A Parks and Recreation Commission is hereby established for the City.
(§ 1, Ord. 213, as amended by § 1, Ord. 273, eff. February 23, 1961, and § 1, Ord. 372, eff. September 7, 1966)
The Parks and Recreation Commission shall be composed of seven members and one nonvoting youth member, who shall be a full-time high school student living within the boundaries of the Ojai Unified School District. The Mayor, a rotating Councilmember as determined by the City Clerk, and the Commission Chair shall nominate each Commissioner, ratified by the approval of a majority of the full City Council. All Commission appointments are non-political appointments. The youth member shall be nominated by the Mayor, ratified by the approval of a majority of the full City Council, and will be a nonvoting member. 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)
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 midterm vacancy occurs, the Mayor, a rotating Councilmember as determined by the City Clerk, and the Commission Chair may nominate a new Commissioner to fill the remaining term, which must be ratified by the approval of a majority of the full Council. 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)
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)