Ojai Chain Store Issue Resource Page

New York Times Gives A Nod To Shangri-La - Robert Peake - November 30, 2007 - At the moment, a hot-button issue for Ojai residents is a proposal that would ban chain stores from setting up shop in town, a measure many locals support as a way to preserve Ojai’s small-town character and architectural appeal. “We don’t have a Gap, we don’t have a McDonald’s,” Mayor Smith pointed out. “Most of the shops you’ll see here are unique or are owned individually.”

We Have an Ordinance (No. 798) - Kenley Neufeld - November 27, 2007 - It all began in April 2006 with the impending opening of Jersey Mike's, when many Ojai residents awoke to realize that we didn't have an ordinance banning chain stores. Twenty months later, effective December 28, 2007, we have an ordinance on the Ojai Municipal Code regulating chain stores.

Ojai City Council Meeting Tuesday - Chain Stores - Kenley Neufeld - November 11, 2007 - The Ojai City Council will be reviewing an ordinance to regulate chains stores (aka - formula businesses) in Ojai on Tuesday night (7:30pm). This ordinance was drafted by City Staff, reviewed, and passed unanimously without changes, by the Ojai Planning Commission.

Open Letter to Ojai City Council - Kenley Neufeld - October 24, 2007 - I would like to commend all parties for the work that has occurred over the past 18 months on the issue of formula businesses in Ojai. At times, our long conversation has been challenging, but the end seems near and with a positive outcome.

Unanimously Passed Ordinance Goes to City Council - Kenley Neufeld - October 17, 2007 - Tonight, the Ojai Planning Commissioners unanimously passed without changes, a permanent ordinance regulating formula businesses in the City of Ojai.

There’s No Formula That Fits Ojai - Kenley Neufeld - September 16, 2007 - I've got to admit that when I read the agenda item for the joint Planning Commission/City Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, I was a little disappointed. The staff recommendation simply reads, "determine the specific purpose of an ordinance regulating formula businesses."

Slow Growth, the Environment, Chain Stores, and Economics - Kenley Neufeld - September 16, 2007 - Is Bill McKibbon correct when he argues in his new book, Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, that the world doesn't have enough natural resources to sustain endless economic growth?

Planning Commission Meeting - Kenley Neufeld - August 15, 2007 - For the past 17 months I, with others in the community, have been working toward limiting the encroachment of chain stores into the City of Ojai. We have reached a critical moment in this process and we need your support at the Planning Commission meeting at 7:30pm tonight. A decision may be made tonight and the Planning Commissioners are listening and working with the public.

chainchainchain...... - Steve Sprinkel - August 1, 2007 - 1010 PM…bumpy draft post from Ojai City Hall…crashing…good meeting, revealing, civil, appears like an ordinance against chain-stores city-wide is a real possibility. Planning Commission members earnest, intelligent, curious, not prejudiced against limiting franchise chain stores...

City Releases Second Draft of Chain Ordinance - Kenley Neufeld - July 27, 2007 - I was pleasantly surprised with an email message yesterday from the Ojai City Planner containing the second draft of the proposed ordinance regulating formula retail establishments in Ojai.

Is the Camel's Nose Under the Tent? - Kenley Neufeld - July 18, 2007 - I come home with a little hope and a little fear. The nervousness of the Planning Commissioners was mentioned by a couple of them, due to the overwhelming nature of prohibiting or regulating formula business.

Strong Chain Ordinance Drafted, with One Weakness - Kenley Neufeld - July 16, 2007 - The City of Ojai has drafted a strongly worded Ordinance Regulating Formula Retail Businesses in the City of Ojai.

Motorcycles and Chain Stores - Kenley Neufeld - June 8, 2007 - I recently returned from a 10-day motorcycle ride out to Colorado with my dad and best friend. What a great treat to ride through six States, mostly on two-lane highways, seeing many small towns. Over 90% of the meals we ate and places we stayed on our trip were at local businesses (i.e., non-chain, non-franchise). You may be surprised to know that in many of these small towns, the one common denominator was a Subway Restaurant. Go figure!

Ernie Salomon to shove Subway down Ojai's throat - Tyler Suchman - May 19, 2007 - Ernest Salomon, the property owner who invited Subway into Ojai is playing the victim, attacking the Ojai Valley News, the citizens of Ojai, the Ojai City Council, the Building and Zoning Department and Monte Widders in an official letter to Carol Smith, mayor of Ojai.

Did Subway Bail? - Kenley Neufeld - May 9, 2007 - It appears that Subway may not be coming to Ojai. The two Subway signs are gone from the store front and there is now a For Lease sign in the window. Were we able to stem this current incursion into our small town?

Give One Hour to Help Ojai - Kenley Neufeld - May 3, 2007 - Will you commit to one hour, in the next week, to help Ojai? Pick a block to go door-to-door. Stand in front of Vons, Starr Market, Westridge, Rainbow, Farmers Market, or the Ojai Playhouse. Ask your friends. We can do this together with very little time from each person. Just one hour, that is all I ask.

Special City Council Meeting - Kenley Neufeld - May 1, 2007 - Just got home from the Special Ojai City Council meeting where they unanimously passed a 45-day moratorium on issuing permits to formula restaurant and retail businesses in the City Limits of Ojai...

Subway Corporate: Behind The Scenes - Tyler Suchman - April 30, 2007 - "Our business model is to be everywhere," said Shawn Hazeghazam, director of real estate for Cal-Neva [Subway]. "There are a lot more opportunities in this area..."

Subway Means Down pt II - Mike Didj - April 28, 2007 - video interviews with different members of the Ojai community.

Petition Signing Locations - Kenley Neufeld - April 27, 2007 - Sign the petition to support local business and regulate chain stores. The following are times and locations where you can sign the Formula Retail Business Initiative.

Subway Means Down - Mike Didj - April 25, 2007 - video interviews with different members of the Ojai community.

Direct Involvement of the Citizens - Kenley Neufeld - April 24, 2007 - Signature gathering will begin on Wednesday, April 25. Please contact Leslie or myself at 646-4832 if you would like to volunteer to collect signatures or would like to sign the petition. All signers must live in the City Limits of Ojai and be registered to vote. We are going to need many people to help out and even more to sign their name on this petition.

Subway spreads onto the VC Star - Tyler Suchman - April 22, 2007 - Our own Kenley Neufeld is front and center in a VC Star story entitled Ojai debates chain retailers; Officials to consider 45-day moratorium.

Subway Location Defaced? - Tyler Suchman - April 18, 2007 - Dear Tyler: I want to inform you that one of your metally [sic] ill followers defaced our building last night. If destroying property is the object of your crusade against Subway, then I suggest that you use the following as your slogan: WE HAVE TO DESTROY IN ORDER TO BUILD! Posted by: Ernest Salomon | April 18, 2007 10:15 AM

Where Subway Is And Isn't... - Tyler Suchman - April 14, 2007 - Ojai is a place that people come to from around the world to get away from Subway. By preventing the urgent moratorium and allowing the Subway franchisee to file for the necessary permits, Joe DeVito has single-handedly torpedoed the very perception of what Ojai is.

City of Ojai Public Hearing Notice - April 11, 2007 - NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Ojai City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed urgency measure to adopt an interim ordinance prohibiting the approval or issuance of building permits for formula retail businesses.

Ballot Initiative Submitted - Keep Ojai Real - Kenley Neufeld - April 9, 2007 - I've submitted a ballot initiative to the Ojai City Clerk to regulate the establishment of chain businesses, such as Subway, in Ojai. You can read the entire Formula Retail and Restaurants Establishments online. I have been working diligently since December to draft an ordinance on formula retail and restaurants, including discussing it at the Council Meeting and Planning Commission.

Subway: Native Diet - Tyler Suchman - April 9, 2007 - Subway the dominant sandwich shop in the US is now available in over 74 countries. Here in Japan, we serve Subway sandwiches as a new style of Native Diet. This simply means that Subway sandwiches are the Natural Ideal style of eating Vegetables.

Subway to Open 27,446th Store -- in Downtown Ojai - Leslie Davis - April 4, 2007 - Subway has 27,445 stores in 85 countries, and is about to open it's next franchise in downtown Ojai at 323 E. Matilija in the old Howie's location.

From the Land of Frostie - Kenley Neufeld - March 29, 2007 - Arising from the ground where O-Hi Frostie stood will be a new development on Ojai Ave. between Blanche and Canada from Ron Polito. Lease agreements are being generated for an opening in September. According to Mr. Polito, three lease agreements have been signed with local businesses looking to move to a more visible location.

And the Victim is… - Todd Miller - March 9, 2007 - The SLAPP suit initiated by the city of Ojai against Jeff Furchtenicht as a means of intimidating a citizen from participating in their government has come home to roost with the announcement that the ACLU has joined the case on Mr. Furchtenicht’s behalf.

Chain Store Topic on Planning Commission Agenda - Leslie Davis - February 15, 2007 - The discussion on how Ojai can control, or regulate, chain stores continues. Here's another opportunity to make a public statement, let your personal opinion be known, and do what you can to Keep Ojai Real.

Memory Lane - Demitri Corbin - January 8, 2007 - I’ve traveled the country many times since then and well recall the sameness of place when it comes to chains. Yes, convenient, no surprises. But you never get over the feeling of traveling for hours and hours and feeling like you’re winding up in the same old place.

Chain Stores and Affordable Housing - Kenley Neufeld - January 6, 2007 - Since at least September 1, 2006, our community has been in discussion here at the Post about affordable housing and chain businesses. Ojai resident, Jeff Furchtenicht, had submitted two initiatives and been sued by the City of Ojai. Today, the City Council has decided to join the discussion and will be welcoming comments from the community.

Starbucks in Ojai....wait, ANOTHER Starbucks in Ojai? - evan austin - October 7, 2006 - that's right, folks. the Ojai Valley News reports that the Planning Commission is generally agreeable to a plan for a limited remodel of the Vons in the Ojai Shopping Center, which includes umbrella-ed outdoor seating, a floral and produce display, and a Starbucks kiosk inside the store.

Ojai Resident Threatened with Lawsuit by Ojai City Attorney after Proposing Ballot Initiatives - Leslie Davis - September 26, 2006 - The last I heard we the people had a first amendment right to freedom of speech. But it looks like there’s a snag in our little village. Ojai resident Jeff Furchtenicht has been threatened with a lawsuit by Ojai City Attorney Monte Widders if he doesn’t withdraw proposed initiatives filed with the City on August 21. The initiatives proposed for the November ballot (1) promote independent business and discourage national chain stores in downtown Ojai, and (2) explore options for affordable housing in the city of Ojai.

Preserving Ojai - Leslie Davis - July 12, 2006 - It seems that there are a lot of different ideas around our valley about what it means to preserve Ojai. Jere Kersnar, Ojai's new city manager, has written a report on it called The Ojai: Safeguarding the Past, Planning for the Future a Community and Organizational Report. There will be a panel discussion with the topic "Preserving Ojai as a Special Place" at The Ojai Retreat in September.

Ojai Chain Store opens: one-off or floodgate? - Tyler Suchman - June 8, 2006 - Jersey Mike's is open for business. There was a line out the door today at 1pm. Good for Jersey Mike's, but they are still the canary in the coalmine.

Ojai's Chain Debate Hits LA Times - Lisa Snider - May 15, 2006 - Wow, Tyler was the first to break the story of Jersey Mike's coming to town here, and now it's found its way into the LA Times and KESQ TV in Palm Springs! New owner and Ojai resident Dan Burrell is quoted as saying: "I'm going to give it my best shot," he said. "If there are picketers outside, I'm just going to go feed them."

Nantucket looks to ban chain stores - Tyler Suchman - April 8, 2006 - Ojai isn't the only town that is battling the encroachment of chain stores. An article in the Independent, Mind the Gap? US resort bans nation's favourite retailers, chronicles the effort of merchants and citizens in Nantucket, MA to outlaw chain stores.

The Ojai Chain Gang: are Starbucks, Subway and Staples next? - Tyler Suchman - April 5, 2006 - The space formerly known as The Ojai Brew Pub is now split into two - the south space is occupied by PC Pros, and the north space will be soon be occupied by Jersey Mike's Subs. As in New Jersey. Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems, with corporate offices in Manasquan, New Jersey, to be exact. Huh?

the Ojai ballot initiatives - read more on our Ballot Initiative page, where in 2006 a citizen submitted two initiatives, one dealing with chain stores, the other affordable housing. The citizen was sued by the city in a motion for declaratory relief, which many proponents of the initiatives called a SLAPP suit. The suit and counter suit are still in legislation, with the ACLU joining the citizen against the City of Ojai.

Guest Editorials
Pat McPherson - July 30, 2007
Sean P. Keenan - May 21, 2007
Dennis Rice - April 19, 2007
Sean P. Keenan - April 10, 2007
Suza Francina - October 31, 2006

Misc. Open Threads
May 21, 2007
April 10, 2007
April 7, 2007
April 6, 2007

Outside Resources

Formula Retail and Restaurant Establishments - Ojai Ballot Initiative - submitted to the city April 9, 2007
Subway Newest Downtown Ojai Chain? - OVN Blog, April 5, 2007
Chain Reactions - OVN Blog, February 6, 2007
Safeguarding the Past, Planning for the Future - Community and Organizational Assessment Report from City Manager, Jere Kersnar, April 10, 2006
Chain stores in town - good or bad? - OVN Blog, April 7, 2006
Letter from Ernest Salomon to Mayor Carol Smith - May 9, 2006 (hosted by OVN)