Council to Consider New Developer Fees

A proposal to create a bridge-and-thoroughfare district to raise $10 million to upgrade bridges and roads in Calabasas’ west end is expected to go before the City Council on June 5, officials said.

Because the district would include unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County, the county would have to approve the plan as well, said Robert Yalda, Calabasas’ traffic and transportation manager.

Under the plan, residential developers would be assessed $1,650 per single-family home, $1,030 per townhome and $900 per unit in a multifamily dwelling. Commercial developers would be charged $5.40 per square foot of retail space, $3.70 per square foot for office space, $2.50 per square foot for research and development space and $1.60 per square foot for industrial space.

The money would go toward improving westbound and eastbound Ventura Freeway on- and offramps at Lost Hills Road, among other projects, officials said.

Some funds would be used to widen the Agoura Road bridge over Las Virgenes Creek. Las Virgenes Road would be widened, and the westbound Ventura Freeway offramp at Las Virgenes would be improved as well.

The city said it’s only fair that developers help pay to mitigate the projects’ impacts.

But developers in similar situations have pointed out that such fees increase their costs, which they must pass on to consumers.

Carol Amenta, chief executive officer of the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce, said the proposal is “something we need to take a look at because it does have an impact on business.”

Ernie Dynda, president of the United Organization of Taxpayers, said that in cases like this he is not opposed to development fees because the developers benefit through better roads, which increase the value of their property.

Under the plan, work would begin in 1998 and be completed around 2003.