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Commission creates ad hoc to promote State Historic District and explore plaques, outreach
Summary
The commission formed a three-person ad hoc to educate property owners and the public about the downtown State Historic District, to explore plaques and celebration opportunities, and to identify benefits for contributing properties.
The Ojai Historic Preservation Commission voted to form an ad hoc committee to celebrate and promote the downtown State Historic District and to investigate options such as official markers, outreach events and ways property owners could access benefits.
Commissioners said the district designation — which appears in the state register and originated from Caltrans planning work tied to pedestrian/bicycle improvements — has not been widely publicized. Commissioners argued city-led outreach could increase owner awareness about benefits including the California Historical Building Code, possible Mills Act eligibility, and fee waivers or incentives for contributing properties.
The commission approved an ad hoc composed of Commissioners Walker, Akins and Levitt to pursue outreach and a public recognition plan. Staff noted the State Historic District is already documented in Caltrans materials and on state lists; commissioners discussed ordering an official state plaque (the vendor’s stamped state plaque was quoted at approximately $2,900 including shipping) or designing a city plaque. Commissioners suggested tying a recognition event to Ojai Day or an exhibit at the Ojai Valley Museum and pursuing grant or donor funding for marker installation.
Why it matters: Publicizing the existing State Historic District could help property owners access technical and financial tools for preservation and build public pride in downtown’s historic character. Commissioners emphasized that educational outreach is within the commission’s purview and can proceed without additional staff time or council approval, but that physical plaques or any city-funded installation would require council approval and likely interagency coordination with Ventura County for trail or county-owned right-of-way locations.
The ad hoc will contact county parks and other partners about placing interpretive markers on the Ojai Valley Trail, explore funding sources, and draft an outreach plan for the commission to review at a future meeting.
