Local News in Brief : Renaissance Faire Backers Get a Boost

Efforts to save the Renaissance Pleasure Faire site got a boost when county Supervisor Mike Antonovich told fair supporters that he will help them obtain the Agoura property for parkland if they meet financial conditions.

Antonovich met this week with Renaissance Faire supporters who brought him almost 15,000 letters urging the Board of Supervisors to deny permission to build a proposed housing development on the land. Antonovich said he will support the parkland proposal if he can obtain assurances that the owner would be paid a fair price.

Antonovich also said he wanted written proof that the National Park Service and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy have money available to purchase the 320 acres of rolling hills and centuries-old oak trees. The park service and the conservancy have been trying to raise $14 million for the purchase.

Art Whizin, who owns the fair site, wants to build 160 single-family homes there. The county’s Regional Planning Commission tentatively approved his project earlier in the year, but the Board of Supervisors has final jurisdiction.