Ojai Planning Commission opens review of Title 10 use chart and definitions; staff to return with redlines

OJAI — The Ojai Planning Commission on Wednesday opened a detailed, discussion-only review of Title 10 of the municipal code — the city’s zoning use charts, related definitions, and conditional-use permit (CUP) processes — but took no formal actions.

Planning staffer Lucas told commissioners the purpose of the meeting was to identify inconsistencies between the use tables and the code glossary and to gather direction before drafting redline changes. "The item before you tonight is a discussion. There's no decisions being made," he said, urging commissioners to weigh in on priorities and research needs.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the use charts and definitions no longer align in multiple places, producing discretionary interpretations by staff and potential uncertainty for residents and applicants. Lucas noted roughly 30–40 uses listed in the tables lack matching definitions and said staff will return with proposed language and comparative examples from neighboring jurisdictions.

Major topics and questions discussed

- Animal keeping and roosters: Commissioners flagged unclear language on animal raising and whether household birds and roosters are permitted. Staff and fellow commissioners noted that animal control rules (Title 5) and a previously drafted animal-keeping ordinance may govern…