Several Sites Explored for City Headquarters

With several deadlines looming large over the horizon, Westlake Village officials are studying different ways to utilize city property, including sites that might house a city hall and library.

A decision on whether to continue the lease agreement for the current city headquarters or to establish a new base elsewhere has to be made by January, city officials said. Attention has been focused on three city-owned parcels and one private building in the city’s First Neighborhood.

Officials are studying what to do with 1.34 acres on Foxfield Drive, a site which also has a deadline attached to it. The city received the land as part of a development agreement with the Las Virgenes Unified School District, and the parcel will revert back to the schools if it is not used for another public purpose soon.

The second site is 1.45 acres on Oak Crest Drive, which was acquired specifically for the purpose of establishing a future public facility, possibly a city hall, as part of a developer agreement.

The third is a 2.24-acre site nearby on Oak Crest Drive, that was purchased in 1992 as a library site.

Lastly, a 12,342-square-foot office building is being considered in the First Neighborhood on Village Center Road. City officials said the building would have to be renovated to meet the city’s needs, but its location, in the heart of the community, makes it a good candidate for a city hall.

The council is expected to consider a report on the viability of each of the sites at a meeting in December, City Manager Ray Taylor said.