Proposed Mall’s Parking Spaces, Height Debated : Development: Simi Valley planners seek more spots for cars and lower buildings at meeting with developer.

A developer who wants to build a regional shopping mall and office complex in Simi Valley and the city’s Planning Commission debated late into the evening Thursday, trying to resolve differences that have stalled the project for months.

The city and developer Melvin Simon & Associates argued about how much parking the city will require for the proposed 1.5-million-square-foot project, and about the height of two office buildings.

“I think they felt they were going to get it through easier than they did,” Commissioner Michael Piper said. “But we only get one of these in our lifetime, and we’re not going to rush through it.”

The city planning staff has recommended that the developer provide 4.5 parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of shopping and office space and that buildings be no higher than three stories. The developer wanted to reduce the number of spaces up to 25% for the office buildings and make the structures four stories tall.

If the Planning Commission finally approves the project, its recommendation will go to the City Council, which could review it by Sept. 16.

A majority of council members have already expressed support for the project. Officials have long hoped to lure a regional mall to the area.

The Indianapolis-based developer has proposed construction of an enclosed mall on 126 acres north of the Simi Valley Freeway, between 1st Street and Erringer Road. The project includes a 981,000-square-foot mall and 500,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

The mall would be built in two phases, with the first including three major department stores, a variety of smaller shops, a food court and a cinema. The second phase would have two more department stores.

The mall is expected to generate about $2.7 million a year in sales tax once completed.

Project manager Kevin Kudlo said Thursday that the developer is hoping to break ground on the mall by mid-1993, with the first phase opening in 1995. The second phase would be completed by 2000, he said.

Kudlo said the developer is close to signing an agreement with one department store chain and is negotiating with others. He said Melvin Simon would have to secure agreements with three large retailers to get financing for the project and to attract smaller merchants.

Residents and city officials have been pushing for a mall for several years. The city now has two large shopping centers--one partly enclosed--but neither has major department stores.

Mayor Greg Stratton has said one main reason that he ran for reelection last year was to make sure that the city got a regional mall.

“The mall seems to be part of our culture,” he said. “It’s like the downtown of old Midwestern towns. It is a necessary part of your city. It provides a feeling that the city is complete.”

Proposed Simi Valley Regional Center Developer: Indianapolis-based Melvin Simon & Associates Inc. Project: Plans call for a 1.5-million square foot office and retail center, including 980,000 square feet for a shopping mall. The mall will have five major department stores, a food court, and cinema. Location: The office and retail center will be developed on a 129-acre site north of the Simi Valley Freeway between First Street and Erringer Road. Traffic: The entire project will generate more than 45,000 vehicle trips each day, according to an environmental study. Revenue: The shopping mall is expected to raise about $2.7 million in annual revenue for the city when fully completed. Source: Melvin Simon & Associates