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Ojai council orders concept review of parking, moves to explore traffic-safety commission
Summary
Council members directed staff to bring a concept-review item on parking and wayfinding to the agenda and discussed creating a traffic-safety commission to vet traffic-calming measures, crosswalks and related projects such as the Ojai Avenue ATP Phase 2.
The Ojai City Council on June 17 directed staff to prepare a concept-review agenda item on downtown parking, wayfinding and alternate transportation options, and discussed establishing a traffic-safety advisory commission.
Council members said they wanted a broad study and public discussion of parking options, including potential use of school lots, a municipal lot near the art center, and improved wayfinding to reduce congestion on Montgomery and Ojai Avenue. "If we're going to have a new hotel coming online, your climate's going to change a little bit and your needs will change too," a councilmember said. Several members asked staff to present a menu of parking-related topics so the council could set priorities.
Staff recommended a concept-review format so the public and stakeholders could weigh in on topics such as visible proximate lots, trolley stops, bike and pedestrian access and potential partnerships with the school district or county. The council also discussed traffic-calming measures and whether to adopt a deliberative traffic-safety commission. Public works staff flagged that some elements (for example, limits on Caltrans-owned road speeds or modifications along a state highway) require separate coordination.
Council direction: staff to return with a concept-review item that outlines parking-topic options, feasibility and recommended next steps. The council also asked staff to draft a proposal for a traffic-safety commission (possible composition, scope and pros/cons) so the council can decide whether to form a new advisory body to vet traffic-calming, crosswalks, and enforcement priorities.
No funding decisions were made at the meeting; council members noted some items are already in the capital improvement program (CIP), such as pedestrian crossings identified for Arcade and Montgomery and Phase 2 of the Active Transportation Program (ATP) designs.
The council said a public workshop or commission process could follow the concept review to allow deeper community engagement before any physical work or changes were implemented.
