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C'mon, give us a hint!!

Middle Matilija?

cozy dell?

south col from sagarmatha to kanchenjunga, nepal.
careful of a yak named "butter"

Okay, I'll venture a guess: Ilvento?

Well, let's see. There's some flowering currant or some kind of Ribes in the left foreground which suggests riparian habitat. In the foreground on the right is some very overgrown Zoysia grass or some equally obnoxious species, also suggesting water nearby and just behind it, mostly obscured, is mulefat which says there is most certainly water nearby. The patch of Stachys standing green and upright further down the trail also indicates riparian as does the cluster of oaks. I would venture a guess that there is a creek just off to the right. Matilija and Cozy Dell are good guesses. I dunno. I give up.

Greetings Ojai,

I'm posting a copy of an email that I sent this morning to Kanika Kith (kith@ci.ojai.ca.us) at the Ojai Planning Department, which is in the process of reviewing the below mentioned project. While it doesn't affect the community in a large way, it is certainly impactful for the neighborhoods in the vicinity and (I feel) is worth bringing to the community's attention. let me know how you feel, and (more importantly) let the planning commision know as well...

My name is William Cory. I reside at 107-A E. Oak St. near downtown Ojai. I moved to the Ojai valley more than five years ago, and value highly the unique aspects that make this place such a standout in Southern California. I am a third generation Southern Californian, and grew up in Claremont, where my grandfather had groves of citrus. I grew up with memories of nature, blended and balanced with urban living -- much as it is here. By the time I was in my early teens, smog was killing off the citrus and encroaching urban sprawl had developers at my grandad's door with offers that he ultimately chose to accept after struggling without success to find ways to save the declining health of his orange and lemon groves.

Since that time I have lived in other locations that were beautiful, and watched unchecked development come in to capitalize on their specialness and desirability, without any seeming consciousness or effort to harmonize with the community that they are profiting on. I have seen, more than once, that by the time they finish with the place whatever was serene and "special" about the area is long gone -- and that is usually about the time that I am gone too.

When the property at 308 N. Signal was sold, I was told by the workers that came in to revamp it that the new owners were putting in a Bed & Breakfast. That didn't alarm me. It is a beautiful home, and would be a charming site for such a venture.

I have since learned that the owners plans have become somewhat more ambitious and extravagant, that they now seek to be a Hotel, with expansion plans for outdoor dining, alcohol sales until 2:00 AM, outdoor events, and a managers residence to be built in back. I, and many others in the surrounding neighborhoods got a taste of the impact that that will have on the peacefulness that we treasure when a wedding was recently held at the property. Our peace, simply put, was shattered. Strobe lights, an amplified DJ, and the noise that attends alcohol consumption and festivities lasted until almost 10:30 PM. I have since learned that there was a 10:00 PM curfew which they ignored, and that the police had to respond to irate calls to get them to honor their agreement -- this does not speak well for their consideration or respect for their neighbors.

I have actually lived in a neighborhood, in another town, where a similar venture was muscled through over the protests of the local homeowners. I witnessed the fallout of that ill conceived project in the form of serious parking issues, litter, late hour noise, and the occaisional inebriated guest relieving himself on either my or my neighbors yard.

I know that "progress" can't be stopped, but it must be managed in a fashion that preserves the integrity of the community. If it doesn't, we all ultimately lose, and the Southern California landscape is littered with examples of this. Please, add my plea to the many others that I am sure you have recieved to not approve this ill concieved expansion. It is beyond ironic that the proposed name for this venture is "Inn Harmony". It is not appropriate for this area, and reflects (on the part of the new owners) a serious disconnect from, lack of sensitivity and awareness to, and ultimately a disregard for the "Harmony" of the surrounding neighborhoods that we currently live in.

Respectfully Yours,

William Cory

Hi all -

Thanks for playing the game! Sean and Lanny were closest. It's in Matilija, through the estate, and down the first single-track left (west) past the river. It's about 200 yards before a tributary, right near a bunch of mugwort. There were some great matilija poppies on the trail too. I believe the trail goes out to a hike-in camping spot.

Interesting article, William. I heard that same event from Eucalyptus, and thought it might have been The Hub. I hope that the owners realize that the support of the neighborhood is important, and that they can attain that support by, well, being neighborly.

Tyler,

Is that a trail off to the left(South) after the big river crossing and the trail up the middle matilija? I think it goes to Murietta Camp?

Also, has anyone heard yet if the council voted to extend the moratorium? I really hope they did. I'm getting really tired of fighting.

The Ojai City Council voted last night to extend the urgency measure of adopting an interim ordinance prohibiting the approval or developing permit of formula retail businesses in the City. The City's draft ordinance will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission next month, and considered by Council, hopefully, in August. The public is encouraged to attend all three or more meetings.

This was never intended to be a fight: we also look forward to hearing from the public on their initiative process.

I repeat that Council can enact policy, but only the citizens can ensure the success of local businesses by supporting them.

Sean,
You're right. The dirt road crosses the creek (the big river crossing you described), then immediately a trail goes to the right up the north fork. Then, a little ways further, is the trail to Murietta Camp, to the left, where Tyler shot the photo. If you pass that trail and continue up the dirt road and go through the private properties up the creek, that takes you up the middle fork to the falls. Or, if you stay left on the dirt road (instead of going through the private property), the road will take you all the way to Jamison Lake and the Santa Barbara backcountry.

Council-person Hanstad,

Thanks for alerting us that the council voted to extend the moratorium. I'm very glad to hear it. For how long is the moratorium extended? Also, does the moratorium still cover the whole city?

About the City's draft ordinance: Does it cover the whole city or just a "historic area" in the downtown? Is there a copy of this draft ordinance available to the public?

Thanks

spk:

The City-wide moratorium is extended for 10 months, 45 days, which I see as a safety net, not a timeline. The staff report is available on our website.

The proposed ordinance itself is not in draft form yet, but it will be available as soon as it is completed for Commission(s) and public review (prior to Council).

I do not believe that there is Council consensus on the defined area (City versus historic district) and look forward to hearing from Commissioners and citizens.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Mayan Elders to come to Ojai Retreat on June 30,2007
I am the events coordinator for PQubd production for this event and I am getting messages that people are seeing blogs saying that this event is at no cost and this is not the case. Please understand that this is the way we purchase the airline tickets for the Elders to arrive. We absolutely need reservations for this event as there is a legal limit on the number of people who may enter the property at one time. We do have scholarships for those who wish to attend and cannot afford a ticket but we must know who will be arriving. If we exceed the 100 person limit, we will need to turn people away and this is not what we want. If we get an excess of people wanting to come, we will try to arrange a second event or find a larger venue. Please contact me at pati@sacredearthfound.org or phone 805-448-1714 for more information or visit my website www.sacredearthfound.org
Thank you for your understanding
Patricia