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Ojai council approves three‑year economic development action plan to diversify local economy
Summary
Council authorized a three‑year, action‑oriented economic development plan by HDLEcon Solutions focused on business retention, creative economy support and measured diversification to reduce dependence on tourism; staff said funds were previously budgeted.
The Ojai City Council voted Jan. 27 to proceed with a three‑year economic development action plan prepared by HDLEcon Solutions aimed at diversifying the local economy and strengthening business retention.
Consultant Foster said the plan is customized for Ojai and emphasizes supporting existing small businesses, sustaining the creative economy and developing targeted tactics for recruiting compatible businesses. The plan is designed to produce an actionable, short‑term implementation schedule with performance indicators and periodic reviews rather than a long policy document that sits on a shelf.
Why it matters: Council members repeatedly cited a desire to reduce Ojai’s over‑reliance on visitor‑generated revenue and to enhance resilience against disasters and economic shocks. The plan’s stated goals include fostering local jobs that serve residents, incubating small enterprises and balancing visitor services with residents’ quality of life.
Council and public input: Council members asked that the consultant engage each council member and the Chamber of Commerce to capture varied perspectives about tourism, resident needs and land‑use constraints. Community speakers and the Chamber representative supported a resident‑focused approach and emphasized using past visioning work as input.
Funding and next steps: Staff said the work is funded with carryover appropriations already approved in the city budget; the consultant will run a public outreach process (surveys, stakeholder interviews and business outreach) and return with a draft action plan and metrics for council review. The motion to proceed passed on roll call with one council member voting no citing budgetary caution.
What to expect: The consultant will engage council members, the Chamber and the business community, compile a prioritized list of tactics and present a schedule of short‑term actions and performance indicators; staff will report back periodically on progress.
