OJAI : Tighter Rules on Rentals Backed

In an effort to prevent illegal rental units, the Ojai Planning Commission has recommended that stricter requirements be applied to homeowners who want to build secondary structures on their property.

Accessory structures such as art studios, workshops, barns, garages and recreation rooms should be limited to no more than three plumbing fixtures, with bathrooms not allowed to contain showers or bathtubs, commissioners agreed Wednesday.

Banning bathing facilities will make it less likely that structures will be converted to illegal dwelling units, Ojai Planning Director Bill Prince said.

Exceptions could be made for some secondary structures, such as pool-side cabanas, which could be allowed bathing facilities through a conditional use permit, Prince said.

That permit allows city staff to tailor regulations to each building and could allow city inspections to ensure that structures have not been converted to dwelling units, Prince said.

Commissioners also recommended that guest houses on less than five acres have no more than 640 square feet of floor space and that permits be required making it illegal to convert them into rental units.

The Ojai City Council is scheduled to discuss the issue at its meeting on Tuesday.

Homeowners who want to build rental units must obtain a special permit, which requires a public hearing, permit fees, minimum lot size and on-site parking, Assistant Planner Marilyn Miller said.