THOUSAND OAKS : Mall’s Impact on Air Quality Assessed

A planned mall in the Westlake area of Thousand Oaks would produce pollutants far in excess of Ventura County air quality standards, according to a draft environmental report.

The report released by the Thousand Oaks Planning Department said The Village would produce more than five times the pollutants allowed by the county Air Pollution Control District.

Developers with Haseko/Lincoln/Scardino Associates want to develop the 255,000-square-foot shopping mall on 10.63 acres north of the Ventura Freeway at Thousand Oaks and Westlake boulevards.

If approved by the Planning Commission, the mall would be built by 1992, according to the report. Plans include three floors of small shops, department stores, restaurants, banks and a 1,800-seat movie theater.

The public has until Dec. 15 to submit comments on the project, but the Planning Commission is not expected to review it until January, Senior Planner Greg Smith said.

Smith said the project has raised public concern about increased traffic. About 11,300 new car trips would be generated each day. The area is already well-traveled by motorists.

To solve potential traffic jams, the report recommends widening Westlake Boulevard near Thousand Oaks Boulevard and adding right- and left-turn lanes on the northbound and southbound ramps near the Ventura Freeway at a cost of nearly $606,000.

The report also described as significant the effect the buildings would have in blocking views of the ridgelines around Thousand Oaks. The city requires special permits for buildings that exceed 35 feet in that area, Smith said.