Ojai Man Shows There’s No Place Like Home Page

Andy Behar knows the Net.

In fact, the Ojai resident and film director recently created an Internet home page boasting his city’s charms and posted it on the World Wide Web.

The Ojai home page features a prominent picture of the Topa Topa Mountains, and provides information on art, music, recreation, real estate, schools, government, and updates on the activities of local environmental groups.

And while the site may look like it was developed by the Chamber of Commerce or the city of Ojai, it was all done by Behar--gratis.

“It really is kind of grass roots and small-time,” he said. “I am just, like, a citizen . . . I have got enough to do.”

In addition to directing films, Behar runs a small business called Hyperactive Media that develops Web sites.

A New York native and father of three, Behar created the Ojai home page to stretch his creative muscles and to establish a type of electronic community center where local residents could share ideas and communicate via e-mail.

“The Ojai one is kind of fun,” he said. “I kind of set up a skeletal system and now everybody is developing their own sites.”

Behar has received e-mail from all over the world. He answers about 20 to 30 letters a week. So far, the page has been visited, or received “hits,” from more than 2,800 Web browsers.

Despite its apparent popularity, the home page was a mystery to one local agency: the city of Ojai.

“Ojai has always been a little behind the times with respect to information and technology,” said Dan Singer, assistant to the city manager. “I am not even sure we knew it existed.”