City and Communities, Ventura County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Codes: 93023, 93024
Ojai is a picturesque town located at the base of mountains. A refuge and inspiration for artists, writers and those seeking relief from the turmoil of the city. Famous for its hot springs, resorts and sunsets. www.mccormacks.com
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As the sun departs, it glows its rays against the Topa Topa Mountains. In local lore, this is known as “The Pink Moment.” Another pleasing site: winter snow on the mountains.
Not a commute city. To reach Ojai, you have to take two-lane roads that wind though ravines and over mountains. About two hours to Los Angeles. The town sits in valley about 10 miles long and three miles wide and surrounded by hills and mountains.
Ojai population is 8,156 and holding. In the 1990s, it added only 250 residents. Between 2000 and 2006, it took on another 300 residents.
On its south and east side, along the Ventura River, Ojai is approached by the villages of Meiners Oaks, 3,750 residents, Mira Monte, 7,177, and Oak View, 4,199. This gives the region a population of about 23,000. www.mccormacks.com
These villages also are fairly stable. Among the three, the population in the 1990s increased by about 500.
Within Ojai city limits, the state in 2008 counted 3,337 housing units, of which 2,281 were single detached homes, 292 single attached, 756 apartments and 8 mobile homes.
Median age of Ojai residents is 42. Children under 18 comprise 25 percent of population. Fair number of kids but the median age suggests grey hairs and parents dispatching their children to college or the work world.
Ojai attracts the well-to-do but it is not a town loaded with opulent homes. In the foothills and outside the city, some custom homes have been erected and a few have great views of the valley.
Most of Ojai consists of cottages and three-bedroom homes, bungalows and ranchers. The level of maintenance is high. Trees are plentiful. Wisteria spills down the walls. www.mccormacks.com
Ojai is a legal city and like many cities that have residents interested — passionate might be a better word — in the arts, it has strict controls over building and development. And it has sometimes has nonstop arguments over relatively small projects. Everybody has an opinion.
The town pays attention to retaining and encouraging the Spanish motif, arches and red tiles, particularly along Ojai Avenue, its main street. This thoroughfare has some lovely buildings and a variety of antique stores, galleries, coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants and boutiques. Ojai, with good reason, attracts many visitors. Schools and civic buildings also favor the Spanish style.
Once outside city limits, where building controls are not as strict, the mission look disappears and the homes and street layout (few sidewalks) fall into “country relaxed.” East of the city, the land is devoted to orchards and a few retirement complexes.
Education by Ojai Unified School District, enrollment about 3,750, including children from outlying towns. In state rankings, the schools are landing in the 70th to 90th percentile. In 1997, the district passed a $15 million bond to renovate its schools but in 2005 trounced a parcel tax to retain teachers and electives.
With little new housing, the school district was faced with dropping enrollment and closing a school and laying off teachers. To avoid this, it raided the enrollment of the adjoining Ventura district. This peeved Ventura and some unpleasant words were exchanged but to cut to the heart of the matter, Ventura could not do that much. www.mccormacks.com
Many Ventura-district kids live close to Ojai. Scores in the Ojai district are higher than many schools in the Ventura district.
Even with this, however, enrollments are slipping at the Ojai schools.
Ojai contracts with the sheriff’s department for police protection. Zero homicides between 2005 and 1998. Crime rate low.
Horse trails. Country club and golf course. Art Center. Arts and crafts. Writers’ workshops. Movies. Music festival. Playhouse. Symphonies. Film society.
Ojai borders the Los Padres National Forest. Miles of trails. To the west is Lake Casitas: bass, trout and catfish; boating.
Annual event: The Ojai, a tennis tournament that draws the young and upcoming, about 1,600 players in all.
Chamber of commerce (805) 646-8126.
• Conservancy group is raising money to buy about 1,600 acres along Ventura River near Meiners Oaks.
• Nordhoff High School in Ojai is famous for music, singing and dance but the school is saddled with a small stage that limits productions. The school district and the city are thinking about going partners in a performing arts center that would be built at the high school and shared with the town for other events. www.mccormacks.com
In 2007, the Nordhoff band will play at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.
City web site: www.ci.ojai.ca.us
