Plans for Lang Ranch Park go back to the drawing board
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

A unanimous vote by Conejo Recreation and Park District's board of directors has sent the environmental impact report for the proposed Lang Ranch Community Park back for more analysis.

After listening to 30 public speakers- half for the proposal and half against it- over the course of four and a half hours during last Thursday's meeting, the park commissioners asked for more specific information about the project from the park district staff members and hired consultants.

Board members asked to be provided with a nighttime photometric simulation to show what the proposed lighting would look like after dark. They also asked that future noise levels be assessed using a different method. Other information, including calculations on air-quality issues, was also requested.

It will take about four months for the new information to be provided and circulated to the public as required by law, said CRPD general manager Joe Friedl in an interview after the meeting.

More than 130 people attended the gathering at the park district's headquarters, 403 Hillcrest Drive. Some brought school-age children to watch the process. About 30 attendees stood during the proceedings because there weren't enough chairs inside the room.

Although the patio outside was set up to accommodate overflow, it was too cold outdoors.

"I live nearby and there's no place for kids to play. This park will be a wonderful place for kids," Ed White said.

About 28 acres of the 124acre site are proposed to make up the final community park to be built in Thousand Oaks.

It's been on the park district's master plan since 1968 and will provide a park for an underserved area of Thousand Oaks, Friedl said.

Ten acres per 1,000 residents is the park district standard. In the Lang Ranch area, Area 2 of the district's master plan, where there are 20,700 residents, the ratio is 5.4 acres per 1,000 residents. If the proposed park is built, the ratio would be 11 acres to 1,000 residents.

"The other parks are farther away and always too crowded when I take my children there to play," Jeannette Ennis said.

She's in favor of the new park and brought her sons- John, 12, Mitchell, 10, and Jake, 7- to the meeting.

The proposed park area is inside the boundaries of Erbes Road, Avenida de Los Arboles and Westlake Boulevard.

Some who live near the park site expressed concern over possible nuisances such as noise, lights and traffic that would be created by the proposed park.

"I live across the street from where they want to build the park. I really love the area. It's so quiet, peaceful and rural. The park will bring traffic, lights, noise and maybe gangs," Tina Alden said.

Lighted athletic areas would include two basketball courts, four tennis courts, four baseball/ softball fields, one soccer field and a roller hockey area.

Eight ball fields were originally proposed but the park district changed the plans after receiving public input, Friedl said.

Also planned are three play areas, four picnic structures, two volleyball courts, a community center and 475 parking spaces- about 150 more spaces than any other community park in Thousand Oaks. That number, Friedl said, should ensure that vehicles can come into the area and park, and not add to traffic on the surrounding streets.

The park was expected to open its first phase in 2009. The rejection of the EIR will delay that opening by at least four months. After the EIR is approved, it will be six months to a year before the master plan is turned into a blueprint drawing. The park district will seek a permit from the city. Then bids to build it will come in. Construction of phase one will take about eight or nine months, Friedl said.

Meanwhile, during this time, there will be more input from city residents.

Friedl said he likes to hear what the community has to say.

"One person at the meeting said it would be nice to have more variety in phase one, maybe some tennis courts, instead of just the baseball fields. I think that's an excellent idea," he said.