CALABASAS : Centre Compromise Is OKd in Concept

The Calabasas City Council has approved in concept a compromise designed to resolve a simmering dispute between developer John Kilroy and the city over the size of his proposed large-scale office and retail center.

But the compromise, approved 4 to 1 Wednesday night, seems to have fallen short of resolving the controversy that has divided Calabasas residents over how much development should be allowed in the city.

Michael Fitchera, a spokesman for Save Our City, which opposes the project, said Thursday that council members went back on their promise to force Kilroy to drastically scale down the plan. “We are very shocked,” he said. “All the promises of cityhood evaporated right before our eyes.”

The compromise was the result of months of negotiations between the city and Kilroy, who had threatened to sue to get what he wants. Council members said before the vote that they weren’t intimidated by Kilroy’s threats to sue, but believed the project had potential to benefit to the community.

Kilroy says the project will give Calabasas a badly needed community gathering place and bring in more than $2 million a year in new tax revenues.

The Board of Supervisors approved the project, a 1.5-million-square-foot office and retail center at the corner of Calabasas Road and Parkway Calabasas, before Calabasas incorporated in 1991.

However, Kilroy, a developer for Ahmanson Commercial Development, now wants to increase the retail portion of the project to 200,000 square feet from 50,000 square feet, and needs city permission to do that.

Kilroy’s redesigned proposal has the support of many city residents, who have accompanied Kilroy to numerous public meetings to voice their support.

Council members were scheduled to vote on the project in August, but postponed the matter after all five members told Kilroy they would reject the project unless it was scaled down. To forge a compromise, the council formed a committee made up of Councilmen Marvin Lopata and Dennis Washburn and representatives from Kilroy Industries.

The concept approved by the council Wednesday allows for a 1,700-seat movie theater, with an option to add 700 more seats. Kilroy would pay for the addition of a community theater later, provided he is allowed 2,400 seats of cinema space, Lopata said.

The project would be reduced by 200,000 square feet up front, making the total project about 1.3 million square feet. As part of the compromise, the developer must pay the city $1 per square foot for any construction over and above 700,000 square feet.

The project will go before the City Council for final approval in January.