Local News in Brief : County Planners OK Sheriff’s Station Permit

The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional-use permit Wednesday to build a $10.2-million sheriff’s station to serve the Las Virgenes area.

Ground breaking for the new station is scheduled May 27, and sheriff’s officials hope to have the new facility open by January, 1990, said Lt. Bill McSweeney.

In approving the project, the commission asked that a 100-foot microwave transmitter tower be placed behind the station, rather than in front. The Currey-Riach Co., which is building a 520-acre industrial, commercial and residential development nearby, had asked that the tower be moved.

The station is to be built on 6.1 acres in county territory south of the Ventura Freeway interchange at Lost Hills Road.

The station will serve about 100 square miles, including Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills and Westlake Village, which contract with the Sheriff’s Department for services, as well as such unincorporated areas as Calabasas.

The area is now served by the sheriff’s station at Malibu. About 100 officers from the station must cover more than 200 square miles.

Preliminary plans call for the new station to have about 70 officers, including 50 from Malibu and 20 who will be new or transfers from other stations, he said.

Both stations will continue to offer traffic, patrol and detective services, McSweeney added.

He said better response times may result because patrol units will have less distance to travel.

The new station will have a helipad, and a stable and horses for mounted police. It will have a 30,000-square-foot main building, with space for more than 40 prisoners, and a 7,000-square-foot service building.