Thousand Oaks Will Consider High-Density Housing Project : Development: Newbury Park proposal exceeds municipal design limits. But some City Council members cite the need for affordable homes.

The Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday will consider approving a dense cluster of three-story affordable townhouses on a two-acre lot in Newbury Park.

At a public hearing Tuesday night, council members will decide whether their goal of providing more low- and moderate-cost housing in the city justifies approval of the project, which conflicts with municipal design standards.

The project, a 30-unit complex with an underground garage, would double the recommended density for that parcel. It would also exceed the city’s 25-foot building height limit by about three feet.

Other deviations from city codes include an extra-tall retaining wall and a lack of recreational facilities.

The Planning Commission rejected the development by a 3-2 vote two weeks ago. In turning thumbs down, commissioners said they saw three big strikes against the project: too tall, too dense and too cramped for children.

But Nu West Development Co. appealed to the City Council, arguing that the condominiums would fill a vital market niche for first-time home buyers.

A similarly priced complex in Thousand Oaks, The Groves condominiums along the Ventura Freeway near the Auto Mall, has had trouble attracting buyers in its first few months on the market. But project manager Arjun Nagarkatti said sales have picked up recently, and 26 of the Groves’ 94 units are now sold.

The two- and three-bedroom houses in Newbury Park, which would be built south of Borchard Road near West Kelly Road, would sell for $102,000 to $165,000, with preference given to people already living in Thousand Oaks.

While the houses would be concentrated on a single acre, a steep hill encompassing an additional acre would serve as a common back yard, possibly with hiking trails or picnic tables.

Newbury Park residents have fought several other developments that clustered homes, saying they preferred detached houses on large lots. But several council members indicated Friday that they find the project’s general blueprint appropriate for the neighborhood.

“Clustering is a fine way to develop,” Councilman Alex Fiore said. “To achieve affordable housing, that’s what one must do. Because land costs so much, there’s no other way.”

Although they expressed concern about packing 30 units into a single acre, Mayor Judy Lazar and Councilman Frank Schillo both stressed the need to provide homes for young families.

“I know it’s dense, yet it is affordable housing, for which I have a great deal of empathy,” Lazar said. After looking at a rendering of the project provided by the developer, she said, “I don’t find it hugely objectionable.”

But Councilwoman Elois Zeanah vehemently opposed the project.

“To me, this is a disastrous design for the city and for the future of the residents in the neighborhood,” she said.

The developer could not be reached for comment Friday.

Over the past few years, Zeanah has been on the losing end of several votes granting affordable housing projects waivers from the city’s rigid design codes.

The outspoken councilwoman vigorously--and futilely--opposed The Groves complex. This spring, she and Councilwoman Jaime Zukowski argued unsuccessfully against a 50-unit public housing project to be built on Hillcrest Drive between Boardwalk Avenue and Hodencamp Road.

In speaking out against the developments, Zeanah has said low-income residents should not be condemned to live in “the most undesirable places in the city.”

Responding to her charges, the council majority has emphasized what Lazar called “a real need to provide affordable housing, within city standards, for people who live and work in the community.”

As council members gear up for what will probably be a heated debate, Newbury Park residents say they hope their leaders will focus on whether the development blends in with the neighborhood.

“I have a lot of concerns about this project,” said Carrie Mahan. “It’s not a totally inappropriate use for that land, but we have a long way to go before we get the kind of project that’s tolerable for this community.”