Preservation of Mount Clef Ridge a top priority in T.O.

In a city that prides itself on its wealth of open space, a portion of one particularly sensitive parcel may soon join the ring of green Thousand Oaks has worked hard to preserve over the years.

The city has committed $1.65 million from its open space endowment fund toward the purchase. Two donations made in the past week could help the city purchase a portion of the 26-acre Mount Clef Ridge parcel from private owners to preserve it as public open space.

A rare $100,000 donation was approved by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) last week, the first appropriation from the agency's trust fund.

On Monday the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy approved a $500,000 gift.

"This is a step in the right direction," COSCA Manager Mark Towne said. "We have made an offer and are waiting for a response from the owner."

The current deal being negotiated would only cover the purchase of three of the four lots that make up the parcel, according to City Attorney Amy Albano. Terms of the negotiations haven't been disclosed, but the money for the three lots would come from several sources.

While grateful for the COSCA and conservancy donations, Shari Czerwinski questions why the fourth parcel isn't being sought, too. Czerwinski is founder and co-chair of Save Our Ring of Green (SOROG), an organization established in February 2004 to protect Mount Clef Ridge.

The city has said it can only afford three of the lots and to go after four would lengthen the negotiation process, according to Czerwinski. The city would like to have an agreement in place by the end of the year.

"The owners are willing to sell all four lots," Czerwinski said. "Why don't we try to get grants for that fourth lot?" Lot 4 is significant, Czerwinski added. Its triangular shape zigzags through the parcel, cutting off part of the wildlife corridor.

"Private funds or grants would be welcome for Lot 4," Towne said.

Located on the northern side of the city, this scenic ridgeline is recognized as an important wildlife corridor connecting the Santa Monica Mountains, the Simi Hills and other areas. The property overlooks the Santa Rosa Valley on one side and the Conejo Valley on the other.

Mount Clef Ridge is identified as a top priority by COSCA, which manages open space as a joint powers agency between the city and Conejo Recreation and Park District.

The property owners plan to build two custom luxury homes on a portion of the land. Two other luxury homes on the ridge were completed several years ago by the same developer, Michael Dubin of SD Development Inc. in Moorpark.

The city has been in negotiations with the owners for months. Last fall the owners were willing to give the city half of the property to retain as open space, but council members rejected the offer, citing the importance of maintaining the entire parcel as open space.

The $3.3 million in the city's open space endowment fund isn't enough to cover the $129,000 per acre the owners have sought. That price is far above the $25,000 to $30,000 per acre the city has previously paid for open space. Although the city will contribute to the acquisition, officials have expressed discomfort with depleting the fund for one property when there are other parcels that may come up for purchase.

Several years ago the city had hoped to raise the money to purchase the property through a countywide ballot that called for a proposed quarter-cent sales tax for open space, but voters turned it down.

COSCA's trust fund has a balance of about $652,000, according to Towne. The fund receives about $82,000 annually, primarily from fees paid by operators of cell sites and FM radio towers located on COSCA property as well as monthly rent paid by the operator of the Two Winds Ranch public equestrian center in Newbury Park. The fund has grown since it was set up in 1995.

"This is a significant amount of money, especially by COSCA standards," Towne said. "This is an important enough project to use the money for."

The money won't be deposited until a purchase agreement is in place, according to Albano.

"We're still negotiating. Hopefully we'll get to a place where this will all come together," Albano said.

"This will send a message that there was a serious offer made and that it has the support of many layers."

SOROG members, and Joey Masry, wife of former Councilmember Ed Masry who passed away in December, asked the council to dedicate Mount Clef Ridge in Masry's memory, citing it as a fitting tribute for Masry's environmental work.

"This is valuable land, more valuable to the community than the development of a single home," Czerwinski said.