Calabasas General Plan Can’t Ignore Ahmanson

It has recently come to my attention that the city of Calabasas’ draft General Plan does not provide for linking city streets to the approved Ahmanson Ranch Specific Plan project in neighboring Ventura County. Such linkages constitute crucial points of access to the Specific Plan area and, if ignored by Calabasas, could adversely affect regional traffic patterns. For example, Los Angeles County identified as problematic the draft plan’s lack of extensions to Las Virgenes Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard earlier this year.

The General Plan guidelines promulgated by the Office of Planning and Research recommend that general plans address circulation needs created by projects outside the limits of the city preparing the plan. The guidelines state: “Each local planning agency carries a responsibility to coordinate its general plan with regional planning efforts as much as possible,” regardless of whether the city supports development of the Ahmanson Ranch.

I recognize that it is a controversial project, [but] Calabasas has an obligation to reflect in its General Plan the regional transportation needs represented by that project.

I want to make it clear that the conditions of the Office of Planning and Research’s extension do not restrict the city’s ability to address regional traffic issues.

LEE GRISSOM, Sacramento. Grissom is director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.