County Ruling Benefits Both Sides of Debate

The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission gave a little to each side of the Malibu Canyon Continental Communities project debate last week, by rejecting a developer’s request to build residential units on a hilly site north of the Ventura Freeway, but leaving the door open to allow a small commercial site there.

After several public hearings at which opponents said the project was inappropriate for the community, the commission rejected the plan as presented, but said that if the developer reduces the commercial part of the plan, it will take another look.

“They’ve given a half-loaf to everybody,” said developer Robert Zuckerman, president of Continental Communities Group. “And I’m not sure if anybody is happy with that.”

The development was proposed for 207 1/2 acres between Las Virgenes Road and Lost Hills road, with a single-family home, 136 condominium units and approximately 256,000 square feet of commercial space, including a multiscreen movie theater.

Calabasas city officials were vocal opponents of the project, which is planned just over the city’s western border in Los Angeles County.

City Planning Commissioner David Brown said the county’s decision validated the assertion by opponents that the project was too large for the area.

“I’m glad in a way that the county told him go to back and reduce this project,” he said. “That’s what the people have been telling him all this time. Nobody said he couldn’t build anything, but this land can’t support a regional shopping center.”

Zuckerman said he will not drop the residential issue completely, and may appeal the commission’s decision to the Board of Supervisors at some point.

But now he will focus on identifying possible changes to the commercial center to gain full approval from the commission.

“From our standpoint, we don’t think any reduction should be necessary. But we’ll look at it and see what makes sense,” Zuckerman said.