Ojai commission approves work permit for three new outbuildings at Westways with Mills Act condition

The Ojai Historic Preservation Commission on Dec. 12 approved a major work permit allowing construction of a hay barn, a horse barn and a three-car garage at Westways, a city-designated historic landmark at 700 San Antonio Road.

Maura Macaluso, principal planner for the City of Ojai, told commissioners the city retained a historic resources consultant to assess the proposal and concluded the new, detached structures would have a “less than significant impact on the historic resource” under the California Environmental Quality Act and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. “The application that you have in your packet includes a full scope of work, for the 3 detached structures,” Macaluso said. She told commissioners the buildings would use composite shingle siding and asphalt roofing to match the main house’s color and scale.

The nut of the commission’s review was whether the new buildings would remain visually compatible with the landmark while still being distinguishable as new, a…