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Ojai rejects ban on chain stores in downtown
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More from Local NewsThe Ojai City Council upheld Tuesday a recommendation by the city's Planning Commission to reject a proposed ordinance that would have banned chain stores in the community's core downtown.
By a 4-0 vote, the council rejected the proposal and sent the matter back to the Planning Commission for revision — an outcome largely embraced by citizens and business owners who have debated the issue for weeks. The Planning Commission meets Wednesday.
"We can take the time to get it right," City Councilwoman Rae Hanstad said in an interview Wednesday. She noted a citywide moratorium on formula retail businesses — defined as chains of 10 or more stores — is in place through May 2008.
The moratorium was adopted at the urging of city residents after a franchise of fast-food giant Subway signed a lease for a small downtown store at 323 E. Matilija Ave. The temporary ban was intended to give the city time to craft a permanent ordinance to prevent future chain stores, which residents say threaten to ruin the personality of their colorful, small-town community.
The rejected proposal, written by city staff, would have banned chain stores in a special historic commercial district in old downtown — which would have had to be created — with lesser restrictions outside the district.
City Attorney Monte Widders said Wednesday that a new approach will look at a citywide template in existing commercial zones, where formula retail businesses like Gap or Subway would have to comply with a series of standards, including limits on the size and location of the building. For instance, a chain store would not be allowed on a corner lot, he said. The store also would have to conform to the city's existing sign ordinance.
In order for the business to be approved, the Planning Commission would hold a public hearing and have discretion on whether the business fits with the community's small-town charm.
Resident Kenley Neufeld urged the council to adopt a final ordinance by next month.
The Ojai resident said he has until Oct. 19 to submit roughly 600 signatures he's collected to qualify a ballot initiative. Putting on an election would cost the city tens of thousands of dollars, and, if approved by a simple majority of voters, the ballot ordinance would be harder to modify than a city version.
"I would like the city to do something" by the deadline, Neufeld said.
Ojai developer and property owner Ron Polito told the council he didn't object to an ordinance to prevent retail chains from dominating Main Street, but he stressed that nonretail service providers like major banks, insurance companies and gas companies should be exempt. "It could easily become too restrictive," Polito said.
Resident Dennis Leary presented his own ordinance to the council during a portion of the meeting set aside for public comment. The council accepted the document but didn't discuss it.
Posted by sslocal on August 30, 2007 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am shocked they even considered it.
Posted by RC on August 30, 2007 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
can you imagine if they suggested a Walmart?
Posted by SouthernExile on August 30, 2007 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's a lot of time and energy and, I assume, money to prevent submarine sandwiches from sullying Ojai's pristine culture.
Posted by joeschmo on August 30, 2007 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ahh, Ojai, what a kind community! Perhaps they should bypass a ballot measure and go straight to the OUIJA board for the final determination!
Posted by CruJones on August 30, 2007 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Places like gap, subway, burger king, mcdonalds represent a monoculture of low quality, soulless products. I can see why residents wouldn't want their relatively unique town to slippery slope into that level of commerce.
Posted by star on August 30, 2007 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Anybody who wants to live in a town with a Wal*Mart, a McDonalds, and an Applebees can choose from about 10,000 communities in the US.
But some of us don't want that. I don't get why so many people in this county are hellbent on stripping us of one of the few remaining refuges from the lowest common denominator.
Posted by Nosmo_King on August 30, 2007 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have good intel that Ojai is going back to horse and buggy days.
Posted by noahsapothecary on August 31, 2007 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In spite of our bowl of granola image, there are a few conservatives in Ojai who pride themselves on being good business people with commonsense. As with any town there are a few, OK maybe a handful, of colorful characters who believe they can shrinkwrap Ojai in a biodegradeable bubble and keep out anything they deem to be unacceptable. What is unacceptable is based, of course, on their personal cultural beliefs. They are quite fond of that soulless, dumbed-down, low quality comment when they refer to fast food & big corporations.
My hope is that Planning Commission and City Council will give this some logical thought, stop listening to people who have no experience with business economics and realize that banning things is not a solution. A simple CUP (Conditional Use Permit) process would allow the community to decide if a particular formula business is in keeping with the small town charm and character that Ojai has always cherished and that has established us a tourist destination.
B Dawson
Noah's Apothecary
Posted by bobsorel on August 31, 2007 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My wife and I have had guests from all over the U.S. and the world. Virtually without exception they have all commented on the rarity and uniqueness of an American town without the typical fast food and retail chains. Many people travel here due, at least in part, to this fact. Ask a visitor sometime what they think about it, and remember that the economy of this town is dependent upon tourism and the image of Ojai as a "getaway".
Fast food and retail chains tend to severely damage local businesses built from the ground up and which better reflect the character of the town.
Yes, Ojai may be an aberration on the American scene and quirky, but that's our "thing", isn't it?
Posted by noahsapothecary on August 31, 2007 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi Bob,
Actually, I DO ask visitors/tourists to this town what they think. Since my business is centrally located I get lots of walk-thrus and requests for information.
The two most common questions I get are "Is there a Starbuck's in town?" and "how come everything closes so early?". OK, I lied, the most common question is "where are the public restrooms?".
The funny thing is, I also talk to people who have been gone from Ojai for some years. They see little to no change - "same old Ojai!' they say. Yet to listen to locals, you would think we are going to hell in a bucket.
Change happens, the trick of it is to manage it thoughtfully. This can be done as long as we keep open, honest communication going.
B Dawson
Posted by Ambz on August 31, 2007 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
why do we need another subway?? there is one in Mira Monte plus a quiznos....dont need them here really.
Posted by noahsapothecary on September 3, 2007 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, wideopenweb, the majority of our traffic on any given day is from locals. AM & PM rush hour traffic is locals leaving and returning from their jobs that are outside the city, school traffic from kids who just have to drive themselves to and from Nordhoff. True, the motorcycle crowd is a big presence on Sundays. But traffic study after traffic study has shown the traffic is primarily from locals, going about their daily chores.
Perhaps if there was more diversity of business in Ojai locals would find the goods and services they want here without having to leave the Valley. Better paying jobs (IT, consulting, etc.) would diminish the commute traffic. Of course, that means allowing commercial development places like Bryant Street and at Ojai Ave. & Gridley Road.
Posted by faybie on September 12, 2007 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, B, how about a little competition from Petco or Petsmart?
It is beyond me why the city council and the planning commission get away with denying the public's desires. It is abundantly clear there is graft provided by developers who are eager to destroy our special place on the planet.
Those who claim Ojai "is the same old town" haven't been privy to the way our valley's communities' population has soared in the past 30 or so years and has already changed the character we so cherish. We are no longer a "well-kept secret". Chain stores promise to destroy our tourist based economy.
If I lived inside the city limits, both the city council AND the planning commission would get really tired of me showing up at their meetings with an entourage of outraged citizens in tow. You people make me sick!
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