Council Panel Changes Zoning at Woodland Hills Church Site
A City Council committee cleared the way Wednesday for leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to continue negotiations to sell a landmark Woodland Hills auditorium to an apartment developer.
The council’s Planning and Environment Committee overturned a ruling by the Planning Commission and determined that the city had erred in drawing a zoning map for the site stipulating what kind of development will be permitted on the property.
The boundary in error showed that the developer would be restricted to building 280 to 300 apartments instead of a proposed 350-unit complex at the site of the former Valley Music Theater, 20600 Ventura Blvd.
The property is owned by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who use it as their regional assembly hall. The religious group has outgrown the auditorium and wants to sell the land and move to a larger site, possibly in Santa Clarita.
Confusion over the zoning boundaries had stalled negotiations on the sale of the land because the buyer, Jay Wilton, was unsure what he would be permitted to build.
The new zoning boundary enlarges the land available for multifamily housing. Jehovah’s Witness representative Karen Black said the exact number of units that will be built has not been determined. She said the group will work with nearby homeowners who want a wide greenbelt to separate the apartments from their neighborhood.
“Today’s decision allows us to move forward with our plans,” Black said. “We’re happy that the city acknowledged their mistake.”
The unanimous council committee decision still needs approval by the City Council and Mayor Tom Bradley.
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