Restrictive Permit Lifted From Lot

The City Council agreed to eliminate a restriction in a conditional use permit for a 5.59-acre lot on the corner of Reyes Adobe and Agoura roads in order to make the land more attractive to potential businesses.

Lowe Enterprises Realty Services, representing the owner of the lot, was released from the condition that the area be developed for a freeway-oriented purpose, namely a hotel and retail businesses.

When the permit was granted by the council in 1985, it stipulated that two lots in the area were to be to be used for businesses that would attract motorists traveling on the Ventura Freeway. A Shell gas station sits on one lot.

Although several hotel projects have been approved over the years for the second lot, which is vacant, none has come to fruition.

“That has been a matter of economics and not a matter of the city standing in the way of reasonable development,” said Mayor Ed Corridori.

And, according to city staff, the lots are far enough away from the freeway that freeway-oriented businesses are no longer in demand there and would not attract traffic passing below.

“After five or six years of marketing, they’ve had no responses for retail use,” said Dave Anderson, director of planning and community development.

“But they feel they can develop for corporate offices easily.”

The council agreed with a recent Planning Commission decision to the give the owner more flexibility in marketing, saying that it was in the best interest of all and would counteract the city’s reputation for being anti-business.

“I’m inclined to follow the staff recommendation,” said Councilman Dan Kuperberg.

“It shows the changing times and the need to be flexible. With the economic changes that have happened since this permit was issued, it appears appropriate to make these changes now.”