There is hereby established in the City a Planning Commission
consisting of five members. The Mayor, a rotating Councilmember as
determined by the City Clerk, and the Commission Chair shall nominate
each Commissioner, which must be ratified by the approval of a majority
of the full City Council. All Commission appointments are non-political
appointments. Three members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum,
without regard to residency. At least two members shall be chosen
from persons having distinctly separate training and experience from
the fields of architecture, art, building construction, civil engineering,
land use planning, land use law, urban planning, or landscape design.
While it is preferred that all members of the Commission have primary
residence and be domiciled within the City, a maximum of two members
of the Commission may have primary residence and be domiciled outside
the City, if determined necessary by the City Council to appoint Commissioners
with specialized expertise. All members must live within the Ojai
Area of Interest, as defined by the Ventura County Local Agency Formation
Commission.
(§ 1, Ord. 584, eff. June 26, 1980, as amended by § 1, Ord.
785, eff. November 25, 2005, § 1, Ord. 894, eff. April 25, 2019, and § 1, Ord. 946, eff. December 28, 2023)
Except as otherwise provided in this section, the members of
the Planning Commission shall be appointed for terms of four years,
expiring at the first regular City Council meeting in May, as provided
below. Members shall hold office upon the expiration of their terms
until their successors have been nominated and confirmed. If a mid-term
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 who has been appointed
to fill a mid-term vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of
the unexpired term. 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.
(§ 1, Ord. 584, eff. June 26, 1980, as amended by § 1, Ord.
619, eff. April 26, 1984, § 2, Ord. 785, eff. November 25, 2005, § 3, Ord. 843, eff. August 22, 2014, § 2, Ord. 894, eff. April 25, 2019, and § 2, Ord. 946, eff. December 28, 2023)
The Planning Commission shall elect its chair and vice-chair
from among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not
be a member of the Commission. Such officers shall be chosen for a
period of one year. In the absence or disability of either the chair,
vice-chair, or secretary, the Commission may designate a chair or
secretary pro tempore. Meetings of the Commission shall be held at
least once a month at such times and places as the Commission may
fix by resolution. The Commission may hold special meetings in the
manner provided by law. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings and
copies thereof shall be delivered by the secretary of the Commission
to the City Clerk for inclusion in the Council agenda and packet within
10 days after the approval thereof. No member of the Commission shall
receive compensation for his or her services as a member, but the
Council shall fix the amount of compensation, if any, to be paid to
the secretary.
(§ 1, Ord. 584, eff. June 26, 1980, as amended by § 3, Ord.
785, eff. November 25, 2005)
The Planning Commission shall have the following powers and
duties:
(a) To act in an advisory capacity in all matters pertaining to the development
and modification of streets, parks, and public or private structures
and buildings, housing, schools, grounds, vacant lots, and all other
matters pertaining to the General Plan of the City, and to recommend
to the Council plans for future growth, development, and beautification
of the City;
(b) To advise and recommend to the Council plans for securing to the
City and its inhabitants proper service of all public utilities, proper
sanitation, and transportation facilities;
(c) To recommend to the Council approval, conditional approval, or disapproval
of tentative maps of proposed subdivisions of land. The Council designates
the Planning Commission as its advisory agency with respect to the
design and improvement of proposed subdivisions. Every such map or
plat shall, prior to its final approval or disapproval by the Council,
be submitted to the Commission for action thereon;
(d) To do all things necessary, by majority vote, to carry out the provisions of Title
10 (including Conditional Use Permit requests, Variances, Concept Reviews, Design Review Permit requests, and Tree Permits), other applicable provisions of this Code, and the provisions of the CA Conservation and Planning Act (California
Government Code Section 65006 et seq.), as amended from time to time;
(e) To perform such other duties and functions as may be delegated by
the Council.
(§ 1, Ord. 584, eff. June 26, 1980, as amended by § 4, Ord.
785, eff. November 25, 2005, and § 2, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)
The Planning Commission shall not incur any expense for the
preparation of maps and/or plats or for any other purpose, but shall
file its recommendations and requests in such matters with the Council,
which shall incur in the name of the City in the manner provided by
law such indebtedness as the Council shall deem proper in the premises
and as authorized in the annual budget.
(§ 1, Ord. 584, eff. June 26, 1980, as amended by § 5, Ord.
785, eff. November 25, 2005, and § 3, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)