THOUSAND OAKS : Council Backs Change in Ridgeline Limits

Owners whose land lies on or near the ridges encircling Thousand Oaks may have more leeway in developing their property following a City Council decision this week.

The council backed an amendment to city regulations governing development along the ridgelines and also exempted specific lots from ridgeline zoning.

Ridgeline regulations forbid property owners from building houses larger than 1,600 square feet--with a 400-square-foot garage--near ridgelines. But under the amendment approved Tuesday, those wishing to build bigger homes could request a special use permit from the Planning Commission.

Those owners would then have to demonstrate that their plans did not violate the intent of the ridgeline restrictions.

While the amendment received unanimous council support, the move to exempt individual properties did not. Mayor Jaime Zukowski and Councilwoman Elois Zeanah were opposed.

Zukowski said it was unfair to apply the ridgeline restrictions to some owners but not to others. She also worried that the city’s efforts to protect its scenic ridges could be derailed by exemptions.

“I’m very concerned that this project of many years is just being pulled apart,” she said Wednesday.

However, Councilwoman Judy Lazar said that placing such restrictions on properties that had not originally been considered part of a ridgeline area would itself be unfair.

The amendment will now go the Planning Commission for a public hearing.