept.

So

moved. And a second.

Second that motion.

Could we have roll call please? Hanson?

Oh here, sorry.

Stewart?

Yes.

Murphy? Here.

Yes, yes. Sorry.

Disclosure of site visits and ex parte contacts on the item on tonight's agenda?

No nothing on my end.

Okay I have been to the site I have had no ex parte contacts Okay, we will now open the public hearing well no we'll open the item which is a zone change Previously noticed for from business professional to commercial To allow for the sake sale of alcohol at the Ojai gas convenience store Would you care to? Tell us about this.

Yes, thank you chair and commissioners so this item was heard by the planning commissioner at the Planning Commission on February 18th in 2026 and two of the three commissioners here this evening were not here at that time and Not just for that reason but especially for that reason I'd like to Describe to you what the project was The project was ultimately recommended for recommended to the City Council for approval The reason that we're here tonight re-noticing and rehearing this is because on January 1st, 2025 there were amendments made to State of California Government Code Section 65854. That's when it became effective and it increased the time for noticing from 10 to 20 days So the previous notice was for 10 days and so we've had to re-notice it.

Nothing of the project has changed since the Planning Commission heard this in February of 2026, it's exactly the same and what it is a request for a zone change from business professional to commercial general commercial And the site is at 1124 Maricopa Highway. The request was specifically because they can't sell alcohol in the BP zone, but they can in the C1 zone. But I'm going to go into it a little bit more than that.

So a gas station is also not permitted in the BP zone. However, historically this site, it was back in 1996 they received a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission to have the gas station there and a CUP runs with the land. So the gas station is permitted to be there. In a BP zone you're not permitted to have a convenience store however the gas station does have a convenience store.

In a BP zone you're not allowed to have sale of alcohol There are other gas stations in town that have convenience stores and have sale of alcohol So we have a couple different things one is To be competitive with the other gas stations in town, but then also let's talk about the site for a second this site is immediately across the street from a c1 zoned area and in a commercial strip mall with Vons and a gas station and Sorry a liquor store and other Retail establishments. And so to create a c1 zone here on this major intersection in town Across the street from commercial zone makes sense and so staff was recommending approval of this of the zone change and the Planning Commission had the opportunity to review it and consider it and It ultimately needs to go to the City Council for approval and the Planning Commission in February recommended approval That was very fast.

I didn't mean to talk too fast, but but it was also I talked fast But but it was really brief so I want to answer any questions if you have any and we do have the applicant here as well and They weren't expecting this of course, but we let them know hey We have to re-notice it which means we have to open it back up again And so here we are

Do we have any questions of the staff on this topic at this time?

I don't have any questions on my end. No, I don't have any questions either.

OK. In that case, I have no questions either. OK, in that case, we will open the public hearing on this item. I have no blue cards.

Just to let you know, I'm sorry to interrupt but two of the three people in the audience are applicants and they're prepared to speak if there's questions for them however they've already been before the Planning Commission so of course they're welcome to get up if they'd like to. You were

invited to speak at this time should you choose to?

My name is Alan Nelson, a consultant working for Mr. Abbasi the property owner. We appreciate staff's time we know we're back up here sort of as this technicality because the re-noticing but like I said happy to answer any questions that you folks might have for us.

Without questions, I can't believe this never happened

to us Okay,

thank you very much Is there anyone online who would care to speak to this item no no Larry No In that case I would entertain a motion on this subject.

Do you want to close the public hearing?

Sure, we'll close the public hearing now we're ready for emotion

I'm will make a motion on it, but I might need a little help. Are we approving the additional extension of? Timing or what you have the wording I guess

It's kind of back to with the beginning and so what you're doing is you'd be making a recommendation to the City Council So you're recommending approval? Okay Okay,

I would like to make a motion to the city council to approve this project

Yes Is there a second?

I'll second that.

Could we have a roll call, please?

Hanson?

Here.

Yes. Stewart? Yes. Murphy?

Yes. Well, that's a very quick approval. It never happened before but go forth and sell your beer and wine. We did discuss this at length the first time it came around.

And something I didn't – well, it doesn't matter now – but there was also a conceptual review prior to the hearing in

February? Yes. That hints my question to you, but we won't go into that. Discussion items Maura. Do you have anything for us?

I do want to say perhaps this is the time I'd like to have an item on June 17th Let's see if that's on here I think there was a discussion, perhaps when I wasn't here to cancel that meeting. But we'd like to have an item on that meeting. It's a conceptual review here it is. It says in review a conceptual review for 923 East Ojai Avenue wildflower boutique hotel with six two-story units and one one or into one story units on a vacant lot, it's a it's a conceptual review and ultimately it's A parcel map and design review permit But they won't. But it's a conceptual review for that, OK?

There are three existing legal lots and the parcel map is to create one parcel. And then put the eight units on it.

OK, I'll have to go find 923 East. It's

on the southeast corner of Ohio Avenue in Bryant And of course, you'll get a packet in the mail before the meeting. OK, thank you.

Future agenda items we've covered part of it anything else on that?

I just looked up online, or I just looked up at the screen because I know Lucas is watching. You can see his name up there. This is his role to sit here and talk to you. So I have your June 19th and then if we look down to July, I see that he has a design review permit and zone change for 107 North Ventura Avenue These are tentative items and And a DR design review permit or revision to a design review permit for West Aliso

would those both be on the same well meeting

on here on this Tentative agenda. They're both Oh, those two are yes on July 1st

OK, and so we just don't have anything ready yet for the second meeting

in July? Not that I see. I don't see anything pending right here. Okay. Thank you. So, you might be contacted in advance to find out who will be attending? I know it's vacation time for

a lot of people. That's why I was asking about it. We do have one commissioner who'll be out of the country on the second meeting in July. At

least

one.

It looks like we're okay for June 17th and July 1st. Yes. You'll be here, right?

Yeah. Good. OK. We can do that. Do any commission members have a report? Nothing

on my

end. OK. And our mayor is at another meeting tonight and therefore unable to be with us. So I am going to adjourn the meeting 15. Absolutely the shortest meeting ever and Larry, you didn't speak.