Outside counsel reviews Brown Act, ethics training and quasi‑judicial duties for Ojai commissioners

Lisa Terrosian, a senior associate with the firm identified in the packet, delivered the commission’s training on the Brown Act and the Planning Commission's roles and responsibilities.

Terrosian walked commission members through open‑meeting rules, serial‑meeting risks (including social media pitfalls and ‘reply all’ email traps), and Rosenberg's rules of order for conducting hearings. She explained which planning actions are advisory and which are decision‑making in a quasi‑judicial capacity, listing conditional use permits, design review permits and variances among matters the commission may decide and which may be appealed to City Council.

The presentation addressed conflict‑of‑interest rules, meeting procedure, and public‑records obligations. Terrosian summarized recent statutory changes under SB 827 that require mandated trainings (ethics and sexual‑harassment prevention) to be completed within six months of appointment, expand certain training requirements, and create five‑year retention obligations for training records; she also said agencies must post instructions for requesting those records beginning July 1, 2026.

Commissioners raised questions about the city's authority to restrict natural gas in new construction. Terrosian said the current municipal code is narrow — focused on single‑family residential applications — and that commercial restrictions face additional legal and statutory constraints. Commissioners asked for code references and staff agreed to supply excerpts and related materials.

Terrosian closed by emphasizing practical steps to avoid Brown Act violations — document agendas carefully, avoid serial communications outside noticed meetings, and limit social‑media interaction among members regarding official business. Commissioners thanked counsel and asked staff to circulate the slides and key code citations before the next meeting.