Broome Ranch Takes Status as State Parkland

The grassy plains and soft hills of the 640-acre Broome Ranch near Thousand Oaks officially became state parkland Wednesday, as officials closed escrow on the $4.2-million purchase.

“This is a piece of land that has been eyed by the city and various park agencies for years, but always seemed out of reach,” said Rorei Skei, a spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. “The community will be real happy to know it is now under public ownership. We own the title.”

Thousand Oaks officials cheered the acquisition.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Mayor Elois Zeanah said. “This is one of the most exciting times in Thousand Oaks’ history.”

Councilman Frank Schillo was equally moved. “I’m really pleased. It’s been a long struggle to get to this point.”

Long coveted by environmentalists, Broome Ranch represents a key acquisition because it serves as the gateway to an unbroken stretch of state and federal parkland that sweeps through Point Mugu State Park down to the Pacific Ocean.

The rugged wilderness includes chaparral-covered cliffs and seasonal marshes and is home to various wildlife, including mountain lions, bobcats and gray foxes.

“It’s an extremely significant piece of property in terms of the western Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County,” Skei said.

But the bulk of the ranch will not remain state parkland for long.

The National Park Service, the city of Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Recreation and Park District, all partners in the ranch’s purchase, are expected to divvy up portions of the property in coming weeks.

And Newbury Park residents who live next to the sprawling tract are already fuming over a proposal by city officials to develop a golf course on the ranch to help recoup Thousand Oaks’ $1-million investment.

“My reaction to the closing of escrow has been soured considerably by the deception many of us feel that has been pulled by the City Council,” resident Mike Dunn said.

“We were promised that the Broome Ranch would be preserved as open space. But the people have been lied to,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, five acres of asphalt parking, a country club and pro shop is development.”

Michelle Koetke, a leader of Residents to Preserve Newbury Park, blamed Councilwoman Judy Lazar for the prospect of a golf course. When she was mayor, Lazar helped put together the deal to use money from the city’s golf course fund to cover its contribution to help purchase Broome Ranch, Koetke said.

“I think it’s a tragedy and a travesty of justice when you think of the misuse of authority,” Koetke said. “This is Judy Lazar’s gift to Newbury Park.”

Lazar could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Schillo and Councilman Alex Fiore have also expressed support for the proposed golf course, saying it would provide the city with a steady stream of income to maintain trails and to acquire additional open space. Under the proposal, the city would collect paying fees from golfers or generate money from the course’s operations.

“Either we raise taxes or we find another way to pay for open space,” Schillo said. “And this is another way.”

But Koetke suggested the city pursue other alternatives. She said the city could use a portion of the fees it has collected from developers of the Dos Vientos housing project to pay for its share of the ranch.

Koetke said the 2,350-unit housing development will directly affect Newbury Park residents. Therefore, she said, fees collected from Dos Vientos should be used to finance the city’s portion of Broome Ranch so the neighborhood is spared from additional traffic, noise and pollution that would be generated by a golf course.

“We’re going to get the brunt of the impact from Dos Vientos, why not use that money for land acquisition in Newbury Park,” she said. “That seems to be fair and an appropriate use of the money.”

Koetke said another possible source of money could come from a statewide bond measure that will appear on the June, 1994, ballot. If approved, the Conejo Valley stands to gain about $3 million in parkland funds.

But Schillo said there is no guarantee that the bond measure would be passed.

As for the Dos Vientos developer fees, he said the city should be extremely cautious about how it uses that revenue because “once you spend it, it’s gone.”

He stressed that a golf course could help generate money to maintain existing open space and for acquiring new properties. The city now spends about $500,000 a year to maintain existing open space holdings.

“We need a steady stream of income,” he said.

Zeanah and Councilwoman Jaime Zukowski oppose the proposed golf course. Zeanah said she wants Broome Ranch to remain permanent open space.

“Open space brings more value to this community than any other single factor,” she said. “It keeps property values high, it attracts business. It has a value you cannot put a price on.”

Still, Zeanah said she is concerned that a golf course will be developed “unless residents in the community make their voices heard loud and strong. It’s really up to the community now.”

Meanwhile, a small ceremony to mark the acquisition of Broome Ranch will be held at the site today at 9 a.m., with several park and city officials expected to attend.

Officials said it could weeks or even month before park rangers clear trails so the ranchland can be opened to the public.

Also, Skei said an appraisal is still being done on the portion of the land that will be purchased by the National Park Service.

And she said negotiations are continuing as to exactly how the land will be divided among the various agencies.