The Ojai Historic Preservation Commission on Nov. 13 agreed to advance a consultant contract to update the city's historic-resources inventory and asked staff to take the award to the city council for approval. Staff said the commission and chair selected HPG (historic resources group) to perform the survey and recommended that, following contract approval, the consultant meet once with commissioners to explain methods and schedule and then work with Commissioner Walker as the liaison during fieldwork.

Commissioners noted the proposed contract price of $88,050 and discussed the survey scope, which will primarily be a windshield survey complemented by archival research and work with the Ventura Museum records. Chair McKinnon told the commission that the consulting firm's recent work in Ventura is an advantage because it will speed retrieval of archival materials. "When she was done speaking, we went, that's exactly what we want," the chair said of the interview with the consultant lead.

Commissioners emphasized urgency: several said that without recorded local or state historic protections in place, the city has fewer tools to resist large-scale development enabled by state laws (builders remedies, density bonus). Commissioner Sims and others urged prompt completion because council and staff support can change after elections. Staff said the consultant would return with findings and the final document would be presented to the council for adoption when complete.

Next steps are for staff to take the consultant selection to city council for contract approval and to return to the commission with an introduction and a schedule once the contract is executed.