Ojai Approves Solar Panel
Incentive - Save $500!

From the Desk of Steve McClary, Deputy City Manager

The Ojai City Council has voted to waive the building permit fee for solar energy systems for one year until August 14, 2014. The waiver was requested by "Solarize Ojai Valley," a joint program of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition and the Community Environmental Council. Through this program the two organizations hope to help and encourage homeowners to convert their homes to affordable solar power.

Two workshops have already been conducted, and a third is scheduled on Tuesday, September 17 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Ojai Valley Grange Hall. Information about the Solarize Ojai Valley program is available at SolarizeOjai.org or by calling 805-963-0583 extension 105.

Normally the City building permit fee for rooftop solar facilities is $500, and it can be more for more complex ground mounted systems. Fees have also been waived by the County of Ventura. The City waiver applies to any solar facility whether obtained through Solarize Ojai Valley or not.

City Manager Rob Clark said: "The City Council wants to encourage its residents to look seriously at solar panels, and felt that this was a great way to do that. With the decommissioning of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station there will be a lot of pressure on electricity rates, so it is a good time to consider moving to a more affordable and environmentally friendly alternative. I really appreciate the work of the Green Coalition and Community Environmental Council in putting the Solarize Ojai Valley program together."

Director's Note: Dear readers - with only one month left of this terrific program; we've got to do a better job of getting the word out. Please share this program with local friends and family members, who might be looking to go 'solar.' Thank you.

Welcome to New Board Members
Ched Meyers and Margaret Tarmy

The Ojai Valley Green Coalition welcomes two new Board Members Ched Meyers and Margaret Tarmy, who bring valuable community building skills to our organization.

Ched moved to Ojai with his wife Elaine in 2005 from East Los Angeles. You may have met them already as their remodeled home was on the first Green Home & Building Tour in 2008. Since that time, Ched and Elaine have supported the work of the Coalition.

"One of the reasons we moved to this valley was in order to focus our life-long social justice work more on environmental issues," says Ched. "I regard the Coalition as exemplary in its integration of a wide spectrum of environmental concerns, and want to help the organization broaden and deepen its work and influence."

Ched, involved in justice and peace organizing and education for more than 35 years, is the founder and co-director of Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries based in Oak View. The ecumenical non-profit organization focuses on building capacity among individuals, churches, and movements committed to all forms of social justice, peacemaking, restorative justice, and watershed health.

Coalition members may have already met Margaret, too who recently moved to Ojai from Vermont and immediately became active in the Ojai Food Co-op project.

"I have been very impressed with the range and depth of Coalition activities," says Margaret, "And I look forward to being more involved."

In Vermont, Margaret was a licensing manager at a non-governmental organization doing international development work. She managed the educational branch for their short term training programs and a manager of a short term training program at a graduate institute previously.

Margaret has a Masters Degree in Conflict Transformation. While living in Putney, Vermont she was a member of a Transition Town group focused on community building. The group helped start a community garden, a weekly farmers market, and held twice-monthly workshops teaching life skills, such as cooking and raising chickens. She was also the Board President of their local Waldorf School.

We're excited to have Ched and Margaret joining the Board to help forward our mission and increasing our community building capacity. Thanks for saying yes!

We're Preparing for a Busy Fall -
Can You Team Up?

With the recent passing of an updated city Lighting Ordinance, the Coalition will be meeting with the city to discuss outreach efforts and we'll work on other projects to forward a 'Dark Skies' community effort. If you would like to join this work group, please email Deborah.

Member Laurie Walters helps park bikes.

We need lots of 'staff' the day of our annual Green Home & Building Tour being held this year on Saturday, October 26. Mark your calendar to take a shift AND take the tour.

'Small is Beautiful' is this year's theme, but it's not all about downsizing, rather right-sizing. We've got a real live 'tiny house', a 'recycled house', and a permaculture site complete with a successful aquaponics system, just to name a few tour features this year. To learn more and purchase tickets visit the Tour site. Stay tuned for those 'staffing' opportunities.

We'll be wrapping up the year with our Nutiva sponsored hosting of the Ojai Film Festival Focus Earth film - "Harmony." This new and exciting collaboration showcases an inspiring film, its filmmakers, and an amazing guest panelist, and will be followed by a reception with the filmmakers. Save the date of Sunday, November 10 to help out or attend this special event. Look for full details in our October e-News.