SIMI VALLEY : Planners Ease Stand on Permit for Park

The staff of the Simi Valley Planning Commission on Wednesday reversed its earlier stance and recommended relaxing the requirements of a permit needed by local park districts officials to build a 166-acre community park.

Planning staff originally had recommended that the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District wait to develop the $3.5-million Challenger Park until the financially troubled developer of the Wood Ranch community extends 1st Street in front of the park property.

In a revised staff report presented at the commission’s meeting Wednesday, planners recommended allowing the first three of five phases in the park’s development to go forward before the street is extended.

The park, which would include a 50-seat amphitheater, hiking trails, a camping area and a nature center, is planned for vacant property where 1st Street dead-ends at Bluegrass Street.

City Engineer George Berg said that after hiking around the site he discovered that an existing dirt driveway could be used to access the park’s south end for the first three phases. The last two phases, including the outdoor theater and a helipad, would have to wait for the street extension, the revised report said.

Commissioners agreed with the changes and asked staff to come back with an updated report for a vote at a future meeting.

If the permit is approved, it would give district officials the green light to seek state and federal funding to build the park. Park district officials were concerned that the earlier recommendation could have delayed the project.

It could be several years before 1st Street is extended by Olympia/Roberts Co. The developer of Wood Ranch, a sprawling 3,000-acre planned community, last November defaulted on its $15-million loan.