Thousand Oaks Planners OK 94-Home Project

Although expressing concerns about the heavy truck traffic that will occur during construction, the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission has approved a developer’s proposal to build 94 homes in a Newbury Park neighborhood.

The commission voted 3 to 1 early Tuesday to approve the project, which will be built by Raznick & Sons Inc. of Woodland Hills.

Newly appointed Commissioner Linda Parks voted against the development because of concerns over traffic and environmental impacts. Commissioner Marilyn Carpenter became ill and left before a vote was taken.

Raznick, which has been working on the housing development for three years, plans to build 94 homes on a 44-acre parcel just west of the intersection of Lynn and Reino roads. Seventeen acres would be dedicated as open space.

Before any construction can take place on the remainder of the site, the property must be elevated to maintain the natural flow of rainwater into a nearby wetland area. According to the developer, this will require hauling in between 65,000 and 80,000 cubic yards of dirt for fill.

That could require as many as 200 truck trips per day for 18 days or 100 trips per day for 36 days. But the operation could take even longer because the developer has agreed to limit the hours of hauling in order to reduce the effect of traffic, noise and dust on the neighborhood.

Ellen Michiel, vice president of Raznick, said the company regrets having to move so much dirt but that this is not unusual.

“There are other large projects that have been approved in the city that require the import or export of material equal to or more than what we are requiring,” Michiel said.

Two neighbors of the project site complained to the Planning Commission about the density of the project and the amount of dirt hauling that would be necessary.

“These streets are not built for all that traffic,” resident Julie Clark said.

However, commission members said that Raznick had complied with all city planning regulations and therefore had the right to develop its property.

Forest Frields, chairman of the commission, said he also had concerns about the dirt hauling but that there is not much the city could do about it. He said the developer is required by the federal government to elevate its property in order to protect the wetland area.

Besides, he said, if Raznick doesn’t develop the property eventually someone else will.

“Dirt is going to be brought into the area one way or the other,” he said.