Thousand Oaks Closes Deal to Buy Jungleland : Civic center: Officials call the agreement a major victory. The city and the former landowner settled the three-year legal dispute to avoid a trial.

The city of Thousand Oaks has agreed to pay a total of $17.9 million for the former Jungleland property, ending a three-year legal dispute over the price of the land where a new civic center will be built, city officials said.

Although the city and former landowner Asad Morovati agreed to settle the dispute earlier this month to avoid a trial in Ventura County Superior Court, details of the agreement were not released until Wednesday.

“It’s a major victory,” City Atty. Mark G. Sellers said of the agreement. “Both sides are happy with it.”

Morovati and his attorney, James Longtin, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Sellers said the city condemned the former wild animal park in 1987 and paid Morovati $13.4 million, but the landowner demanded an additional $15 million for the 20-acre parcel at the corner of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Conejo School Road.

Under the terms of the settlement, Sellers said the city has agreed to pay an additional $4.35 million by Jan. 7, as well as $150,000 interest.

Sellers said the agreement saved the city at least $100,000 in legal fees that would have been necessary to go to trial, while also ending the possibility of lengthy court appeals.

Councilman Alex Fiore, who also serves as chairman of the City Council’s Jungleland committee, said he was delighted with the agreement.

“I think it’s a great settlement,” Fiore said. “The city got a good deal. We predicted all along that we would end up at this particular amount.”

Mayor Frank Schillo said the city has the $4.35 million in redevelopment funds needed to pay Morovati, but did not say when the payment would be made. He said the city’s Redevelopment Agency had set aside funds in its budget for the payment and all necessary litigation.

The mayor said the agency offered to pay Morovati $17.2 million for the Jungleland site 18 months ago, but Morovati decided to take his case to court.

A jury had been chosen and attorneys for both sides were preparing to make opening statements when the agreement was reached and approved by Superior Court Judge Bruce Sumner on Nov. 7.

Schillo said the legal dispute had not slowed the city’s progress on the civic center project.

Last spring, the city approved a $55.6-million budget for a government center and arts auditorium to be built on the Jungleland site. In September, the City Council awarded a contract to Brentwood-based Lowe Development Corp. to design and develop the project.

Ed Johnduff, manager of administrative services for the city, said the developer is scheduled to deliver preliminary drawings of the new civic center to the City Council in February.

Johnduff and Schillo said the city hopes to break ground on the project in October, 1991.

The proposed civic center, which city officials say will revitalize the city’s business district, has been criticized by some residents who say it will cost too much. One citizens group is collecting signatures with the aim of placing the Jungleland issue on the ballot in a special election.

But Fiore and other city officials said the civic center will provide a focal point for the city.

“It will provide the final element of our General Plan that we have been pursuing for the last 20 years,” Fiore said.