Future of controversial Ojai apartment project uncertain
The fate of a controversial Ojai apartment project with an affordable housing component is uncertain now that the makeup of the City Council has changed and a campaign to put the issue on the ballot has begun.
Two new council members, Rachel Lang and Andrew Whitman, are on the fence about the 67-unit project and voted with the council majority on Tuesday to take more time to discuss it. Mayor Betsy Stix, who voted against the Ojai Bungalows/Greenhawk LLC projected when it was initially approved in October, also voted to reconsider the housing development.
"We are really between a rock and a hard place," Lang said.
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Opponents of the project initiated a referendum to stop the project on Oct. 28 and place the matter on an upcoming ballot. The petition, with more than 600 valid signatures, was submitted on Dec. 12, and has put the project on pause.
"I think that weighs against the idea that the proponents of this petition are off in their own world and there isn't a significant interest in our community in doing the best thing we can for this property,” Whitman said. “I want more time so I can spend more time with the attorney who provided us the legal analysis to clarify how to get the best result out of this agreement we can."
The project, approved by the council on a 4-1 vote in October, involves constructing or renovating four sites around the city. It will offer 20 units for moderate-income tenants, six for low-income and one for a very low-income resident.
Stix dissented because she wanted an updated environmental review, including current climate and drought data and a stronger tenant protection plan.
On Tuesday, another new council member, Leslie Rule, voted with councilwoman Suza Francina against taking more time to study the project and wanted to put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.
Council members Ryan Blatz and William Weirick, who voted for the project in October, decided not to run for reelection. Another supporter of the project, Councilman Randy Haney, narrowly lost by 35 votes to Lang.
The item will return to council members on Jan. 24.
The four sites are:
Cottages Among the Flowers, 312 W. Aliso St., with 12 units.
The Mallory Way Bungalows, 412 Mallory Way, with 30 units.
The World University property, 107 N. Ventura St., with 10 units.
Montgomery Affordable Housing, 304 S. Montgomery St., with 15 units.
In December, local nonprofit Simply Ojai, filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the city's approval of the project. The organization is dedicated to rapidly halting the release of climate warming pollution, protecting the natural environment and fostering an equitable future for all, according to its website.
The city cannot determine what will happen with the lawsuit but "litigation of some type is a possibility no matter what path the council takes with the current referendum," said city spokeswoman Robin Godfrey.
Mack Carlson, who has been working on behalf of the developer, said the developer wants to move to a special election as soon as possible to get the development agreement started.
“It’s been delayed far too long as we’ve heard from members of the public and council members and we’re ready to start building this affordable housing,” Carlson said.
Ojai officials are not issuing any building permits on any of the four proposed locations pending the outcome of the referendum process, said Weston Montgomery, interim deputy city clerk and records manager for the city.
Council members can end an ordinance and development agreement between the city and the Ojai Bungalows/Greenhawk LLC project with developer Jeffrey Becker or place the item on a ballot for voters. If the city places the issue before the voters, it could appear on the Nov. 5, 2024 ballot or during a special election, Montgomery said in a statement.
City officials can also file a lawsuit to challenge the referendum but the city does not intend to initiate such a court challenge at this time, Montgomery said.
If the matter comes before the voters, the cost will vary depending on the date of the election and is estimated between $8,000 to $13,000, according to a staff report.
The last time a referendum was filed in Ojai was in May 2017. Nearly 800 people signed a petition urging the City Council to overturn a resolution that renewed the Ojai Tourism Improvement District to exist for a three-year term.
The referendum was successful and led the City Council to repeal a renewal of the district. The tourism district ended in October 2017, Montgomery said.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Future of controversial Ojai apartment project uncertain
