[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6637312,"mediaKeyId","2586889-81a597253c28f5f124cde5ede21e803a","parentId",2586889,"title","Commission approves 640‑sq‑ft guest house at 906 Foothill with arborist and fire conditions","audioSeconds",4240,"startMs",2698000,"endMs",6938000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586889-81a597253c28f5f124cde5ede21e803a&start=2698&end=6938","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586889-81a597253c28f5f124cde5ede21e803a/thumbnail_2698000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637312/Ojai-City/Ventura-County/California/Commission-approves-640sqft-guest-house-at-906-Foothill-with-arborist-and-fire-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637312-18b8861d8cb568ba68886bacda4fb330/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949609&Signature=Zbwq4FEYH0wEBfzTgNdwGNF5zvCaK0hK~01KivhmL1Cyg1Zaa0O6QeTP5oONdt3sRcMEWKOV5QhX4UtAORoj5riiHI2uTjWGRs171GI4zBjd3wnk5Sk6IWQ7RNjC-ib6yeQbMCXA9cZs7iYq90zcLM3TqwsBBR1cyHQwbd-XDTbrBuP4gTtSpKFP1D8Vked99URFMVk9gl2DKe1Ed0HKVO0VuJPr4eK1ehvykoFmotHTzDKTi4MJ~Bwr3ehyaULQfg6VtZeEmwVPBQdAxJkKw5DdFY55vwCy1DfNr3-9SZM0bR0FB~lQgLJHTvJv4~c75vjBPkOqGBQcNMz5qx8CUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Ojal, CA","date","2025-03-13T01:16:18.237Z","article","The Ojai Planning Commission on March 5 approved a conditional use permit and design review permit for a 640‑square‑foot detached guest house at 906 Foothill Road, subject to conditions addressing tree protection and fire‑safety measures and with a handful of public‑works boilerplate conditions clarified or struck.

Staff planner Brian (presenting) described the proposal as a 640‑square‑foot studio accessory dwelling with no cooking facilities (a wet bar only), located at the southeastern base of a large, wooded 72,309‑square‑foot lot whose primary residence is a Spanish hacienda‑style five‑bedroom house. The guest house would be tucked near existing olive and oak canopy and screened from the main house; materials on the proposal include reclaimed barnwood, free‑form stone and a corrugated or standing‑seam metal roof. Principal points in staff’s recommendation included code compliance with RO‑1 zoning standards for setbacks, height, off‑street parking and guest‑house limits.

Historic preservation concerns: Brian Akins, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, asked the planning commission to solicit a historic resources review because 906 Foothill is identified as a Category 1 property in a 2011 historic resources survey and was designed in 1929 by architect Paul Revere Williams. Akins said a phase‑1 historical resources report would allow the Historic Preservation Commission to comment on whether the accessory building’s design would distract from the main historic resource. Staff noted the 2011 survey has not been adopted by council and that the proposed guest house does not alter the main residence; staff concluded the guest house itself did not require the same level of historic review but agreed that the commission could request comments from the Historic Preservation Commission.

Tree protection and construction conditions: commissioners asked detailed questions about tree impacts and septic/wastewater service. The applicant and architect said the guest house would sit near but outside the drip lines of major oaks, that an arborist report and tree‑permit application would be submitted before building permits, and that arborist monitoring during grading and foundation work would be required. The architect confirmed a metal roof and Class X backerboard behind reclaimed wood siding for ember resistance, and the design incorporates a concrete slab‑on‑grade foundation with mitigation measures to protect tree roots during excavation.

Public‑works boilerplate and other conditions: commissioners flagged several standard public‑works conditions as overly broad or inapplicable to a single accessory structure and asked staff to add clarifying language. The commission directed staff to append a parenthetical to the public works conditions indicating \"as applicable\" and struck one specific boilerplate condition (identified as condition 46 in the staff packet) that commissioners agreed did not apply to this project. The commission also aligned entitlement timelines so the CUP and DRP expire on the same schedule (one year) instead of the 180‑day code default for CUPs.

Fire and sanitary: the commission required that the project meet Ventura County fire authority requirements; staff confirmed the project will be reviewed by county fire and Ventura County Environmental Health for septic compliance if the applicant continues to use the existing on‑site septic system. The commission also left in standard stormwater and public‑works conditions but added the parenthetical \"as applicable\" to avoid imposing unnecessary requirements for this single accessory structure.

Formal action and conditions: the commission adopted the resolution approving the design review permit and conditional use permit with the modifications noted above: (1) require an arborist report and tree protection plan before building permits and on‑site arborist monitoring during grading; (2) add \"as applicable\" to public works conditions and strike condition 46; (3) change the CUP entitlement window from 180 days to one year to match the DRP; and (4) require compliance with Ventura County fire and septic requirements. The motion passed in a recorded roll call (4‑0; Commissioner Chesley absent).

What happens next: applicants must submit the arborist documentation and tree permit before the city issues building permits; final public‑works and stormwater requirements will be determined during plan review and will only apply if the project qualifies under those standards. The commission asked staff to coordinate with public works to clarify boilerplate language for future permits.

Votes and roll call: motion carried 4 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain, 1 absent (Chesley).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 5, 2025 Ojai Planning Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Ojai Planning Commission voted March 5 to approve a 640‑square‑foot detached guest house at 906 Foothill Road, imposing tree‑protection, grading‑phase arborist monitoring and clarified public‑works conditions before issuance of building permits.","taxTitle","Ojai City, Ventura County, California","taxId",72373,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637318,"Ojai Planning Commission approves second-story remodel at 510 East Aliso with minor variance and optional metal roofing",2247,329000,2576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586889-81a597253c28f5f124cde5ede21e803a&start=329&end=2576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586889-81a597253c28f5f124cde5ede21e803a/thumbnail_329000.jpg","/articles/6637318/Ojai-City/Ventura-County/California/Ojai-Planning-Commission-approves-second-story-remodel-at-510-East-Aliso-with-minor-variance-and-optional-metal-roofing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637318-1cd57721f4b502c3bbabad20ff75208f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949609&Signature=SvEiZoH1KjiPlaEskz3ockg-sibsll24azMUa9umOn1FY3VGjFVlCPqp~oH8Nk-bYO8BKnaUfIdo2pXcmcgGDgqf1deF8JrOen8ohT4Y-RqnRAdgMYaDziLPI408vJP46IV0gcch8SpyY0eWa0N5SfRZMHCGwoI5-nId0feUg2sJxJx0p7s-DkUKO3fF69CWk-f24xOfPrZXi5IajknYFnbCCXl-ezpSKCFYMQFNtdr15GqcZHr6AVov59PThG-ceZAONu5rfv5nkTD5gUa8MOXTaOnaQ5IkCY~7xEBB023kxOUmYnk7rqqXV5C8bPYJle1kTI-MqJBanpgBe3WRkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ojai Planning Commission on March 5 approved a design review permit for a second‑story addition and remodel at 510 East Aliso, including staff‑recommended conditions and a requested minor variance for site coverage.

The project, presented by Principal Planner Maura Macaluso and designer Wade Ellison, would add a second story and remodel an existing single‑story residence to increase the living area to about 2,525 square feet. Staff said the lot is approximately 77,857 square feet, the existing livable footprint is 896 square feet, and the proposed project would exceed the R‑2 zone site coverage limit (35 percent allowed; applicant proposes 37.1 percent). The applicant filed for a minor variance for the roughly 2.1 percentage‑point increase.

Why it matters: the project triggers design review under the city municipal code because it includes a second story and affects neighborhood context; commissioners weighed design compatibility, neighborhood scale, privacy for adjacent yards and fire‑hardening measures.

Commission discussion focused on compatibility with surrounding architecture, privacy impacts for the adjacent neighbor to the west, and wildfire safety. Neighbor Tom Stanley, whose property directly adjoins 510 East Aliso, told commissioners his \"only concern\" was \"the impact on privacy and the bulk and the height\" from the proposed second story and asked whether fencing or other screening could mitigate overlooking. Designer Wade Ellison said the plan includes a perimeter redwood fence on the site and that windows on the upper volume are intended in part as clerestory lighting above an open two‑story stair/kitchen volume rather than as habitable second‑floor rooms overlooking the neighbor.

Fire safety came up repeatedly. Public commenter Bill Miley asked that the commission require a specific checklist of fire‑hardening elements, citing Valley Fire Safe Council guidance. During deliberations the applicant's designer suggested the commission consider substituting a standing metal seam roof for the proposed Class A asphalt composite roofing as an extra fire‑hardening measure; the commission approved language that allows the applicant to use either the Class A asphalt composite or a standing metal seam roof at the planning director's discretion.

Staff noted other code and development details: proposed maximum building height would be about 21 feet 8 inches (an increase from the existing roughly 12 feet 6 inches), and the proposal replaces the existing stucco with a mix of smooth stucco, cementitious (Hardy) backer siding and cedar shingles to achieve an \"Ojai Craftsman\" aesthetic. Macaluso cited municipal code sections that trigger design review and define site coverage (identified in the hearing as section 10‑2.3602 and related design review applicability and standards sections).

Formal action: the commission voted to adopt the resolution approving the design review permit and associated conditions, including the minor variance application for the 2.1 percent site‑coverage increase to be considered by the director, and adding planning commission discretion/option for roofing material (Class A asphalt composite or standing metal seam). Chair Trent recused himself from this item because the site lies within 300 feet of his residence; the motion carried among the remaining commissioners (three yes, zero no, one recusal).

Commissioners said they found the design compatible with the neighborhood and commended staff and the project team. Architect and project designer Wade Ellison told the panel, \"Good design is usually the result of collaboration,\" and homeowner David (joining remotely) described his family ties to the property, saying he was \"excited to come back to Ojai.\" The commission recorded conditions that require compliance with Ventura County fire authority requirements; staff noted state and county building and fire codes will apply, and that additions above the city threshold will require automatic fire sprinklers.

What's next: the minor variance for site coverage will be considered by the planning director per the municipal code; building permits must comply with fire and building department conditions, including sprinkler requirements stated by Ventura County Fire Protection District staff.

Votes and roll call: motion carried; vote tally — yes: three; no: zero; abstain: zero; recused: one (Chair Trent).

Details: the commission record includes applicant materials, elevation and site plans, and a staff report citing municipal code design standards and the general plan designation (medium‑high density) that the project referenced. The commission also removed a boilerplate public‑works condition identified by commissioners as not applicable to this project.

","The Ojai Planning Commission on March 5 approved a design review permit for a second‑story addition at 510 East Aliso, authorizing a minor variance for a small site‑coverage increase and permitting either Class A asphalt or a standing metal seam roof for additional fire hardening.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves 640‑sq‑ft guest house at 906 Foothill with arborist and fire conditions

Ojai Planning Commission approves second-story remodel at 510 East Aliso with minor variance and optional metal roofing