THOUSAND OAKS : City to Study Request to Relocate Complex

The Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday will consider a developer’s request to relocate a planned apartment building from a gated community to an industrial area.

The Planning Commission last month voted to recommend that the City Council approve Shapell Industries’ proposal to move the 268-unit apartment complex. The building was originally planned for its upscale Rancho Conejo Village subdivision, which now includes about 100 homes.

The commission’s vote came despite protests from Northrop Corp., which argued that locating the apartment complex directly across from its former Rancho Conejo Boulevard plant would hamper its efforts to sell the 100-acre property. The apartment complex would be built directly on land across the street.

Northrop officials said potential buyers would be concerned about restrictions limiting noise, traffic and hours of operation.

City Councilman Frank Schillo said when Shapell originally proposed its residential development, he favored putting the apartment complex along Rancho Conejo Boulevard. He said he believed that businesses in the area might like the idea of having some housing available nearby.

But Schillo said he wants to hear the concerns of Northrop and other businesses before deciding whether or not to support the proposed move.

Shapell, which ultimately plans to build about 1,000 residences in Rancho Conejo Village, initially planned to build a 400-unit apartment complex within the gated community.

However, with strong backing from residents, the developer decided to reduce the size of the apartment building and move it to another location because it no longer believed it would be appropriate in the gated neighborhood, where homes range from $250,000 to $410,000.