Buildings up to 75 feet tall could go on the boulevard

The Redevelopment Agency/ City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to initiate a Specific Plan that would include construction of 75-foot-tall six-story buildings on Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

The vote also initiated a change to the General Plan amendment to modify land use and authorize city staff to prepare for an environmental impact report on plans to change Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

Five days before the May 5 City Council meeting, an eightchapter, 200-page draft from the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Association (TOBA) was made available to the public.

The plan includes an average building height of 55 feet, with higher limits given to developers who add elements such as energy efficiency or affordable housing.

"I believe it is individual interpretation as to what you consider is a high-rise building," said City Councilmember Claudia Billde la Peña. Anyone could argue that six stories could be considered high-rise, she said.

The association's plans also include ideas to add 10foot sidewalks, bike lanes, smaller traffic lanes, medians, public art, landscaping and mixed-use. The plan encompasses the area of T.O. Boulevard just west of Moorpark Road to Duesenberg Drive.

For the last five years, the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Association has worked with a planning consultant on ways to make the street more functional for businesses and pedestrians, said community development director John Prescott.

The association conducted community meetings over the past year and in that time did not make changes to the plans, said TOBA president Rick Principe.

"At these meetings no paperwork has been handed out," said T.O. resident Nick Quidwai.

He said he's in support of business development in the city but doesn't like not receiving any paperwork or information on the plans in advance, though he requested it at the March community meeting.

According to Prescott, the TOBA plan might trigger a Measure E vote by residents. Measure E requires a vote if the council approves projects where the residential level exceeds November 1996 levels. A vote would be necessary if the mixeduse element is approved and adds more residents than permitted by the General Plan or if zoning changes are approved for mobile home park exclusive zones. There are two mobile home parks in the Specific Plan.

Mixed use could mean retail on the ground level with offices or residential dwellings on upper levels, Prescott said.

"Ultimately the residents will be the ones who will decide what will happen on Thousand Oaks Boulevard," said Councilmember Andy Fox.

Bill-de la Peña said she voted no because she didn't want to endorse a concept that hasn't changed over a year despite opposition, though she's in favor of improving the boulevard. She also said she was concerned about the height, traffic impacts, the community's lack of strong support for mixedused and no guarantees for affordable, senior and mobile home housing.

"The boulevard owners did an excellent job putting this book together, and some of the possibilities of what could be going on the boulevard look very promising, and I really do hope we move ahead on this effort," said Councilmember Jacqui Irwin.

She also expressed concern about the height of the buildings and the size of the sidewalks.

"The economic slowdown may create an opportunity that wouldn't have been there if we were still riding the boom," said Councilmember Dennis Gillette.

He recalled how other groups have been trying to improve the boulevard for more than 15 years, resulting in volumes of studies after the attempts failed in economic times better than today.

Principe noted that the Specific Plan would help small businesses in Thousand Oaks survive.

The Specific Plan can be found at www.toaks.org.