Western Plateau Land Swap

The deal to swap land between the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Conejo Valley Unified School District was never part of any plan for the Dos Vientos development.

This swap came about as a solution to provide a middle school site within the confines of Dos Vientos as a result of recent concerns about middle school overcrowding in the two years since sixth-graders have started attending middle rather than elementary schools.

The swap does not diminish any parkland in Dos Vientos; it only increases land that can be used for the middle school site.

The proposed park will be located across from the middle school and the original park site, which was also to be used by the elementary school as an additional play area. These areas will now be used by both the middle and elementary schools.

Finally, the park district is in discussions with the school district to maintain the open areas of the middle school for year-round use as play field areas, thus providing even more usable space for the community.

Is there a better way for Thousand Oaks to acquire the Western Plateau? Councilman Ed Masry has spoken of purchasing it but has not named a source of money to do so.

The park district has identified the Western Plateau as a high priority for acquisition and has approached both the state and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to identify funds to purchase it. Both have indicated that no funds are available. Mayor Dan Del Campo has also approached the state to find public money to make this acquisition, again with no success.

Masry refers to the agreement as “snake oil,” but I don’t see him bringing forward any viable solutions.

JOE GIBSON

Board chairman,

Conejo Recreation and Park District