MOORPARK : Amendment Aims to Preserve Greenbelt

Worried about the mounting number of requests to build in the greenbelt surrounding Moorpark, city officials have approved a measure to tighten up the rules for such development.

The Moorpark City Council approved an amendment to the city’s General Plan on Wednesday night that would strictly limit the type of construction allowed in the greenbelt.

The new codes allow for agricultural uses, single-family homes on lots between 10 and 40 acres, airfields, cemeteries, churches, fire stations, mines, campgrounds, golf courses and riding stables.

The intent of the new rules is to ensure that open space areas are actually preserved as natural areas without development, said Councilman Bernardo Perez.

The city is also concerned about the rural buffer zones that separate Moorpark from Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, but which are not within city limits. Development in this area is controlled by county zoning codes, which are less restrictive than Moorpark’s rules.

City officials worry that proposals such as those in the Tierra Rejada greenbelt for a Renaissance fair, a child-care center, a recycling center and a golf driving range will introduce unwanted development into the greenbelt.