(a) 
The Parks and Recreation Commission shall be composed of seven members, or such lesser number as may be appointed by the City Council. The Commission shall also include one nonvoting youth member, who shall be a full-time high school student living within the boundaries of the Ojai Unified School District.
(b) 
Commissioners shall be nominated and appointed through the following process:
(1) 
A nominating committee comprised of the following three members shall nominate each Commissioner for confirmation by the City Council: the Mayor; a rotating City Councilmember, as determined by the City Clerk; and the Commission Chair, or the Vice-Chair if the Chair's office is under consideration within two months of the nomination. The youth member shall be nominated by the Mayor, confirmed by the approval of a majority of the full City Council, and will be a nonvoting member.
(2) 
If any member of the nominating committee affirmatively declines to participate in the nomination process, then their seat shall be forfeit and the next person, as appropriate and as determined by the City Clerk shall participate on the nominating committee instead: the next rotating Councilmember, as determined by the City Clerk; the Chair, Vice-Chair, or Commission member; or the Mayor Pro Tem for the Mayor.
(3) 
The nominating committee shall interview each applicant under consideration together, virtually or in person, before selecting a nominee for City Council confirmation.
(4) 
The nominating committee must unanimously decide each nominee for confirmation by a majority vote of all members of the City Council. No nominee shall be submitted to the City Council for confirmation without unanimous support of the nominating committee.
(5) 
If a nominee fails to garner a majority vote of the full City Council, then the applicable nominating committee shall meet again to consider and propose a new nominee for confirmation by the City Council in accordance with the process in this section. This process shall repeat until a nominee is confirmed by a majority vote of the full City Council.
(c) 
All Commission appointments are non-political appointments. While it is preferred that all members of the Commission have primary residence and be domiciled within the City, a maximum of three members of the Commission may have primary residence and be domiciled outside the City. All members must live within the Ojai Area of Interest, as defined by the Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission.
(§ 2, Ord. 213, as amended by § 1, Ord. 242, eff. January 7, 1959, § 1, Ord. 273, eff. February 23, 1961, § 1, Ord. 372, eff. September 7, 1966, Part 1, Ord. 520, eff. June 24, 1976, § 1, Ord. 687, eff. September 27, 1991, § 1, Ord. 709, eff. August 24, 1995, § 1, Ord. 845, eff. September 26, 2014, § 1, Ord. 895, eff. April 25, 2019, § 2, Ord. 909, eff. September 25, 2020, and § 1, Ord. 949, eff. December 28, 2023; Ord. 956, eff. 7/11/2024; Ord. 966, 4/22/2025, eff. 5/22/2025)
The members of the Parks and Recreation Commission shall, subject to the conditions set forth in this section, be nominated and confirmed to the following terms:
(a) 
All members of the Parks and Recreation Commission, other than the youth member, shall be appointed for terms of four years.
(b) 
The youth member shall be appointed for a term of two years; and can be appointed for a maximum of two terms.
(c) 
All members shall hold office until their successors have been appointed and qualified. If a mid-term vacancy occurs, the nominating committee may nominate their replacement to fill the remainder of the original term in accordance with the process in Section 2-4.102(b) and which must be confirmed by a majority of the full Council. Where feasible, the members of the nominating committee used to nominate the member whose seat is vacated shall be used to nominate their replacement. Where members of such nominating committee are no longer in office or otherwise unavailable to serve on the nominating committee to fill the vacant seat, the seat shall be filled by the following, as appropriate: the next rotating Councilmember, as determined by the City Clerk; the Mayor Pro Tem if the Mayor is unable to serve on the nominating committee; or the sitting Chair, or the Vice-Chair if the Chair's office is under consideration within two months of the nomination. A person appointed to fill a vacancy on the Commission shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(d) 
A Commissioner may be removed from office by the following process: two City Councilmembers must advise the City Manager of their intent to place an item on an upcoming City Council agenda to consider the removal of a Commissioner. The City Manager must then contact the Commissioner to advise him/her of that notification, and to provide the Commissioner with at least seven days' advance notice of any agendized City Council discussion regarding the possible Commissioner removal. The Commissioner may choose to resign or object to the proposed action. Commissioners serve "at will" and may be removed for any reason. The Commissioner shall be given an opportunity to speak to the full City Council at the agendized public meeting if they wish to do so, before consideration of their removal. After completing this process, any Commissioner may be removed by majority City Council vote at a regular City Council meeting.
(e) 
The terms of members of the Commission shall expire at the second regular City Council meeting of May. Appointments will be for four years, except for the youth member, who shall be appointed for two years. The term of the youth member of the Commission shall expire at the second regular Council meeting in May of every other year. In the absence of specific rules of order and procedures, the conduct of such meetings shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Rosenberg's Rules of Order. Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, without regard to residency.
(§ 3, Ord. 213, as amended by § 2, Ord. 242, eff. January 7, 1959, § 1, Ord. 273, eff. February 23, 1961, § 1, Ord. 372, eff. September 7, 1966, Part 1, Ord. 493, eff. June 27, 1974, § 1, Ord. 620, eff. May 17, 1984, § 2, Ord. 687, eff. September 27, 1991, § 1, Ord. 843, eff. August 22, 2014, § 2, Ord. 895, eff. April 25, 2019, § 3, Ord. 909, eff. September 25, 2020, and § 2, Ord. 949, eff. December 28, 2023; Ord. 956, eff. 7/11/2024)
The Parks and Recreation Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) 
To act in an advisory capacity to the Council on all matters pertaining to recreation programs and facilities. (Recreation facilities include, but are not limited to, parks, buildings, trails, bike paths and open space.)
(b) 
To become knowledgeable about the general field of recreation, the programs and facilities provided by other agencies and organizations within the area, and the needs of City recreation program participants and recreation facility users.
(c) 
To receive input from current and potential recreation program participants and recreation facility users regarding the recreation program and facility needs of the Community.
(d) 
To periodically review the Recreation Element of the General Plan and such master plans and facility plans as are deemed advisable, and make recommendations to the City Council.
(e) 
To periodically review recreation policies of the City, and make recommendations to the City Council.
(f) 
To participate in the annual review of the proposed budget as it relates to recreation programs and facilities, and make recommendations to the City Council.
(g) 
To participate in the annual review of the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan as it relates to recreation facilities, and make recommendations to the City Council.
(h) 
To participate in the annual review of City fees as it relates to recreation programs and facilities, and make recommendations to the City Council.
(i) 
To make recommendations to promote participation in recreation programs and use of recreation facilities.
(j) 
To report fully to the public through the Council on all of the activities of the Commission at least once each year, and at such other times as may be required by the Council or requested by the Commission.
(§ 1, Ord. 273, eff. February 23, 1961, as amended by § 1, Ord. 372, eff. September 7, 1966, repealed and replaced by § 2, Ord. 845, eff. September 26, 2014)
The Parks and Recreation Commission shall elect from among its members a Chair and a Vice-Chair and may appoint a Secretary who need not be a member of the Commission. The Commission shall also create such committees as it deems necessary to the performance of its duties and may delegate to such committees such investigations, studies, and other administrative duties as it deems advisable.
(§ 5, Ord. 213, as amended by § 1, Ord. 273, eff. February 23, 1961, and § 1, Ord. 372, eff. September 7, 1966)