Thousand Oaks to Vote on Buying Open Space
Making good on campaign pledges to protect ridgelines, the Thousand Oaks City Council is set to vote tonight on spending more than $210,000 for two vacant parcels to add to the community’s permanent open space.
Earlier this year, the council contacted 19 property owners to determine their willingness to donate or sell their land. Five were interested.
After appraisals, the city made offers on two sites: a 1.96-acre parcel south of the Ventura Freeway, adjacent to the Conejo Ridge open space area, and 4.46 acres north of Olsen Road in the Mountclef Ridge area that is zoned for one home.
The city plans to spend $174,500 for the larger site, the last privately owned parcel between Wildwood Park and Cal Lutheran University, and $40,000 for the smaller site, across the freeway from the Civic Arts Plaza. The city has budgeted up to $10,000 for escrow fees and title insurance for both.
About a third of Thousand Oaks -- 14,400 acres, or more than 22 square miles -- is public open space, not including parks, golf courses, school campuses or other publicly held properties.
The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. in council chambers, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
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