Input Sought on Sites for Equestrian Center

Calling all horse people: Thousand Oaks officials want your input on a proposed equestrian center.

The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency will hold a meeting Thursday to review nine potential sites for a riding center, which would include boarding facilities.

City and local park officials, who combine to form the conservation agency, have decided to get into the stable business after seeing the sharp drop in the number of private facilities. Currently, there are only two boarding ranches in Thousand Oaks. One of them, Two Winds in Newbury Park, has a temporary lease due to expire in 3 1/2 years.

Two Winds, a private enterprise that thrived for 25 years on Dos Vientos Ranch, moved across Potrero Road to publicly owned Broome Ranch 1 1/2 years ago to make way for more than 2,000 new homes.

Mark Towne, conservation agency coordinator, said four of the nine potential sites identified are at Broome Ranch, one at the site occupied by Two Winds.

“There’s an obvious focus there,” Towne said, adding that he expects Two Winds owner Alvin “Bully” Caddin to be among those bidding to operate the city-owned facility.

The nine proposed sites are:

* Four locations at 600-acre Broome Ranch, including the site of Two Winds and internal sites along the eastern property line, the southwest and the western portions of the ranch.

* Wildwood Mesa at the western end of Avenida de Los Arboles.

* Lang Ranch, northeast of Avenida de Los Arboles and Westlake Boulevard.

* Conejo Ridge open space at the southern end of Sundown Road.

* Los Robles open space at the southern end of Moorpark Road.

* Rancho Conejo open space north of Wendy Drive and the Ventura Freeway.

Towne said the criteria for the list of nine included requirements that the sites lie on conservation agency-owned open space and have at least 20 acres of usable land. As the list is narrowed, board members will consider proximity to local streets and trails, grading on the site and utilities available for use.

Ultimately, conservancy agency officials would like to see two city-owned equestrian centers. The meeting to solicit public input is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks.

A site selection is expected in September.