Article 29 — Public Hearings

Ojai Municipal Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-09-27 · Ojai

§ 10-2.2901. Purpose of article.¶

The purpose of Title 10, Chapter 2, Article 29 (Public Hearings) is to specify procedures for hearings before the Council, Commission, and Director and appeals of any requirement, decision, or determination made by the Commission or Director.

(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 95, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

§ 10-2.2902. Hearing and notice.¶

When an amendment, appeal, entitlement, or other matter requires a public hearing, the public shall be provided notice of the hearing in compliance with State law (Government Code Sections 65090, 65091,65094 and 66451.3 and Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq.).

(a) Notice of a public hearing shall include:
- (1) The date, time, and place of the hearing, the name of the hearing body, and the telephone number and street address of the Department where an interested person may call or visit to receive additional information;
- (2) A general explanation of the matter to be considered and a general description, in text and/or by diagram, of the location of the property that is the subject of the hearing;
- (3) A statement that persons wishing to be heard on the matter may attend and be heard; and
- (4) If a proposed negative declaration or final environmental impact report has been prepared for the project in compliance with the City's and/or CEQA's environmental review procedures, the notice shall include a statement that the hearing body shall also consider approval of the proposed negative declaration or certification of the final environmental impact report.
(b) Notice of a public hearing required by this article for an amendment, appeal, or entitlement shall be given as follows, as required by State law (Government Code Sections 65090, 65091, 65094, and 66451.3, and Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq.).

(1) Mailing.

(A) Notice shall be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing, through the United States mail with postage prepaid, to:
- (i) The owner(s) of the property being considered or the owner's agent, and the applicant(s);
- (ii) Each local agency expected to provide schools, water, or other essential facilities or services to the project, whose ability to provide the facilities and services may be significantly affected;
- (iii) All owners of real property as shown on the County's latest equalized assessment roll, and all occupants, within a 300 foot radius of the subject parcel; and

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City of Ojai, CA § 10-2.2902

OJAI CODE

§ 10-2.2905

(iv) Any person who has filed a written request for notice with the Director and has paid the fee established by the City's fee resolution for the notice.
(B) The 300 foot radius shall be measured from the exterior boundaries of the subject parcel to the exterior boundaries of the neighboring parcels, without reference to structures existing on either parcel(s) in the following manner:
- (i) Notification boundaries shall always include all parcels on both sides of interior residential streets; and
- (ii) For proposed projects fronting on major arterial streets or highways the 300 foot radius shall not include the width of the adjoining right-of-way but shall be measured entirely from the opposite side of the arterial street or highway.

(2) If the notice is mailed as required above, the notice shall also either be:
(A) Published at least once in a local newspaper of general circulation within the City at least 10 days before the hearing; or
- (B) Posted at least 10 days before the hearing in at least three public places in the City, in compliance with the Department's handout on public hearing requirements.
(c) If the number of property owners to whom notice would be mailed is more than 1,000, the Director may choose to provide the alternative notice allowed by State law (Government Code Section 65091(a)(4)).
(d) In addition to the types of notice required by subsections (b) and (c) above, the Director may provide additional notice with content or using a distribution method as the Director or Commission determines is necessary or desirable (e.g., use of a greater radius for notice, on the Internet).

(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 96, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

§ 10-2.2903. Neighborhood meeting encouraged.¶

(a) A neighborhood meeting or conceptual review is strongly encouraged before the scheduled public hearing to identify potential community impacts and concerns relating to the proposed project.
(b) The appropriate procedures for the neighborhood meeting shall be defined by the Director.
(c) Public notice of a conceptual review is required, in compliance Title 10, Chapter 2, Article 29 (Public Hearings).
(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 97, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

§ 10-2.2904. Director's investigation/written report.¶

The Director shall investigate all of the pertinent facts relating to the application in order to provide the written information necessary for action in compliance with these Zoning Regulations and the General Plan. The Director shall provide the written report, containing a recommendation and the required findings, to the Commission. (§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004)

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City of Ojai, CA

PLANNING AND ZONING

§ 10-2.2905

§ 10-2.2907

§ 10-2.2905. Hearing procedure.¶

(a) Hearings shall be held at the date, time, and place for which notice has been given in compliance with Title 10, Chapter 2, Article 29 (Public Hearings).
(b) The summary minutes shall be prepared and made part of the permanent case file.
(c) Any hearing may be continued:
- (1) If a hearing cannot be completed on the scheduled day, the presiding review authority member, before the adjournment or recess of the hearing, may continue the hearing by publicly announcing the date, time and place to which the hearing will be continued (i.e., a "date certain"). Additional notice for a hearing to a date certain shall not be required.
- (2) If a hearing cannot be completed on the scheduled day, the presiding review authority member, before the adjournment or recess of the hearing, may alternatively continue the hearing by publicly announcing the hearing will be continued to an undetermined date and time (i.e., a "date uncertain" or "off calendar"). Additional notice is required for such a continuance once a new hearing date and time has been determined.
(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 98, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

§ 10-2.2906. Notice of decision—Director.¶

(a) The Director shall announce and record the decision at the conclusion of the scheduled public hearing, if one is required. The decision shall contain applicable findings and any conditions of approval imposed by the Director. Following the hearing, a notice of the decision and any conditions of approval shall be mailed to the applicant at the address shown upon the application.
(b) Included within this mailing shall be a City-prepared letter for the applicant to sign, acknowledging that the applicant is in full concurrence/understanding with the final conditions of approval. The applicant shall return the signed acknowledgment within 10 days.
(c) The decision of the Director shall be final unless appealed to the Commission. (§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004)

§ 10-2.2907. Notice of decision—Commission.¶

(a) The Commission shall announce and record its decision at the conclusion of the scheduled public hearing. The decision shall contain the action of the Commission, including all findings, conditions of approval, and reporting/monitoring requirements deemed necessary to mitigate any effects and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the City.
(b) Following the Commission hearing, a notice of the decision and any conditions of approval shall be mailed to the applicant at the address shown upon the application.
(c) Included within this mailing shall be a City-prepared letter for the applicant to sign, acknowledging that the applicant is in full concurrence/understanding with the final conditions of approval. The applicant shall return the signed acknowledgment within 10 days.

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City of Ojai, CA § 10-2.2907

OJAI CODE

§ 10-2.2910

(d) The decision of the Commission, except for cases in Section 10-2.2907 (Notice of decision—Commission), subsection (e) below, which are merely recommendations to the Council, shall be final unless appealed to the Council.
(e) The recommendation with findings of the Commission for the following applications shall be transmitted to the Council for final action:
- (1) Development agreements;
- (2) General Plan amendments;
- (3) Specific Plans;
- (4) Tentative tract maps;
- (5) Zoning Map amendments; and
- (6) Amendments of these Zoning Regulations.
(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 99, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

§ 10-2.2908. Notice of decision—Council.¶

(a) The Council shall announce and record its decision at the conclusion of the scheduled public hearing. The decision shall contain the findings of the Council and any conditions of approval and reporting/monitoring requirements deemed necessary to mitigate any effects and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the City.
(b) Following the Council hearing, a notice of the decision and any conditions of approval shall be mailed to the applicant at the address shown upon the application.
(c) Included within this mailing shall be a City-prepared letter for the applicant to sign, acknowledging that the applicant is in full concurrence/understanding with the final conditions of approval. The applicant shall return the signed acknowledgment within 10 days.
(d) The decision of the Council shall be final, unless subjected to further legal action in compliance with State and Federal law.
(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004)

§ 10-2.2909. Notice of decision—Transmittal to applicant.¶

The Department shall mail a copy of the notice of decision and the adopted resolution, with the applicable findings and conditions, to the applicant at the address shown on the application within 10 days following the final date of decision. (§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004)

§ 10-2.2910. Effective date.¶

The following agreements, amendments, entitlements, permits, and plans shall become effective in compliance with the following, subject to the satisfaction of any applicable conditions:

(a) Home occupation permits, sign permits, temporary use permits and zoning clearances shall become effective immediately following the final date of approval by the applicable review

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City of Ojai, CA

PLANNING AND ZONING

§ 10-2.2910

authority.

(b) Design review permits, conditional use permits, minor conditional use permits, minor variances, planned development permits and variances shall become effective on the 16th day following the date the decision is rendered by the applicable review authority.
(c) General Plan amendments shall become effective immediately following the final date of approval by the Council.
(d) Development agreements, Specific Plans (including amendments and repeals), Zoning Map amendments, and amendments of these Zoning Regulations shall become effective on the 30th day following the date the decision is finally rendered by the Council (second reading).
(§ 3, Ord. 771, eff. February 13, 2004, as amended by § 100, Ord. 941, eff. November 10, 2023)

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City of Ojai, CA

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