Ojai council hears decades-long cabin village debate, approves case management contract and several land-use and permitting items

The Ojai City Council met in open session for its first 2025 meeting and took a series of actions and directional votes on homeless services, land-use matters and an introductory energy reach-code proposal while members of the public devoted much of the night to a prolonged debate over the proposed cabin village site at the city public works yard.

Council members voted to authorize an initial one-year professional services agreement for two case managers with Help of Ojai to support people currently living in the city’s tent encampment and to prepare residents for permanent housing. The $145,000 contract is funded from the state Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) grant the city received for cabin-village–related activities; the council approved the contract 4–1 (Council member Meng voted no). Help of Ojai staff and volunteers told council the immediate goal is intensive case management and helping people access benefits and mental-health services while the longer-term shelter project is developed.

The council also voted to uphold a planning commission decision to approve a conditional use and design-review permit for outdoor events at the Capri Hotel, but added two conditions recommended by staff after a community meeting: (1) event parking must…