City hopes to alleviate parking at The Lakes
By Sophia Fischer

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers AROUND AND AROUND-Drivers look for an open parking space on Sunday at The Lakes in Thousand Oaks. Trial program lets center employees park on weekends at Civic Arts Plaza.

Finding a parking space may soon become a little easier at The Lakes shopping center in Thousand Oaks.

The city council has approved an arrangement to allow employees at The Lakes to park on the roof of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza parking garage between 9:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. One hundred spaces will be reserved for employees, who will display a special permit.

In exchange, The Lakes will pay the city a daily parking fee of $250.

The deal will be in effect on a trial basis from June 17 to Jan. 31, 2007, to see if the experiment actually does ease parking. The city would realize about $15,000 in revenue during the trial period, according to Finance Director Candis Hong. The money would go to the Civic Arts Plaza theaters, according to a staff report.

"This is a preliminary Phase 1 step in dealing with the parking problem," City Manager Scott Mitnick said. "We're considering hiring a parking consultant so we can get outside expertise." Alternatives will also be con

sidered, according to Paul Kurzawa, vice president of operations for Caruso Affiliated, owner of the shopping center.

Since opening 10 months ago, the center has had parking challenges. Located behind The Lakes, the parking lot has 532 spaces, including 12 handicapped spots.

Part of the problem, according to Kurzawa, is that theatergoers at the Civic Arts Plaza are parking at The Lakes for dinner, then walking over to the theater. He anticipates that allowing employees to park in the Civic Arts Plaza garage will have a "moderate to significant impact."