Panel Revises Plan for Old City Hall Site

Hoping to protect the site of the former City Hall from excessive development, the city’s Planning Commission has revised a plan for reusing the property by tightening the restrictions developers there will face.

Commissioners voted early Tuesday to require development projects at the Thousand Oaks property to follow city ordinances designed to protect oak trees and steep hillsides.

The decision significantly changed a city plan that would have allowed developers to remove more oaks from the property--and build on steeper slopes there--than city ordinances would normally allow.

The revised plan will now go to the Thousand Oaks City Council for approval.

Before the vote, commissioners heard residents complain that too much development on the property, at the intersection of West Hillcrest Drive and McCloud Avenue, could wreck the appearance of a hillside visible throughout much of the city.

Commissioners quickly agreed to tone down the amount of development considered within the plan, which was written by city planners to show potential property buyers the kinds of projects the city considers appropriate for the site. Commissioner John Powers said the original plan represented a “worst-case scenario”--one he couldn’t support.

“I think we can all agree that we don’t promote the violation of city codes,” he said.