Caltrans to Rent Out Park-and-Ride Lot for Used-Car Sales : Thousand Oaks: The City Council approves a six-month pilot program. Cross-town auto dealers object.

The state Department of Transportation is going into the used-car business, at least for the next six months, under a pilot program in Thousand Oaks.

Despite complaints from cross-town auto dealers, the City Council voted 4 to 0 Tuesday night to allow Caltrans to use a 183-space park-and-ride lot as an open-air showcase where individuals can rent space to show cars to prospective buyers. Councilwoman Elois Zeanah was absent.

Caltrans decided to find another purpose for the lot at Rancho Conejo Boulevard and the Ventura Freeway because it is two-thirds vacant most of the time, Caltrans project coordinator Paul Kunny said.

On an average day, commuters park their cars in only 50 of the 183 spaces, and some drivers have had their vehicles vandalized.

During the six-month trial period, which will begin in early August, the lot will be leased to a private operator who will pay Caltrans $1,500-a-month rent and provide security.

“Not only is Caltrans getting $1,500 in revenues, we’re getting security for that lot,” Kunny said.

But other car salesmen in Thousand Oaks said the plan is unfair to automobile dealers who operate used-car lots.

Sid Hamilton, president of the Auto Mall Auto Dealership Assn., said the organization opposes the Caltrans plan because members believe that it would create unfair competition.

“We all have used-car operations. We felt it would be competitive,” Hamilton said.

A representative of Nesen Motor Co., the largest car dealer in Westlake, agreed.

“It’s kind of like a slap in the face to car dealers,” said Gary Nesen, the company’s president and chief executive officer. Nesen Motor Co. operates seven showrooms, and all have used vehicles for sale.

“We had to spend all this money to build these fancy facilities. And (the city is) letting in some small operation without the expensive overhead that we were required as a dealer to have,” he said.

The park-and-ride lot is located about a block from City Hall in the western portion of the city, and most of the other auto dealers are in Westlake in the eastern part of the city.

“I think this is something that’s long overdue,” Councilwoman Judy Lazar said. “I don’t think this provides a reasonable competition to auto dealers.”

The park-and-ride lot would be the only one in Southern California being used for this purpose, Kunny said.

Other park-and-ride lots in San Diego County are being used for storage, tow truck services and to sell food, he said, “and it’s worked very, very well.”

Thousand Oaks commuters will still be able to use the lot for car-pooling, he added. “What we’re doing will in no way have any effect on park-and-ride.”

Up to 150 of the spaces will be used on weekends for used-car sales. During the week, when commuters use the lot, 30 spaces will be occupied by cars for sale.

If the lot is successful, rent will be raised after six months, Kunny said. Thousand Oaks will get a small percentage of the revenues.

The lot will be run by Thousand Oaks businessman Rick Ongstad, whose company, Private Party Sales, will charge car owners $35 per space for the weekend to display their vehicles for sale.

In return, Ongstad has agreed to provide restrooms and security officers. Caltrans will plant landscaping around the bare lot.

Three speakers who urged the council to approve Caltrans’ plan said some car owners do not like to list vehicles in advertisements because they will be pestered by strangers. They are also afraid that their cars will be stolen when they are not at home.

“Something like this is a tremendous idea,” Thousand Oaks resident Ron Bergman said.