THOUSAND OAKS : Hardware Store Foes Plan Petition Drive

Thousand Oaks residents upset about a proposal to build a 59,000-square-foot home supply center in their neighborhood say they will circulate a petition to stop the project.

The city’s Planning Commission on Monday unanimously approved the proposal by Orchard Supply Hardware, a San Jose-based chain. Plans call for a store, nursery and materials storage yard at the Oakbrook Plaza shopping center near Avenida de Los Arboles and Erbes Road.

The commission’s vote is final unless appealed to the City Council.

During Monday’s public hearing, commissioners and neighborhood residents voiced concern about the project’s possible impact on traffic and noise in the area. Commissioners agreed upon several conditions to address those concerns, including adding a stoplight on Avenida de Los Arboles.

However, one resident who spoke at the hearing, Daniel Del Campo, said Tuesday he and several neighbors would circulate a petition opposing the project and send the results to the City Council.

“You’re going to just add an awful lot of truck traffic there,” he said. “It’s a shame they passed it.”

While concerned about the effects of the project, several commissioners said they felt Orchard would fit well into the plaza and complement existing stores. Orchard officials said that unlike other home supply chains, their business caters to individual homeowners rather than building contractors.

About 10% of Orchard sales comes from contractors, they said.