Historic Preservation Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay. Hello everyone, I'm calling to order the Historic Preservation Commission regular meeting on Thursday, September 10th, 2026 at 6 PM. Public participation is encouraged. The meetings are conducted in a hybrid model, providing in-person and virtual public comment via Zoom. Virtual attendance via Zoom is the only way to remotely provide public comment. Pre-registration is not required. Instead, Zoom participants will utilize the hand raise function to indicate their desire to speak. The meeting is also live streamed on our city's website and on YouTube. I'm going to do a roll call, please.

Chair McCattin? Here. Vice Chair Sims? Here. Commissioner Neeson? Here. Commissioner Akins? Here. Commissioner Walker? Here. And Commissioner Moore and Passaccia absent. All right. Let's stand for the pledge.

Thank you so much. We now will approve the agenda. Do we have anyone who has any questions? Chair?

So on the agenda tonight, there's underneath the museum representative report is a presentation. And we were looking to have a presentation this evening. from Division Fire Chief Cleary, but this has been, well, will be rescheduled to near future, but it's not on the agenda this evening.

OK. So besides that, does- Chair, I have a question.

Yes. There were no commissioner comments at the end of the agenda.

Of our agenda tonight?

Yep. It would have been item number 12.

Oh. Why don't we, I'm sorry, you can say it. We'll add it.

Yes. So we need that in there.

Thank you. Thank you for getting that. You're welcome. So item 12 then. Commissioner comments?

All right. And then. Right now, do you have anybody who wants to approve the agenda with those changes? I approve the agenda. You have a second?

I'll second.

Roll call, please. McHatton? Yes. Sims? Yes. Neeson? Yes. Agans?

Yes.

Walker?

Yes.

Wonderful. Okay, now I'm going to open public communications. This is for a time when The public can address our legislative body on items of city business other than that is scheduled on the agenda. Matters raised at this time may be briefly discussed by members of the legislative body and will generally be referred to staff and replaced on a subsequent agenda. Under state law, other than for emergency items, no action can be taken. We have one public comment here. Larry Steinkold.

Good evening. Larry Steingold, citizen, not involved in anything. When I first got here, I was given this book. And I come from New England where history is very important. And without history, we have no soul. You have no memories. All you have is stories. I read stories online by Drew Mashburn. He writes and you listen to the stories. And it reminds me of my childhood and of the childhoods that you all have. and i don't didn't grow up here but i've been here for nine years and i understand history i understand the what it takes to maintain the properties to keep them private to to keep them historical it takes a lot of work The insides of buildings back east, they become high-tech and that's fine, but outside you've got the chipboard, you've got the curlicues, you've got all the red brick and the wood and what have you, whether it's 1750 or a McDonald's from 1950. right the golden arches it becomes historical as part of our history so i just want to say that keep up do it and work hard and it's it's all about that because once it all disappears there's nothing it just becomes another as my daughter would call it a pop-up town And we can drive. And she says, oh, drive through Agoura Hills when we first came out here. Go to Calabasas. Go to all these places. And I'm like, no, no, no. We came up here. We looked around and said, this is like Vermont. This is like Maine. This is a small town. So we came here for what it was, or should be what it is then, not for what it was before I was here because we have no clue. But my goal is that, you know, is I like it here. And I want to help you and keep it like this or as close to as possible. And whether it's things like the green freezer, okay, and what we do with that. I mean, personally, if you can get rid of it, fine. If you can't, you've heard me say, brick it up and make it look like the rest of them, right? Whatever the case may be. But let's not set that as a precedent because now you can end up with these things all over the inside of the arcade, which is not something that we want. At least I don't. Some people may. Because if it's not a freezer, it's a shed. If it's not a shed, it's something else. But it's just doing that. So please stay on it. Keep at it. And everybody here wants history because that's all we've got. Otherwise, it's just a town. if that it's just it's just a place and it's not just a place it's it's home and i am i'm staying here you can't get rid of me no matter how hard you want to try and so thank you very much for doing what you do

I would like to comment on that, that I've been visiting Ojai for 50 years, and I've been a homeowner here for 23. And it's that same book that was left by the previous owners in my kitchen on our island. It was left with a bottle of sparkling apple juice and two glasses in that book. And that's what started this whole thing. And then soon after that, I met Craig Walker, and well, here I am. So that book was really important to just read it cover to cover and just learn about this town.

Yesterday I met a woman whose family was TECO and she was giving me Suzy Suzy R.C. Yes and she was telling me song and verse and the whole nine yards so those are the memories if you can get people to record their memories that might be a nice project because once those memories are gone they're not writing them down

Thank you, Larry. Would you mind just saying what the name, the title, and the author is since the book's been mentioned?

The Ojai Valley, an Illustrated History, Ojai Valley Museum Edition by Patricia L. Fry, revised and updated by Elise DePute and Mr. Craig Walker.

Thank you. Yes, and I do believe that the museum with Brian Akins has been working on recording a lot of these stories for years. Is that correct, Commissioner?

For lots of years. What are we, 2027? Probably 2012. And Mr. Steingold? We actually have interviewed Susie Arcee on our oral history for the museum. We've actually interviewed Susie. Thank you for that suggestion.

Thank you so much. OK, so do we have anybody online or anyone else? Yes, you have me.

No.

I have a private comment. May I make it as a citizen? I just want to remember all the people from September 11th. I was in Beijing, China on that day with my two daughters and my husband, and it was terrifying. Never thought I'd ever see Ojai again. And all I wanted to do was get home, and the State Department was there to assist. We were there for more than two weeks after this happened. And when I got back to Ojai, to this beautiful town, I was so grateful. And I just want to say I am very grateful to live here in this beautiful town.

Thank you.

Okay so I'm gonna close public comment and now we're gonna go to the museum report with Mr. Commissioner Akins Okay thank you very much our executive director sent me this information having been and Craig will appreciate this too is the fact that there is a town talk this Sunday that's with Mark Lewis and Evan Austin and they are gonna talk about Big question been talked about a lot probably in that book that Larry's holding did Thornton Wilder write our town about our town And they're going to talk about that Sunday, September 3rd. I actually a videotaped when they did an our town out at Thatcher school in the theater amphitheater that was there and they they did a quite a discussion I think Mark was talking about that at that time Mark Lewis so I encourage you again Sunday at 4 30 p.m. at the museum thank you Consent calendar do we have

I guess it's just the minutes.

Yeah. So do we have any corrections to the minutes? Anyone? Corrections to the minutes? No. No? OK. Anybody want to make a motion to approve the minutes?

I move to approve the minutes.

You want a second?

I'll second.

Roll call, please. Neeson.

Yes Aikens Yes Sims Yes McCatton Yes Walker I would like to thank you for doing such a Commissioner Walker can you say yea or nay to the minutes Minutes Oh yea yea Thank you Kate too for doing such a good job at these

okay we're on to item number two do we have a um yes report so this is a request for a sign permit for a hanging sign identification sign for the naturalist located at 208 east ohio avenue this is within city of ohio landmark number five the ohio ohio arcade the representative for for this establishment is John singer and he's applying for this permit to advertise the existing commercial retail organic winery the sign meets the arcade yes the arcade design guidelines and that it proposes a two-sided hanging sign that's suspended from the metal chains that are existing and the permitted colors for signs in the arcade are earth tones by Benjamin Moore and I brought the palette just in case anybody wanted to see it and the proposed sign again is two-sided it's made of one and a quarter inch walnut in a shade of brown with exposed border around a centered three quarter inch white oak panel. If you want to pass that along. The signed copy includes five-eighth inch walnut individual letters mounted on the oak face and the botanical clear film graphic is of a California poppy and it's to be centered in the arch above the copy and sealed to the oak backing. The sign is proposed to be 14 by, or in three quarter inches by 38 inches, which complies with the size requirements within the arcade design guidelines, and the sign is attached in attachment B in your packet. Staff finds that the material, the color, the size, everything about this sign complies with the design guidelines, and staff is recommending that the commission approve the sign. we do have an applicant here if you have any questions of the applicant I have a question to staff the CMYK print on clear film have other signs have done that in the past I don't know if any other signs have done that in the past or if they've been like literally painted on however I didn't, staff didn't, I'm gonna say I, staff didn't find it objectionable. But I haven't come across that, no.

Anybody have any questions for staff or for the applicant?

How hard would it be to do this in a painted version rather than a stick-on?

When you come to the podium if you could just state your name please My name is Josh I'm a singer I'm not sure can you repeat the question How hard would it be to do this in a painted version instead of a stick-on I don't particularly like the stick-on I would have to ask the sign maker his name is Robert White I'm pretty sure It would be more challenging. I don't know how much. They might not be able to capture the detail.

Well, in my personal opinion, because I'm very familiar with the man that used to do all the signs in Ojai, Roy Patton, if you know him. He did signs for my husband's business. This is just too, to my taste, not as... oh hi characteristic it's it's a plastic stick on and I would really like to see something that is at least carved into the wood and painted even if it was much more simple because I think this you're not even going to really see all the detail once it's on the sign I would like to see something that was a little more in keeping with more natural the colors are fine but that's my opinion and I'm just one person I do have a question about it is that your logo It is that's on our bottles and it's also like if you go into the shop it's displayed behind the bar so it is

I would also like to echo that, that the arcade is supposed to reflect the early 1900s and the historic character of the arcade at that time. And I think having a stick-on sign might violate that a bit. So if it was painted on, I think that would be more authentic and would fit in with the era of I like the sign. I think it's beautiful, and the colors are great. I like the little splash of orange there, but I think just with the character of the arcade being early 1900s buildings, that it would be preferable to have it painted on.

If I can just interject really quick and that is on this board this sticker I guess I wouldn't have called it a sticker however on here it is a sticker and it has a black background but on the brown oak it would be the background would be clear and the whole thing would be brushed so it would appear I mean, I'm not disagreeing, I'm just stating facts. It would appear like this, like that's in your packet, as opposed to having this black background stuck. Stuff like literally stuck on brown wood. It wouldn't look like that So anyway, sorry, I'm just speaking for the applicant Thank you.

I still don't I still don't like it. I'm sorry I think etching it in I mean you can woodworking can can make beautiful etching designs in late into the wood and and add some color and i think it would be stunning i don't know what a sticker like that i know it's not going to be black will do in the in the elements it's not going to look very good after a while so that's my opinion but i like the rest of it cool you like the design just yeah the actual texture yeah absolutely yeah so i can check with the sign maker see what is achievable what he has the ability to do

and if that's the best way then we could probably comply with that but I don't make the signs so I don't know myself but I can pass that along Anyone else?

Yeah, I just want to say something. So if the question is the stamps and items that are underneath the flower and painting those, I've seen my wife do fine detail on portraits and fabulous eyes. And I think that's re-creatable. And I think we have artists in the Valley that would love to recreate that for you.

OK, great. Yeah, if you have resources as well, then I'll take them and see what I can do.

Come to the Ojai Valley Museum. Look at the artists and see what you like. We have the Ojai Studio artists up right now, so...

So I have a question for staff. So if we were to approve the sign with all the colors, the style, and everything, but are requesting that it is be painted, can we do that so at least he can keep moving forward?

You can do that you have a couple of options another option would be to continue it to well if that is the only option for the Commission then yes you can absolutely do that if you want to know whether or not he can accomplish that and give him and do something else if he can't accomplish that you might want to continue it to date certain which would be a whole month you really have you have lots of options or several options

I mean I'd like to let him move forward if he can achieve that and then if he needs our help with resources or something he can always ask to come back next month but he might not have to and so Your approval can be with a condition that the that the flower the detail be painted on on the on the wood no sticker that would be a condition Does anybody have any other questions for the applicant while he's up there?

I'd like to see it. It's easy to do. I mean, I'm not an artist. I don't know how to do it. But everybody does stuff like this. So I think that you'll find some woodworker that can easily do that. And if else, maybe your wife can do it.

Well, thank you so much.

Yeah, you got it. Anything else for me? I don't think so.

So we're not done yet they're gonna talk and then they're gonna take a vote so you can just hang out for a little bit How do you feel about that of trusting an artist to do it without having him come back as long as it keeps the same color and the same style or do we want them to come back?

I have no doubt that there are people in the valley that can replicate that I think we might continue it until the next meeting and have them come back with the design painted So I'll make that motion Go ahead and make a motion Okay I make a motion that we have them return with this exact same sign except painted instead of a sticker and we'll vote on it then I'll second it and it I mean if the it doesn't have to be exactly like this if it's you know just because I don't as long as it's similar you get you know you know exactly what we're saying right

Yeah.

OK. So is that a second? Yeah. OK. Roll call, please.

Neeson?

Yes. Akins?

Yes.

Sims?

Yes. McCatton? Yes. Walker? Yes. I'd like to just read back what I have as a motion and a second. And that is a motion from Commissioner Walker to return to the next meeting, which is the October meeting, with a sample of the painted flower.

Right but it's we like the sign everything is approved with colors style Right but but you wanted to come back you haven't you haven't approved it yet you're going to look at it next time okay I just don't want to feel like he has to redo everything because it's just that's the only thing that was objectionable Yes and you can also call me Thank you Okay, item number three.

Item number three is the annual Historic Preservation and Lifetime Achievement Awards. And at the August 13th meeting, the commission discussed the nominees and they selected a list of recipients for both those awards and directed staff to come back with a resolution for the commission to adopt. So the resolution is in your packet, attachment A of this very brief report. What you'll do tonight is review it and then recommend that staff forward it to the council for ratification. And then staff will provide it to the chair outside of the meeting for her signature and with tonight's vote. And then it will be scheduled for council.

I do have a correction. So the award is for Rob Tucker, not for Jim and Rob's. So attachment A, page 304?

Yes. So it would be, I'm sorry? Yes. So Rob Tucker would it be of, Rob Tucker of Jim and Rob's or just Rob Tucker period? Just Rob Tucker.

Okay. He's one of the founders, he's the Rob part of the Jim and Rob's, but it was recently sold and he gave the collection to the current owners, but it was Rob's collection that we're celebrating.

And so the language here would be Rob Tucker dash founder and long time proprietor of, okay, perfect. thank you we'll have we'll make that change you can still vote on it this evening with that change in mind and then again we'll forward it to the chair for signature for then forwarding to the council for ratification okay does anybody have a motion to approve it with that change I'll make a motion to approve it with that change too

I'll second it.

Roll call, please. Neeson? Yes. Akins? Yes. Sims? Yes. McCattin? Yes. Walker?

Yes.

All right. On to item number four.

We're just moving along here, which is the Heritage Trail. Do we have a staff report?

Yeah, so Commissioner Walker reported at the last meeting that he had obtained access to photographs and visuals from the Ventura County Museum, and who approved of a first draft of the signage, and he stated that they were trying to have the first four signs ready by Ojai Day. And this evening, we have... Do you want me to... I'll bring them. What would you like to do?

This is a momentous day for this project because we uploaded all the artwork to the company that's going to fabricate the signs and so they're on their way and it's been a long process uh we have had a wonderful committee with the three members of the museum mark lewis who did most of the writing wendy barker and roger conrad did most of the photographs and pictures and then colleen mcdougall did the actual artwork and layout and design she deserves a lot of credit for that i think they look beautiful then Rick Passaccia and I were on the committee as well and so we have four to start with hopefully we'll have maybe 25 by the time we're done it may take a while but one of them will go to the left of the pathway down to the jail and so when people walk along the trail they'll see this beautiful sign on a cantilevered frame that tells about the uh about the ohio jail and then it'll encourage them to go down and actually read more about it and some of the plaques that are on the museum on the building itself And then another one will be right next to the former location of the depot, which is just to the east of Fox Street. That was all the depot area. And this is a picture of the depot in Nordhoff and different stories and historical facts about it. Each one has in the lower left corner a thing called the kids corner, which is wonderful cartoon done by Colleen McDougal she used to do cartoons every week in the Ojai Valley News for many years and she's been working really hard on this project and she's done most of these done all of the cartoons and then to the left of the pathway that goes off of the trail into Libby Park will be this sign. Talking about Libby Park and some of the historic landmarks that are there. The tree, the Bent Tree, that's a county landmark that was left from the Chumash days. the tennis courts, which have recently entered the news because there's been some question about should these be saved just for tennis since they've been tennis since 1900, or should they be available for other kinds of games? But anyway, this will give people a really nice look at the history of this area. It's kind of interesting that Pierre Boulez, who was one of the big conductors during the 60s and 70s, he actually had to conduct the train going by. As you know, the train goes right behind the bowl for the festivals, and usually they weren't a problem, but one time the train came in, and then it stopped, backed up, then stopped, went forward again, and Pierre started conducting the train into the musical piece, and the train got a standing ovation from the audience afterwards.

What is that concert, Craig? What? What is that concert? Do you know? This one here? Yeah. Who's conducting that?

I'm not sure which one this is.

That's OK. Just curious.

It's part of the it was before the renovation of bowl and then this one is on the Matilla hot station. There was a station that was located where Rotary Park is now, and that's where people would get off and get on a. a stagecoach and ride up to Matilha Canyon to one of the spas, health resorts up there. And then there were also several farms and ranches in the area that produce would be loaded onto the train at that point. And one of the quotes we have here, is from Howard Bald, who said that the men of the town would sit along the boardwalk that was there before the arcade sidewalk. It was just a boardwalk in front of those old buildings. And they'd hear the whistle blow down at the Y, what we call the Y at the Matilla station. And they'd all go running down to the station at Nordhoff to go welcome the train.

So anyway, that's just a peek at what we have.

And my hope is that maybe at Ojai Day we can have a table set up somewhere, maybe down by the jail, where people could look at these and they could maybe decide if they wanted to buy a sponsorship for one of the future ones. But we can talk about that at a future time.

I'm going to put those back over here just in case someone wants to listen.

While she's doing that, Craig, how will those be presented and protected?

How what? How will they be presented and protected? Presented? Oh, they'll be on a cantilevered sign. There'll be two posts that go up, and then a frame will cantilever back at about three feet, just high enough so that if somebody is on a wheelchair, they can go over. and then this material that they print on is resistant to graffiti and is easily cleaned so with part of our budget we'll buy a supply of that I'm sure the city already has some of that but hopefully it will not be and then they print on both sides each side is guaranteed for 10 years so at the end of 10 years if it starts fading at all you can just take take it apart and flip the thing over and you've got another 10 years for that sign so that's pretty good any other questions

I would like to say that I cannot believe how good those pictures look. To be able to blow them up to that size and to have them have that sort of clarity, they're just lovely.

Yeah. um so i would just say is the jailbird in the jail yeah i'd love to have the the gel one come down to the uh to to the oi gel uh people uh the displays that we had last year in the the plaque were very well received everybody loved reading them and getting more information on the jail in that area so yeah are we going to have them installed by then

No, unfortunately, I don't think we'll be able to have them installed by then. They have a five-week turnaround, and I doubt that we would be able to get them back in time. They do have an expedite feature, but even then, they don't know if they could get them back to us in time, and then that costs an extra $1,200 for the expediting fee. So we'll just have these available for people to look at and then we can put them up afterwards.

So we're gonna be talking about Ojai Day a little bit so I would like to discuss how we can do that because that's last year the focus was our plaque and this year this is going to be the focus so we should talk about you know having we're gonna have two locations we're gonna have a booth in downtown and then we're gonna have the jail so we could kind of separate have two spots where we're letting people know what's going on Thank you so much it's a beautiful project and thank you to everyone working on this you've done a beautiful job You don't need us for anything right just moving along

it was just a report okay and speaking of reports um it's going to be craig again this is item number five do we have a staff report on the survey update so yes this is the historic resources inventory survey update and at the august 13th 2026 meeting commissioner walker stated that about 75 percent of the contact statement has been completed and could be reviewed by commissioners And since then, a request has gone out to commissioners by staff, just kind of poking a little bit, letting them know that if they have any questions or comments, that the time is here. And so with that, I'll just turn it over to Commissioner Walker.

Yes, just picking up on that, they were trying to cut off those comments on September 1st, but they said that they'd still take comments for another week. so if any of you want you can take a look through the draft context report and if you have any comments or questions if you notice any errors you can send those to me and I'll forward them to the to the surveyors they would really appreciate any comments so they'd like to get you involved so you should have a link to the to Staff sent a link to all the commissioners Yeah so try to get that done in the next week and then HRG which is the company Historic Resources Group they sent their surveyors up to Ojai for two or three days at the 24th I believe it was of August and it was like right in the middle of the heat wave but They're worked on the they did about half of the what they call the reconnaissance survey. That's the first step. They go out and they cast a wide net and they try to pick up everything that could possibly be historic. And then they'll they've done half of that and they're going to come back within two weeks and finish that part up here on Monday. okay they'll be here on monday and then the step after that is for them to take their reconnaissance survey and get together with the people that wrote the context statement and go back and forth to kind of inform each other so as to kind of strengthen and beef up the context statement which gives the context of what is historic in Ojai, and then also maybe helps to lead to more information about the individual houses that they find. And then after that, the last stage will be for them to do the final step, which is to begin researching and narrowing down those properties that they found in the reconnaissance survey into the final final survey so anyway they also would like to I know I don't think we have the historic resources report available just I mean you can't find them easily is that right they're all associated with properties by address so it would be hard for them to know which properties already have an HRR done on them is that right

Correct. So we do have address files in community development. And if there's an HRR, it would be in the address file. What we've talked about previously, and I think it's another item on the agenda, is the fact that we don't have a separate list of just HRRs. So unless it's a historic site or structure.

Yeah, and that's understandable because the time you would need it would be if a particular address came up. You'd want to look and see if it had an HRR. But I think for their work, it would be nice to have them organized some way so that they can just see. Because those are so valuable, the information that are in those. So that's about all I have to report on that.

One thing that I had requested is just another little column on the final survey that just says HRR. And if there is one, just check so they know to look for one. Even if they have to look into the address file, at least we know that it's someplace.

Yeah, and I was on the commission 10 or 12 years ago, and I can remember several of them, so I've written those addresses down for them so they can ask for those, but I can't remember them all, and it's only a few years period of time. There might have been a lot more.

So when we have a history, and I mentioned this to the chair.

Are we waiting for the item?

We have an item. Yeah. So let's just, do we have anything else to say on this? No.

The write up that I read today, I spent the afternoon reading it. It was wonderful. It was wonderful.

They are fabulous.

I learned so much.

Oh, they've done an amazing job. As one example, I only knew about the Japanese in Ojai during World War II. I only knew about the one family, the Fukasawa family. And I wrote about them and have talked about them and so forth. And they had like three or four or five different families that they discovered that were Japanese Americans who had spent time in the internment camps. So they really know how to dig down and get information that's not always easy to find.

The Fukasawa was interesting. I'm sure she was one of your teachers as well, and Rick's and mine, and she was even at our wedding.

Oh, she was?

She was at our wedding.

Yeah. Well, she spent three years in Manzanar, and kind of a moving experience for me was stopping at Manzanar, which is on the 395, and they have a big... banner that has all the names of the people that spent time there and seeing her name there was quite quite moving because she had been my algebra teacher and It was great to learn about her and when we have this document this is going to be so valuable for so many reasons is to have this information, right and

OK. Want to move along? So now we're on this item. Item number six is the scanning of historic resource reports to create a master list. You have a staff report? Well, yes.

However, we're kind of already. So we don't have a master list. We have address files for every address in the city. And if an HRR has been prepared, it would be in that file. and of course if it's a landmark then it'll be in we do have a list of all landmarks that's separate so what's been talked about here recently is creating or having that list or the desire to have it and I'm gonna turn it over to you I think it's but I think staff does think it's a great idea we don't have the manpower to do that but Again, I'm going to turn it over to you to discuss.

Well, we found out that it is in the address file. And then after talking to Commissioner Walker, I mean, Akins, he explained that he's been grabbing them out of his packet for years now. And why don't you tell them that?

And giving them to Wendy so she can maintain a folder. The other thing that I've tried to do, and I'm trying to get all my files in order, is that they're, you know, people are like, oh, it's going to take so much time to digitize. Well, all you do is you go to the package, you go print, PDF, and there it is. It's digitized.

Scan it, yeah.

Yeah, don't even have to scan it because it's already, you just print pages three through six as a PDF and then I save it that way. So it's fun, but you're right, the reports are amazing.

So it's important. We are discovering, like with Commissioner Neeson and I, realizing that the HRR that was done on the tennis tournament, it doesn't have the same style and information that we're used to and the format that we're used to now. but it gives a different type of story which is really unique in its own right so it's fascinating and to have a one central location would be really nice and then to have it go back to the new survey with a little check that there is one so somehow it's like circular would be really good

Does the city or the museum ever hire interns or you know pay an intern a minimal amount of money that could do this for us?

Actually when I was talking to the city manager that's what he mentioned he was like you know if you can get an intern or we can get somebody you know they have a they're in the process of digitizing a lot of other stuff right now so we could maybe be part of that but he seemed really supportive of that as well and I'm sure that I mean I think that we have a lot of people in our community and that are would be welcome you know willing to come and do a couple hours here and there you know so just start asking around if we needed it but we just want to make sure it's it's um we're not a bother to the city's staff and we're not in their way we're just you know doing our job and creating this so we'll just coordinate it really well But it's something we all want to do, right? Yeah. OK. So the next steps, what would be the next? It says discuss and formulate the next steps.

Well, I guess the next steps would be finding out who it is that would do that. To my knowledge, CDD doesn't have an intern, a paid intern program, or even a non-paid intern program. And certainly, the commission is welcome to come in and go through all the address files one by one. And then, of course, Commissioner Atkins does have some. it's really up to you I mean you really can come in and go through address files you can take turns and go through address files and see if there's an HRR we also have electronic files but unless you ask the council to direct staff to do it staff isn't able to do that

So if we started using our current survey and we started looking at the ones that were ones and threes on there and started looking at address files instead of just doing a million addresses, just stick with the few hundred that are ones and threes. then when we get the updated version then we could add that into it and then we that's how we could develop that list of who has it and and then make sure there we know it's not even if I mean I'm okay that it's just in the address file as long as we we know what it like so you know a list of addresses

Mm-hmm. Yeah, then the HRR doesn't have to be in that file, just the address. Exactly.

I'm happy to catalog what the museum has. So I'll bring that back to the next meeting.

And then that could be passed on to staff, and then we can put that in our Historic Preservation Commission file in our system.

Sure.

Okay so do we want to bring this back to the next meeting or do we want to what do we want to do do we want to have an ad hoc that goes through the the old survey and sees how many have HRRs You all have that survey so I mean I feel like you have to be involved Oh yeah no I think for me I'm thinking oh that would be amazing because again I love reading the HRRs and love reading things Do you want to just start with what you can come up with and then could bring it back and then just let us know what and then just let us know where you need help Sure Okay So Commissioner Atkins is gonna basically start this list and it's gonna come back to the next on the next agenda Okay, thank you. Thank you, Brian.

You're welcome.

OK. Now we are on item number seven, which is Ojai Day.

Yes. So questions were raised regarding tables and chairs and shade structures, I guess, for Ojai Day at the previous meeting. And staff has provided the HPC chair with the relevant city website and application to initiate the process. and also initiated a conversation in-house that hasn't taken place yet that has to do with fees but as far as tables and the shade structure that's on you no one is provided a table or a shade structure from the city every table out there brings their own

at last one of the meetings that we talked about it recently was we being frugal we asked Commissioner Walker if we can use this pop-up again and you said yes and then we asked Commissioner Akins if we can use your tables and chairs again and you said yes without charge by the way just so you know this is the 12th straight year this question has come up so yes okay so we we're okay on that and um we we know that where the fans are stored we have the banners which were made last year that were just so beautiful i'm going to be working with treasures of ohio again to get artifacts and a lot of their stuff there and i'm hoping that have you had any luck finding the the postcards

I haven't. I've got so many things going on besides building a new deck in 100-something degree temperatures.

Commissioner Walker has an amazing collection of postcards, and we used them last year, but they're currently MIA, but they're someplace.

Commissioner Akins.

I will never get used to not saying chair Eakins it still doesn't sound right to me so whenever I say commissioner doesn't so it's very funny okay so we the booth application I filled that out on We need to set up times but we could do that at our next meeting right We can put this on the next agenda to schedule yourselves yeah Because we'll have more commissioners here too and then the fans the banners and then we have I'm assuming that you're gonna want more than that but that was at least for starters

um yeah there's so on oid i have uh i reached out to richard sennett i talked to him a couple months ago he's the ghost then tura county ghost hunter legit um and so he is uh asked him if he could do what he did last year a year before um basically do a presentation a q a at 11 o'clock and then at two o'clock in the afternoon So he was good with that. Last year he had this following of about 10-year-old girls that had all kinds of questions for him. I also talked to Dwayne Bauer once. His wife gave me his number and he will have the police car that morning. Not sure if it's the same police car that's over there in that postcard, the print that you did on the sign, but he'll be there. i also put a phone call into lindy at public works and left a message with her i also saw the person that uh in public works that normally comes in and cleans it at uh jail key yeah yeah um and so yeah I'll get the gel key from them so I think we're covered there and then yeah chairs and tables and cooler because who knows how hot it will get so you'll get lucky again last year was really nice yeah Yeah. So anyway, it's always a fun time. It was so how busy was it last year at the jail? It was so busy that I never made it across the railroad tracks, let alone to I saw the fabulous booth that they did up on Ohio Avenue as I was going and coming. And it's just beautiful. So thank you.

The booth that we had as well was just cranking all day. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, We have the banners, those things. Do you need more of those? Do you think that's enough?

I don't know. I'll run over and check at the jail once I get the key.

I don't think we were passing those out for the last few years. I think we kind of ran out and then just didn't think to replace them. yeah half the time it's like oh my gosh we need 500 by tomorrow and sherry and staff managed to come up with them so yes i'll check the jail and see what we have in there and is there a way to what do you see do you want an information card or um what if somebody is interested like do we want to have signs up like uh sponsorship signs do we want to have a qr code that goes to um some sort of more information

The committee will think on that and come up with a plan to bring on that to our meeting next month So you'll have a place at the jail and then you'll have a place at our booth so we'll have two spots that we could have I think maybe the other the spot up you know downtown would be better for this do you think because there's already so much going on at the jail that I think it might split people's attention too much.

Yeah, I think with the number of people that you get on the street, you know, what we saw last year, oh, yeah, that's the best bang for the buck is to put it up in that area. I mean, we get a lot of people, but they're looking for ghosts.

Okay have we figured out about the money yet how we're supposed to deal with the contributions because if people come and they want to contribute even five dollars are we allowed to I think we'll have to come up with a plan and then we'll talk with the city as to what kind of contract I mean there must be something that when people donate for Ojai Day or for other events that the city sponsors

there must be some kind of a little contract that people get that spells out what what's included in their sponsorship and what isn't included and I'm just thinking general contributions if people just want to give a few dollars yeah well that could happen too I didn't realize you were gonna be putting out for that kind of a thing I think what we've only discussed the only thing that's been discussed thus far is sponsorship

So if you want to talk about donations as well, then we'll talk about both those topics.

I hadn't thought of it, but she mentioned it, and it sounds...

Well, there were so many people that came last year that were so excited about Ojai Day and people from my past. I mean, it was amazing. And they were so excited about Ojai and being back here and all of this that I just think people might, I mean, even if we got $200, it would be better than nothing. It would help install them.

Right.

Just a thought.

Well, the city will install them.

OK. Yeah. We'll help pay for them then.

Yeah.

Chair, a question on that for our councilwoman. So what we're trying to do on the signs and getting support, how does that intertwine with the discussion items that's been in the council on donating and naming things?

We were going to discuss that at Tuesday's meeting that was cancelled so we didn't discuss it so next week we can discuss it then I can get back let somebody know And we talked about it at that joint meeting and it seemed like the council was supportive of the idea I mean we're not naming things it you know we're not it's not

As long as it's not called the Ventura and Ojai, the Smith family No, no, there's no naming, it's just a sponsorship It's just a sponsorship, it should be okay

It was on our agenda Tuesday but we didn't get a chance to do it so I don't have any information that I could pass on on how you guys can go about to proceed with doing it so once I get the information I'll definitely I'll share it with you or whatever Is there a way like I remember when I was doing Ojai Day that we sold sponsorships for Ojai Day and a business could donate $1,000 and

we had a little contract that told what they got for that and they would also said that they didn't have the right to say what we did you know on ohi day but it was a little contract for them so there must do they still do that like for ohi day do they have a sponsorship package i'll send christy a text right now and i'll have an answer for you okay thank you thanks okay um please um let's

have this on the October agenda obviously and I think we're ready to move on okay now we're on to the What item is this? Item number eight. It's the maintenance and protection of city-owned landmarks. Do we have a staff report?

So on this item, Commissioner Visagia, he reported on graffiti tags at a specific location in the Arcade Plaza, and Commissioner Walker also commented on violations of outdoor seating violations of existing conditional use permits and staff wants you to know that that both of these items are being addressed by the Community Development Department Okay and I also noticed that they were building some structure there on their outdoor seating there's some kind of wooden structure that they're building and So I'm sorry, is this your report? And I don't know which address you're talking about.

The SAMS place on the outdoor seating. They actually are creating a structure out of wood there on their outdoor seating.

Thank you.

So I was walking there one day and then walking around that. It was after our last meeting to see what was going on. And I called and talked to Ida. And Ida had someone from the staff from the city who was actually going out there to take a look. OK. So.

Thank you. So I'll bring this to their attention tomorrow and see if that's what it was or what's happening. But we will look into that tomorrow.

OK. So are we on that item?

Yes. Do you have anything else to report?

Well, I was talking to Loran, and she was mentioning that she saw somebody painting the front of their store. And that's something we haven't.

So that was dealt with today. Thank you. Yeah. Commissioner Sims reported that, and code compliance officer went out and dealt with it. It is not a code compliance case because they took care of it right away.

OK.

They needed to get some type of a work permit before painting outside and the tenant wasn't even aware that their staff was doing it and so it was all a big mistake. It was being taken care of.

Because it is a landmark and we do have the requirement that they get a work permit.

Exactly. All painting outside needs to come here first and we have colors and so they were stopped right away.

Okay, thanks.

Anything else? How about you? Did you see anything on your walk?

I did not I went and looked at the Libby courts I didn't see any obvious signs of damage or disrepair or graffiti Every time I'm downtown I go over and check out the jail and I'll look at the plaque and

perfect so who knew and again they're going to clean up that area and typically when we're get there getting ready for Ohio Day if there's any kind of graffiti or you know difference then they'll repaint the building they've always been good about kind of the upgrade if needed so As for the museum, been doing a little pruning to expose the courtyard of the museum. Looks kind of like a courtyard if you went to one of the missions. So we've opened it a little bit and taken some of the brush that's there and cleaned it up. So it looks good. I like it.

Speaking of pruning, I cannot believe how fast on finding flea on the corner, how fast that's growing back.

How what?

The vine that grows up the side. Yeah. It's amazing.

I know every time they trim that back, people swear it's going to die, you know, and everybody's moaning and wailing, and then boom, it grows back so quickly. It's amazing.

Okay, does anybody have the post office? I mean is that part of this? No, it's all volunteer for that not city-owned. It's not yeah Oh, it's not city-owned. It's right the Civic Association.

That's right. Okay But you're welcome to just you know, if you see anything anywhere just It doesn't have to be it's just this way. It's like we all have a focus but Okay, I think we can move on to item number nine

Could I just say that I know Laurel isn't here and hasn't been here, but she does this building. And I think it's very nice that the Green Coalition, when they wrote up their final report and their proposal for the master plan, they did include this area behind here to be you know renovated and improved and to keep the historic nature of it so I think that's really a plus and I hope that they can work with the city because it's been a lot of years of deferred maintenance on on that area and it would really be nice if the city could step in and help to turn that into a beautiful area where people can picnic but also learn about the history of the The Smith-Hobson family and the buildings. So I know she would want to see that happen. Anyway.

OK, thank you. So now we're on to 109 Tiramino. Do we have a staff report?

Yes. So the subject here is ministerial review for ADUs. That's accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units pursuant to specific state government codes. So there was an currently an interior conversion proposed at 109 Tower Mina for the creation of a junior ADU and which is within the existing within the existing structure however exterior there's an access door that's required for a junior ADU and therefore there would be exterior modifications of an access door and also for this particular one there's also utility enclosure of 50 square feet or fewer than 50 square feet maybe it's even half of that so your staff report here in your packet includes specific state codes that are related to ADUs and JADUs but we also have John Cardenas here tonight who's part of our legal team, and he's going to go over certain parts of other parts of the ADU process, and he is online. Hi, John.

Thanks, Maura. Hopefully all of you can hear me. Good evening, everyone. In reviewing this item with Maura, it occurred to me in working with other municipalities that have wrestled with ministerial approvals that it would be useful just to spend a minute talking about the ministerial approval process and specifically ministerial approval for ADUs that California law provides for streamlined non discretionary processing, where the city must approve an application if it meets specific state mandated mandated criteria. So this is a state requirement, ministerial reviews essentially bypass subjective planning evaluations, meaning that the project must be approved if the plans comply with objective standards. And I think the memo that we prepared does a good job of laying out the dozen or so standards that apply to this particular project. What ministerial approval also means is that local jurisdictions can't require public hearings. So due to the pretty strict limitations around ministerial reviews, under California Government Code Section 6651, 323 the projects presented to you all tonight to the HPC as an informational item rather than a request for a discretionary approval. One last thing I'll say is that In addition, there's a public resources code section 21080 that provides a legislative exemption for ministerial projects from CEQA review. And the legislative exemption means that it applies without any exceptions. So since this is a qualifying ADU application that's reviewed ministerially, the approval is outside of CEQA. So I thought that was useful. I know ministerial review is still something that we're working through, but I wanted to mention that at the top of this issue. Thank you.

So we can come back here, but John's not going to go anywhere yet. If you have any questions for me or for John regarding the ministerial review,

Yes Commissioner Walker Oh yes I have a question because I looked up other cities and what they've done with this issue relating to ADUs and historic buildings and a lot of them have specifically worked in language into their own ADU law that at least helps to protect the historic buildings from just being damaged by by whatever design that the person wants to put in. And I understand that it has to be objective standards, so that makes it a little tough. But for example, one thing, and I'm not sure about this particular house, is that in the back of the building that they're doing the door?

It is at the rear.

Is it visible from the street?

I don't believe it is.

Because a lot of them make it a requirement for historic buildings that they be built in the back of the primary historic home or outside the visibility from the public right-of-way, and that's apparently under location they can do that. So is there a way that we can write that into our code to protect historic buildings by saying that if they want an ADU, they have to put it in the back or outside visibility? And then they also have other language that's objective. For example, they'll say the exterior siding material of the ADU must match the primary siding material of the historic main structure and material type. finish texture and dimension. And then there's things like that that enable the city to at least make sure that they're compatible with the historic building. And I'm not sure if we've done that in our code, but that would be nice to have whatever, if we could research what other cities like Pasadena and Glendale have done so that it allows the people to have an ADU but also protects the historic nature, particularly in a situation like this, which is a historic district, because generally you're more interested in what's visible from the public right of way anyway. So if they build something behind their main house, it wouldn't really impact the historic character as much.

So I'm going to let John talk about, perhaps, if he can, about what we can potentially do when we rewrite the section. But I will also tell you that we're due for an update for ADUs currently.

Yeah, no, I think that's the starting point. And Commissioner Walker, I think that's a great suggestion. in terms of looking at other cities' experiences and how they've addressed specifically historic districts. Having said that the objective standards are very limiting, I do think that there's room to look into it and research where Like you're saying, if it's a concern about having the ADUs in the back of the unit, that's a specific concern that we can track down. A lot of the questions that I see are extremely fact dependent. I think as we go forward in looking at a revision, an amendment to the ordinance, collecting the circumstances and situations that are relevant for Ojai is an important discussion to have.

Okay, great. That'd be fine.

Thank you.

She got a question?

Yes. So it was brought to my attention by a friend of mine whose family actually was given a land grant and they still own it up off El Capitan. The family had a home on El Paseo and she came down to visit and it was built in 1930 and it is a historic home. And it now has an ADU in front of it that is extremely modern. And the house was a beautiful Mediterranean. She brought me the house plans, which I just gave to Commissioner Walker to look at. And I'm just wondering, this was outlined as a one under our category of historic on our historic resources survey.

how could this happen and is it allowed that this structure is in the front yard of this historic home Well that's a good can I comment on that some of the places that I looked they only applied to designated historic buildings because if it involves you're having to determine if it's historic after they've applied, then wouldn't that violate the ministerial? I mean, you couldn't take a house that was a one on our survey, which just means it's potentially historic, and require them to follow some different rule. But if there is a way, that would be great if we had that freedom.

It sounds like in that specific situation, it sort of happened out of sequence, almost, that

I just wonder if anybody in the city looked to see whether it was a historic building or not that I really think it's important that these things I know ADUs are becoming you know grandfathered or whatever you want to call it they're built now anytime anybody seems to want one and I understand that but if if you're doing it to a structure that could potentially be historic And you know that it is. I think that there needs to be a pause to just take a look and say, hey, wait a minute, before we say go right ahead, to be able to at least bring it to maybe this body to look at it. Because now we basically destroyed this beautiful home.

Well, also like Ventura County, I live in the county, and they have the limitation that the ADU has to be within the envelope of the original house, like the one that you're talking about, that it can't be.

That's a JADU, not an ADU.

A JADU. But I think even the ADUs, right, they have.

A detached ADU is a detached structure.

I mean, that's in the city of Ojai, but the county. Oh, I don't know. So I'm just saying if there's a way that you could say if it's a historic building, it has to be within the framework of an existing part of the house, that would be great.

So this is something that you said we're due for an update on this. And so we're working on it. So if you could kind of keep those comments in mind. Oh, certainly. And let's get back to what we have to do tonight. I do have one question. Is it because this was a last minute item that we got it on our online packet, but not in our actual packet? Our physical packet, just the one page?

I think what you received on, did you receive plans and an application in your packet?

No, we just got the administrative report on our packet.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So you received this memo. It's just this. Right. You received this memo. But where else is there something else that you're talking about?

If you go under the city and you go under the HPC packet and you click on it, then it's the full thing.

Well, that's interesting.

I'll have to look into that. Okay. I was just wondering because I know that this was kind of the... We had already met and this wasn't on it. So I thought maybe it was because it was...

No it's not because it was rushed I really don't know why it's there and not here I do know that I mean because it was ministerial there's not even comments that are going to go anywhere except well into the HPC records you know which which is not not that that's nowhere but it wouldn't affect the um the outcome of the um ministerial review yeah well maybe just for environmental purposes when something like this is happening maybe on the bottom of that can just say for full packet information go on to the website Thank you for bringing that up I'll look into why it was here not here but there I just appreciate the fact that they put it within the framework of the original house and that it's towards the back of the house so it it doesn't hurt the view of it from the street And you know that because you looked online at the packet

I did, yeah.

Okay. Has anybody else looked at the packet? Okay.

I didn't look in the packet. I did call and talk to John Lambert this morning. So he was aware of the project. I guess it was a room, and then they're turning it into the JADU. And he said, yeah, I think they're having put a door on the back side, but we can't see it. So it was just kind of a heads up.

They're required by the state to have access to the outside. Yeah. Yeah.

okay well thank you thank you for we don't have any other we don't really commenting we're just accepting it moving along yes yes so number 10 which is the education update I just wanted to Remind everybody that we were going to have a presentation tonight with the fire battalion chief and it's going to be hopefully in the next month or so and but there's an upcoming part of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissioners that's an education that I think that if we all watched it before having him come speak, I think we're going to have a lot better questions for him. This is National Preparation Month and it's on Tuesday, September 15th, and it's practical approaches to public engagement that can help communities prepare for and respond to a wide range of disasters. Participants will learn how to identify key partners and stakeholders, explore effective ways to inform and engage the public, educate decision makers, and use public awareness as a powerful tool for disaster preparedness and recovery. It's drawing on the experience of working with communities affected by flooding and wildfires. The presenters will share real-world examples and strategies that can be adopted to different hazards and the unique needs of priorities of communities around preservation in our county. our city so if you can take time to watch that even if you can't watch it when it's happening if you sign up for it then you can watch it at a later time it would be I think good for to be more informed when we have our speaker

And can I ask if we can have this also shared by the new Public Safety Commission that's what it's called right Larry because my husband is on that and he said this would be good If they would like to have that they can ask for it How do they do that This group does a great job in their webinars they're fabulous

So Larry let's touch base tomorrow I don't know if our registration with this organization allows us to go beyond just the HPC or not but I'll get in touch with you I don't know if you're interested I just know Ray was

And since we're paying a subscription fee to this organization, I would think that the whole, you know, certain other people would be... Yeah, I have no idea.

I think, I mean, all of your names are, and staff's names are with the subscription. But perhaps it's for the whole city, and all the commissions will be welcome. So I have to look into that.

Okay, super. Thanks. Okay. And now we're on item 11, which is... Oh, one second. Did you, did anybody else go to any other...

Education things you want to mention Another one I can't even now remember what it was it was really good California the preservation foundation it was it was fabulous their last one and the one that was through the tunnel in Oakland that was fascinating too I mean their things are just amazing And once they do them they go up on their website so if you want to watch them at a later date we're all signed up to to do that And then Craig your dad's thing that you shared about the house down in Los Angeles that was amazing I really enjoyed that It's an incredible house

okay now we're on future agenda items anybody see anything uh under under um the active ad hocs do you want to put that what brian is working i don't know if it's an ad hoc or for the um gathering the the hrrs like where would that go on here no active ad hocs Can it be one man? Is it an ad hoc? Can it be a one man ad hoc?

Or is it just Brian? If you'd like us to add this, we can.

So Lorraine just volunteered to help Brian going through city files. So let's do have it be an ad hoc yeah okay Can we put under active ad hoc Sim Akins and Sims yes okay perfect and we have Ojai Day do we have that is that deck gonna come the foothill deck we don't know okay

we haven't received a historic resources report they just haven't moved forward as soon as they found out that that they needed that report so

I know that we wanted to bring the school district back but I think we wanted to let them have a little time so can we put that on November just as a placeholder we can always take it off if we have time to meet and and come up with some ideas or resources for that I just promised I would always give them plenty of notice anything else that's future so when this company comes back with these things these the you know the trail markers how

is the city going to be ready can we scooch in there in front of other things to or do we be put on a long list of well i think commissioner walker has been working with um with the public works yeah i worked with wendy i'm going to defer to him she just said to give her uh keep her informed about when they're going to arrive and that she would then create the work plan to install them it's not a really huge job to do that to put them in they're just two posts that go down on the ground with a little concrete so i'm sure our public works is very skilled at doing that they're they're definitely able to do it but putting it on the schedule is is yeah that's what she said so i'm going to keep them updated well in advance so that she can put them on the schedule okay so um

They're not going to be for Ojai day but on Ojai day we're going to be talking about them so should we put them on a future agenda item of maybe some sort of celebration ribbon-cutting walk or something that

We bring it back to like hone in on a date so do you think November or December like January like when do you think Well we set the artwork in today and they said they have a five-week turnaround so that takes us right into yeah November I guess We get that on the November one as well too

I know that we always have an update with Craig, but something that's a little bit more formal that we invite people and could that be part of his update?

To talk about having some type of an event like that? Absolutely yeah so that could be part of his update so we don't have to have separate We can invite the folks from Ventura up too because we want them to see it and be motivated to continue the work down towards Ventura with the project We can you know advertise it however and and more the way we did the plaque you know just I think that was in the paper even just so yeah

does anybody have anything else they want to add okay now how about commissioner comments then anybody have any commissioner comments i do commissioner akins have a commissioner comment so uh i've been working on the uh city of ohio our edward german libby city of ohio city beautiful award uh at the last meeting we basically had looked at the package uh made some last minute adjusted adjustments to eliminate history so it wouldn't be confused of this and the historical award. And so I finished that. It was to take it to council. I waited to see if someone was going to set that time with the council. So I attend the mayor's brown bag on the first Monday or last month. It was the first Tuesday I ended up talking to him after that meeting about Talking talking with the City Council about this and he said you just need to talk to Weston Get with Weston and he'll schedule a meeting for you to where you can come and you can talk with them And and I you know, I told him what we were just a gist of what we were trying to do SO TUESDAY NIGHT I BROKE AWAY happily broke away from the new deck that we're putting in at 107 degrees and rushed up here only to find out the meeting had been canceled. Four people told me on the way up the steps. I said I only needed to talk to Weston. I talked to Weston about setting the date. Everything's tentative. because he doesn't know the schedule and and again what I was doing and basically a presentation and he said well we'll put down the 22nd as kind of a placeholder and then I got an email uh and so so we were good um no issues and i got a placeholder basically saying that uh i requested an upcoming council agenda request for a new award proof to council presentation section on the agenda this item requires council action uh again i've been 12 years at council but uh I'm not going to assume that we're going to put something up there. They're going to do it all in one night and say yes. I would hope for that, but never assuming that. So got an email back from West End saying, that requires council action. Please utilize the three-minute commission reports agenda section, always available to you on every regular day. Meeting an agenda to begin to begin notifying the council of this upcoming request and then he stated and and through all of this since the report I've actually Been keeping that the chair updated on what's going on and in fact I had sent her a couple of communications saying that I was going to go to the meeting Tuesday night and I was going to try to see if we could set a date for the 22nd and I wanted to make sure she the chair was going to be around because I've been trying to work with the chair through this whole thing Martin and then Weston Marr and I have scheduled this item on upcoming December 8th regular meeting to be before Council all powerpoints and materials will need to be provided by November 27th for inclusion and yeah again this was a very brief conversation with weston that night the meeting had already been canceled he wanted to go home to his to his kids and so then mara jumped in she said for the december 8th council meeting staff will prepare a very brief introduction type staff report with attachments to be prepared by the hbcl presentation materials as well as will be prepared by the HPC. On the presentation materials, as I talked to Weston, I said the presentation materials had already been reviewed by the commission and we're going to take the information straight out of that. So there wasn't really a whole lot of presentation materials that had to be put together. And one of my questions was, let's see, for the December 8th council meeting, staff will prepare a very brief introduction type staff report with attachments to be prepared by the HPC. Two things. December 8th was a new date to me. Fortunately, I don't have anything scheduled. And a very brief type staff report. nowhere in there was any inclusion that I was going to be involved in any of this preparation for council and I'm the one that's been you know working all year long through difficulties and so that was a bit irritating to me so So right now I'm at a December 8th date and, you know, in talking with Weston that night, I said I think I have been to more December things that take place than perhaps all of you combined in the 12 years I've been there for that. So I've been there, went there. HPC is doing the presentation unfortunately usually we're following Smitty which does it fabulous I've always said never put me behind Smitty he's just a fun guy on the 8th also they will be and this is something that we had talked about that I was trying to beat The elections will have taken place and oftentimes on that night, they're switching council seats too and different things. So I've been to a few of those and I know they're kind of hectic. And so I'm just kind of not sure where I'm at and where getting this to council is. And so that's why I brought it up tonight.

So I would still like to bring it into just Commissioner comments first just to have them know what's coming on in September and maybe we could accomplish more than we think then because that December meeting you're right I mean it is such a distracting there's the families of you know there's things happening we try to do our awards during that it's always just like chaotic

yes so so on the awards I asked Weston has anybody talked to you about doing the awards in December and he said no I haven't heard anything on on awards I know we're just finalizing you know the the step here but uh understanding how the second week of December is hectic it's something that you know try to uh get a marker in there, at least your foot at the door for being able to be there. But you're right, I've done that several years, because again, all of those things take place.

So let's just, I mean, I'm not going to throw out a December date because we have somebody looking at a December date. Let's keep it. But let's just keep going with our September 22nd, 23rd, whatever that date is, to just at least tell them, give them the packet, tell them what we're doing so it's

So yes I'm happy to do a commissioner report the other thing that got complicated with the cancellation is that a large item that was supposed to be reviewed Tuesday night has now been postponed two weeks to the 22nd

I don't have much to say but I was those are absolutely beautiful and I'm sure you guys have thought because I was thinking how nice it would be to have smaller versions like to take all of them when they're done and have them compiled in a book would be a wonderful thing just my two cents thank you guys for all you do I appreciate you

How do you feel about us coming to like the because it would be in the beginning of the meeting because it's Commissioner Commons so we'd be in and out and at least presenting the packet explaining what it is so at least you're going home with the information so then when it gets to come back it's not like we're starting from scratch

I think that would be nice. The more time you can have something to review and take notes and all of that, I think, the better. So I think that would be nice. So I'll plan on doing that.

With no pressure to you.

And then I also wanted to say, too, with your little chore that you have with cataloging things, if it's not really involved or whatever, I would help. So reach out, let me know.

like I'm with Lorraine you have to educate me first and then her and I we could do it we could do the city together and he could do the museum yeah so whatever I'm willing to help so just reach out thank you one of the things that Commissioner Aikens said as far as that staff you said it a couple times about the brief staff report from staff and then all the presentation materials would be done by the HPC so this is the HPC's project to do a new award the City Beautiful Award it's 100% on you however it needs to be brought forward somehow and so that's where staff comes in to just write kind of the reports that I give you here it's just kind of a basic outline and then and then you take over and so If there's whatever materials you're going to have, you're going to want to work together, an ad hoc committee or whatever, to get it down to something really smooth, whether it's a PowerPoint presentation or not. and to then take over and give your own presentation at the council meeting what staff is going to do is just kind of introduce you and then as a star you will come out and present your what you want to do with this city beautiful award does that make sense because it sounded like you were like whoa wait a minute why is staff just doing a very brief report

That's what it said It'll be one of these it'll be a little tiny thing that just introduces the star and then you take off So the other thing was the fact that I don't do PowerPoints I could find those out to my kids You and I can pull this together Again, it's going to be she and I were going to go through everything before I took it any place outside of that. Sure. We've been discussing that. So any information that was part of that presentation has already been reviewed and approved by this commission.

Correct. That's great. But it's still something that will be put together again and not put together by staff. It's going to be put together by the HBC. And the seven of you will gather all that information. And of course, we'll make sure that it gets to me, and then I'm going to get it to Weston. But you're going to be the one that makes sure that this is everything that you want them to see. I think what if I can ask if this is what you're thinking is that you're thinking it your presentation has to come back here for us to approve it before yeah and it doesn't I know I didn't I didn't say it has to come back here but I said that there are seven of you to get it together and make sure that it gets to staff it doesn't have to come back to this body doesn't have to come back here Brian

So what I was saying is again that everything that I did or might propose to go to beyond this commission because the components had been approved by this commission is running by the chair

and we can bring it to once we get done with whatever we feel we're ready to go we can still bring it to one more person and still not be within our brown act violation we can bring it to kim we and our liaison and we can bring it to one more commissioner and still be within our without having to come back to the full commission because we don't need to do that

but at least if maybe we need an outside perspective we do have other people we can we can go to and not have to bring it back here again Right and you're not on and you're not flying out there on your own I mean you know Weston and and I will be there if it's a PowerPoint presentation that we're gonna have on a drive and we're gonna push the buttons for you you know next slide next slide as you speak to it if in fact it's a PowerPoint it doesn't have to be No. But just whatever it is that you provide, we have to then make sure we get it into a council packet. And so it's going to take collaboration. Staff's going to get it there, but all the info except the very brief report is on you. But not you, it's seven of you. That's the easy part. Yeah, my part is the easy part. No, my part's the easy part.

So your part's the easy part, okay. It's walking through this, that's the hard part. That's the email that you sent out.

If you ever have any questions on emails that I send you, please call me or email me. I did call. Did I answer? No answer. Did you leave a message?

I left a message. And I get a phone call from Weston saying that you had called Mara. Mara's asked me to call you, and Weston thought somehow he was in trouble.

It all had to do with the dates Brian but you know that I'm there for you and I'm sorry that I passed the phone on to Weston but it had to do with City Council dates and I don't deal with those Weston does so but I am available to all of you and you know maybe a few hours as as chair knows she called me the other day and I called her you know within the same business day right

Just if anybody ever needs help with PowerPoints or formatting stuff like that, I can definitely help with that. So please reach out to me because I do a lot of that. Excellent. Good to know. Thank you.

Okay. Are we done?

I'd like to...

I'd like to just point out that Larry mentioned that the book that he bought on Ojai history was revised by myself and Elise Dupuit, and she moved to Arizona, but we partnered on an article that's in the new Ojai magazine that you might find interesting. It's on Rory Calhoun, the the actor who lived here in Ojai. If you grew up in Ojai during the 50s, 60s, or 70s like I did, you remember that over the arcade was a neon sign that had a picture of a rooster with a big wagon wheel that spun around. And it was right above the hub on top of the arcade. And that's when the hub was owned by Rory Calhoun, and he and his wife would put on shows there. So it's a really interesting, entertaining article about an Ojai resident from the past. Thank you.

Yes, my wife remembers that fondly. She remembers? Yeah, because she grew up here. Yeah. So, yeah.

Nice. She's not old enough, though.

I won't say anything because she's 20 days older than I am and I don't want to give away how old I am Are we done we're done okay thank you