From former mayor and current Councilwoman Betsy Clapp to the citizens of Ojai
From: Betsy Clapp [mailto:peloha1@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 2:40 PM
Subject: Three Story Development
IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!
Before you know it, it’s gone. And then it’s too late. No more
view of the mountains. No more open feeling as you walk
through town. No more “small town character” that we
always talk about–that we always say we want to preserve
and protect. Well, folks, this sad scenario is right around the
corner for Ojai. How, you ask? I’ll tell you. Three story, high-
density development. That’s right. Right here. All it will take
is a majority vote from City Council and it’s over. Done. No
turning back and no way to stop it. No saying no to three
story apartment buildings with as many as 20 units per acre
in the City of Ojai.
At 7:00 on January 22, 2013, the Ojai City Council
will begin discussions on how to implement the Housing
Element which the State of California has forced upon our
town. The Housing Element which dictates that we must
accommodate the development 433 more housing units
within the mere 4 1/2 square miles of our small community,
whether we want to or not. If this is the vision you have for
our town–if this is what you want for our future and the
future of our children–don’t do a thing. But . . . if you want
to truly preserve and protect our town’s unique small town
atmosphere, then you need to stand up and be counted.
You need to come to the January 22 Council meeting and
let City Council know you oppose massive three story
development in our town. That it isn’t right for Ojai. That
you want our City Manager to return to Sacramento and
let them know we want to amend the Housing Element
to no longer require three story development in order to
fulfill our affordable housing mandate.
If you are unable to attend, you can still be heard. You may write or email
each Council member at the following addresses.
Snail Mail:
Ojai City Hall
attn: City Council
401 S. Ventura St.
Ojai, CA 93023
E-mail:
Mayor Paul Blatz: blatz@ci.ojai.ca.us
Mayor Pro Tem Carlon Strobel:strobel@ci.ojai.ca.us
Councilwoman Carol Smith:smith@ci.ojai.ca.us
Councilwoman Betsy Clapp:clapp@ci.ojai.ca.us
Councilman Severo Lara: lara@ci.ojai.ca.us
Note: Featured Letter to the Editor, Ojai Valley News, January 18, 2013
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
So a discussion of this broke out on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/writersnider/posts/10200119155478699?comment_id=5838664¬if_t=like
Everyone living in the Ojai Valley has a voice at City Hall—whether inside or outside the City Limit. The City boundaries were drawn up decades ago and much has changed over the years. The City recognizes the impact development has on those who live beyond the borders.
CRITICAL ISSUE AT HAND FOR OJAI:
From Councilwoman Betsy Clapp — something very important that many are not aware of.
Once again the Ojai we know and love could actually be in big trouble if we don’t put a stop a potential (and potentially sudden!) 15% increase in the population of Ojai! Please read the letter below from Ojai City Councilwoman Betsy Clapp. Betsy doesn’t single out any one specific property, but the 14+ acres across the highway from Nordhoff High School is being eyed by the Ojai City Staff and Council for a rezoning to meet the states affordable housing demands.
This is no condo project. This property alone, if fully developed according to state mandates which allow 20 units per acre, would house a city within our city equal to 15% of the current population of Ojai; about 1,200 more people! And the mandates won’t end with this one property!
The only chance of stopping this from happening is to let the Ojai City Council and Planning Commission know that we, the people of Ojai, demand that they fight the state’s mandate to overbuild and overpopulate our town even if it means giving up some revenue from the state. And we need to follow up with an Ojai campaign to raise the funds to purchase and preserve this property as open space.
Over the years, Ojai people have successfully fought the Weldon Canyon project, re-built both the Libbey Park Bowl and Pergola, funded the Ojai Conservancy’s purchase of open space throughout this valley, and so much much more to preserve the beauty, culture and village character of this valley community. If we fail to convince our Council Members to stand up against these destructive mandates from Sacramento the rest will have been for naught.
Please express your thoughts to our City Council during or before this coming Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, January 20th at 7 pm.
I don’t live in the city limits, so have no voice. My voiceless comment is that 3-story development feels dysfunctional to me for Ojai. – Kris
Your house isn’t in the city limits Kris? I thought that area was.
Everyone living in the Ojai Valley has a voice at City Hall—whether inside or outside the City Limit. The City boundaries were drawn up decades ago and much has changed over the years. The City recognizes the impact development has on those who live beyond the borders.
how does the town propose to provide affordable housing, if not in the form of three-story units? Shouldn’t everyone be able to enjoy the small-town atmosphere and beauty if they want to?
Does anyone have a recap of the meeting last night?
There were many of us who tried to stop the City and the Low Income Housing Authority before they built both low income housing developments on N. Montgomery and S. Fulton streets. Even though we had petitions signed by over one thousand Ojaian’s, the City Council voted to approve the building at those terrible locations
The citizens were told that local construction would build and local, (Ojai Citizens) would get first priority when occupying the units. That was never honored. People moved in from, Oxnard, Santa Paula Ventura, and there were limited people from Ojai even though there were plenty who qualified.
I no longer live in Ojai but I was a life time resident until 2005 and my heart will always belong there.
Please people, don’t let those who will, destroy our Awesome little town!
Stand up to Authority and stop them before they try to build any massive development in that most beautiful of towns.