AGENDA
PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2026, 6:00 PM
CITY HALL CHAMBERS, 401 S. VENTURA STREET, OJAI, CA 93023
VIEWING & ACCESS
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
Public Communications is the 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 scheduled agenda items. Matters raised at this time may be briefly discussed by the Commission and will generally be referred to staff and/or placed on a subsequent agenda. Under State law, other than for emergency items, no action can be taken at this meeting.
CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. There will be no discussion of these items unless, before the Planning Commission votes on the motion to adopt, specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate motions.
1. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Planning Commission September 2, 2026
Approve as submitted.
DISCLOSURE OF SITE VISITS AND EX-PARTE CONTACTS
Commissioners to provide disclosure of site visits and ex-parte contacts for items on the agenda.
PUBLIC HEARING ITEM(S)
2. Variance (VAR 26-001) and Design Review Permit (DRP 26-007) | to exceed lot coverage to 42.35% where 35% is permitted and reduce driveway backout area from required 24-feet to approximately 21-feet, resulting from two proposed additions for an existing single-story single-family residence located at 201 Lark Ellen Avenue. General Plan Land Use Designation is Medium High Residential (MHR) and Zoning Classification is Multi-Family Residential, Medium High Density (R-2) District. Assessor’s Parcel Number 028-0-153-152. Property Owners: Eugene and Sheila Vander. Designer: Wade Ellison
1. Open the public hearing, accept public testimony, and close the public hearing; and
2. Consider adopting a resolution denying Variance (VAR 26-001) and Design Review Permit (DRP 26-007) to exceed lot coverage to 42.35% where 35% is permitted and reduce required driveway back out area from 24-feet to approximately 21-feet, resulting from two proposed additions, due to inability to make the findings (Attachment A); or
3. Direct staff to prepare a Planning Commission Resolution approving the requested variance and design review permit request, and return to a date certain.
3. Design Review Permit (DRP 26-005) | Request to allow conversion of required covered parking to an art studio with parking replaced by uncovered tandem parking screen from public view for an existing single-family residence located at 802 Grand Avenue. The Zone classification is Single-Family residential, Medium Density (R-1). The General Plan Land Use Designation is Residential Medium Density (MR) District. Assessor’s Parcel Number 022-0-052-060. Property Owner: Denise Conners. Representative: Micah Sessing, Designer and Contractor
1. Open the public hearing, accept public testimony, and close the public hearing; and
2. Consider the adoption of Planning Commission Resolution (Attachment A) approving the request for a Design Review Permit (DRP 26-005) to allow for conversion of required enclosed parking to an art studio with parking replaced by uncovered tandem parking screened from public view for an existing single-family residence at 802 Grand Avenue.
DISCUSSION ITEM(S)
4. Planning Commission Review (DRP 05-01AMD) | Requested Adjustment to the Cottages Among the Flowers Approved Phasing Plan Located at 312 West Aliso Street; Zoning Classification is Multi-Family Residential (R-2); General Plan Land Use Designation is Medium High-Density Residential (MHR); Property Owner/Applicant: Ojai Bungalows, LP/The Becker Group Inc; Representative: Jeffrey R. Becker, President
Based on the direction provided by the Planning Commission at their September 2, 2026 regularly scheduled meeting, Staff has prepared a draft resolution approving the reordering of the phasing plan (Attachment A).
INFORMATIONAL ITEM(S)
5. Future Agenda Items
Review and file.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS
CITY COUNCIL LIASION - Mayor Andy Gilman
ADJOURNMENT
The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission is October 21, 2026.
Posted October 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Shari Herbruck, Principal Planning and Building Technician
WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS
All written public comments will be published here for public access. Please see "Public Comment Options" below for detailed instructions on how to submit.
If you feel that a language interpreter is necessary for you to participate in this meeting, notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements for an interpreter to assure your participation/understanding of this meeting.
Si considera que un intérprete de idiomas es necesario para participar en esta reunión, la notificación 48 horas antes de la reunión le permitirá a la Ciudad hacer arreglos razonables para que un intérprete asegure su participación/comprensión de esta reunión del Concejo Municipal.
Para Español por favor llame al (805) 646-5581 ext. 100 o por correo electronico a cityclerk@ojai.ca.gov.
Verbal Comments: Verbal Comments will be received on any item on the agenda at the time the agenda item is heard. Comments may be made in person at the meeting or through Zoom, via the link at the top of the Agenda. Pre-registration is not required for public comment via Zoom. Instead, Zoom participants will utilize the hand-raise function to indicate their desire to speak on an item.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
All materials related to an item on this agenda, including written public comments, will be available for public inspection in the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, and following the meeting, will be accessible on the City of Ojai's website at ojai.ca.gov.
As a government agency, the City of Ojai is subject to the California Public Records Act (Government Code § 6250 et seq.). Please be advised that all communications submitted to City officials and staff are subject to public disclosure under the California Public Records Act. There are limited exceptions that allow the City to redact personal information under the California Public Records Act. If you have concerns regarding privacy, please do not include your personal identifying information, such as your name, e-mail, phone number, and home address in your correspondence to the City, including, but not limited to, public comment.
If you challenge the actions of this Commission/Committee in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in the public notices, or in written correspondence delivered to the Commission/Committee at, or prior to, the public hearing (California Government Code Section 65009).
Any legal action by an applicant seeking to obtain a judicial review of the Commission/Committee's decision on a Hearing listed on this Agenda may be subject to the 90-day filing period of and governed by Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6.
LEVINE ACT WARNING
Applicants and their agents before this Commission/Committee are subject to the campaign disclosure provisions detailed in Government Code Section 84308. No City Commissioner/Committee member may accept, solicit, or direct a contribution of more than $500 from any party or agent for 12 months subsequent to the date a final decision is rendered by the City. This prohibition commences when your application has been filed, or the proceeding is otherwise initiated.
A party to a City proceeding, which includes both applicants and agents, shall disclose on the record of the proceeding any contribution of more than $500 made to any Commissioner/Committee member by the applicant or agent, during the preceding 12 months. No party to a City proceeding, or agent, shall make a contribution to a Commissioner/Committee member during the proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered by the City.
Prior to rendering a decision on a City proceeding, any Commissioner/Committee member who received a contribution of more than $500 within the preceding 12 months from any party, or agent, to a proceeding shall disclose that fact on the record of the proceeding and shall be disqualified from participating in the proceeding. However, if any Commissioner/Committee member receives a contribution that otherwise would require disqualification and returns the contribution within 30 days of knowing about the contribution and the relevant proceeding, the Commissioner/Committee member shall be permitted to participate in the proceeding.
If you believe that these provisions apply to you or a Commissioner/Committee member, please inform the City Clerk at the earliest possible opportunity. Failure to do so may affect the City's ability to process your application.