THOUSAND OAKS : Panel OKs Housing, Shopping Center
Nine years after the development was initially proposed, the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission has approved a plan to build a shopping center and 170 housing units in an area of Newbury Park that is part of a natural flood basin.
Despite protests by residents, the commission voted 3 to 1 early Tuesday to approve developer Ned Cohan’s plan to build 26 single-family houses, 144 townhouses and a retail center on a wooded, 47-acre lot at Reino Road and Kimber Drive. Marilyn S. Carpenter cast the sole dissenting vote and Commissioner Forrest Frields was absent.
Commissioner Irving Wasserman said he voted to approve the project primarily because Cohan has agreed to build a concrete, storm-water retention basin on his property to ease flooding in the neighborhood.
About 40 residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to protest Cohan’s project. Several residents complained that the proposed shopping center, which will include a Ralphs grocery store, is not needed and will increase traffic problems and air pollution.
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