Ojai Phone Numbers & Valley Contacts
A working directory of the contacts Ojai residents actually need, from the police station to Casitas Water to Ventura County Fire. Numbers and links are taken from each agency's own website.
Ojai Contacts
Save this page. The numbers below are the ones you reach for when something happens, from a downed power line to a brush clearance notice in the mail. Ojai is a small incorporated city surrounded by unincorporated Ventura County, so many services come through county agencies rather than the city.
Emergencies & Public Safety
Ojai's police service is provided by contract from the Ventura County Sheriff, and the same station is the hub for the deputies who patrol the unincorporated valley.
City of Ojai
For city services, planning, permits, and council business.
Ojai, CA 93023
Ventura County
Utilities
The City of Ojai's own utilities page lists Casitas (water), Clean Power Alliance, E.J. Harrison (trash), the Gas Company, Southern California Edison and the Ojai Valley Sanitary District.
Trees, Bears & Country Living
Ojai is country, and it has the rules to match. Trees are measured differently inside the city and in the county, so start by finding out which side of the line the house is on.
Other Useful Numbers
Water in the Ojai Valley
Water is the single most important infrastructure question in Ojai. Which company bills the house, whether it sits on a well, and what the adjudication means for it are three separate questions, and every Ojai homeowner should know the answer to each.
Casitas Municipal Water District
Casitas serves the City of Ojai and much of the valley, and manages Lake Casitas. It took over the Ojai water system from Golden State Water in 2017, so a bill or listing that still names Golden State is out of date. Some areas are served by other districts and mutual water companies, so ask the seller which one bills the house.
1055 Ventura Avenue, Oak View, CA 93022
Groundwater & the Adjudication
The Ventura River watershed is in a groundwater adjudication that includes Ojai landowners and well owners. The case website has lists you can search by name or parcel number.
Private Wells
Many East End and Upper Ojai properties run on private wells. Wells fall under Ventura County jurisdiction, and a well inside the Ojai Basin boundary also needs a permit from the basin's groundwater agency.
Fire Prevention & Brush Clearance
Essentially every property in the Ojai area carries some wildfire exposure, and the 2017 Thomas Fire reshaped how the valley thinks about defensible space and evacuation. The City of Ojai contracts with the Ventura County Fire Department for fire service.
Ventura County Fire Department
Defensible Space & Hazard Reduction
Defensible space rules are set out in VCFD Standard 515, with a maintenance guide and a prohibited plant list published alongside it.
Insurance & the FAIR Plan
Ojai's insurance market has tightened. Many homeowners now use the California FAIR Plan as a fallback when standard carriers will not write.
Short-Term Rentals
Short answer: not in the city, and almost never in the county. The City of Ojai bans short-term rentals, and unincorporated Ojai Valley has its own overlay zone that does the same with narrow exceptions.
The Rule in One Line
Where to Read More
Ojai City Council
Ojai's City Council is the local body that shapes everything from short-term-rental rules to the chain-store ordinance to development on the historic arcade. Meetings are public, livestreamed, and worth attending if you own property in the city.
How to Follow It
About This Page
I'm Debbie Pisaro, the founder of Coastline 840 and a California real estate salesperson. I work with buyers and sellers across the Ojai Valley, and I keep this page up because what happens at City Hall, at Casitas, and at Ventura County Fire affects property values, insurability, and the texture of daily life in this valley.
If you are buying or selling in Ojai, or you have a question about a specific street, water situation, fire-zone status, or architectural style in the valley, I would be glad to hear from you.
Responsible broker: Side, Inc. · DRE #02014153 · Coastline 840