Simi Valley clears hurdle in its bid to annex Reagan Presidential Library

Taking an important first step in finally making Simi Valley’s biggest tourist attraction a part of the city, a regional land use agency Wednesday voted to recognize the city’s connection to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission, a state-sanctioned panel that oversees boundary changes for cities and most special districts, voted unanimously to add the nearly 100-acre presidential library site, along with some 68 acres of open space and six home sites, to Simi Valley’s sphere of influence.

The action clears the way for the city’s annexation of the property.

“We’ve been interested in doing this for some time, as has the library,” Mayor Paul Miller said. Miller thanked the neighboring cities of Moorpark and Thousand Oaks for supporting the effort.

Since the presidential library opened just outside city limits in November 1991, Simi Valley has provided police, water and sewer services, as it does for the adjacent parcels.

Presidential Drive -- the sole access road to the library, off Madera Road -- is patrolled by Simi Valley police rather than sheriff’s deputies.

Everett Mailais, executive officer of the formation commission, said his agency has worked for five years to update the sphere-of-influence boundaries around the county’s cities. This process hasn’t been done in more than two decades, and the first deadline takes effect in January.

Because it has been the primary provider of services to the library and nearby parcels, it makes sense to include the land in question inside Simi Valley’s sphere of influence, Mailais said.

One complication, however, is that the 228 acres overlooking the Tierra Rejada Valley is part of a green-belt agreement to prevent development of the land between the cities of Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks.

Before the Reagan library could be formally annexed into the city, Mailais said, the green-belt arrangement between the county and the three affected cities would have to be updated.

Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, also a member of the LAFCO board, voted in favor of extending Simi Valley’s sphere of influence.

Parks said she believes this will be an opportunity for the county to strengthen its commitment to preserving open space, by adopting an ordinance to protect the greenbelt.

“I asked that when [Simi Valley] does come back, that they have some measure in place to preserve that more than 60 acres of open space,” Parks said.

Simi Valley City Manager Mike Sedell said the city agrees with the goal of maintaining the current level of development within the greenbelt, which includes the presidential library, homes, plant nurseries, some equestrian properties, a golf course and a driving range.

“The city’s position is that we want to keep that area open as it is now,” Sedell said. “This does not change any of the current land uses.”

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greg.griggs@latimes.com