THOUSAND OAKS : City to Consider Purchase of 27 Acres
The Thousand Oaks City Council tonight will consider spending $545,000 to purchase Fireworks Hill, a 27-acre parcel adjacent to the former civic center on Hillcrest Drive.
By buying the property, the city would be able to block development along the ridgeline, widely considered one of the most prominent and visible hilltops in Thousand Oaks, council members said.
The purchase might also increase the value of the civic center parcel because the council could offer potential buyers an integrated development plan for the entire hillside, Councilman Alex Fiore has said.
The city has been trying to sell the civic center at 401 W. Hillcrest Drive for years to help fund the new Civic Arts Plaza.
Now zoned for commercial use, Fireworks Hill has been proposed as a site for restaurants, a hotel or condominiums. But several residents have urged the council to preserve the ridge as parkland.
“I’m not anxious to spend the money, but I am anxious to make sure the hilltop is not commercially developed,” Councilwoman Judy Lazar said.
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