Calabasas council approves senior condos

Senior housing in Calabasas is scarce, officials say, and a condominium development proposed for 26705 Malibu Hills Road is the only project being planned to address the demand.

Last week, the Calabasas City Council reviewed the plan and gave the developer, Withee Malcolm Architects of Torrance, Calif., the go-ahead to begin construction.

"We are anticipating-for price ranges for these units-a much more median price range than what you see with some other condominiums that are built in the area," said Maureen Tamuri, Calabasas community development director.

The 90,076-square-foot, threestory condominium project, which includes a community center, is planned for a vacant parcel of land containing an unused asphalt parking lot on Malibu Hills Road.

The developer proposes to build 57 two-bedroom units and three one-bedroom units. Most of the planned 140 parking spaces will be in an underground garage.

Before last week's council meeting, the condo project had been examined by the city's development review committee, design review panel and planning commission.

According to Geoffrey Starns, Calabasas senior planner, the developer addressed all the concerns that various panel members brought up at previous meetings. The project complies with all city codes, he said.

The site neighbors the existing Steeplechase townhomes with a minimum separation of 130 feet.

Members of the Steeplechase Homeowners Association had expressed concerns due to the close proximity of the project.

According to Steeplechase Vice President Dale Reicheneder, the association worries about privacy. Since the condos will have three levels, residents would be able to look down into the Steeplechase complex.

Traffic on Malibu Hills Road and other nearby streets would increase, as would the level of noise that Steeplechase residents would have to live with, Reicheneder said.

According to a city report, the typical structure built at such a location is a 72,400-square-foot office building. Such a building would result in an estimated 590 more daily vehicle trips than the condo project.

Reicheneder said office buildings generate traffic Monday through Friday, in the morning and late afternoon. Condominium traffic doesn't follow a pattern but flows every day of the week and at all hours.

The association suggested that the developer build a 1,000-footlong wall on Steeplechase property to provide more privacy and to block the noise caused by traffic going in and out of the condominiums at Malibu Hills Road.

According to Steve Kaplan, the developer's attorney who represented the project at last week's city council meeting, the developer won't build the wall, but would plant several trees to shield the project from Steeplechase. The council liked the idea.

Reicheneder also said he was worried that condo guests would park on Malibu Hills Road, leaving little room for Steeplechase residents. Kaplan said the new condos include ample parking.

Kaplan said the developer could've addressed many of Steeplechase's concerns had he been able to reach the association when he first attempted to, in February, before the developer drew up plans.

Reicheneder said that neither he nor any of the Steeplechase board members ever received Kaplan's e-mail responses. The HOA vice president did say, however, that Steeplechase had switched management companies during the period of time when Kaplan tried to contact the homeowners group.

City council members and Steeplechase also asked for details about construction work on the project. Construction is planned during the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, complying with city code.

Mayor Dennis Washburn said he doesn't want diesel truck drivers showing up at the job before 7 a.m. and waiting in noisy, idling trucks, which could be a nuisance for those living nearby. And he doesn't want the crew to start cleaning up at the time work is supposed to be finished for the day.

Councilmember James Bozajian said another developer in the city had taken advantage of of the work schedule.

Kaplan said Withee Malcolm would comply with all construction regulations, including rules related to dust control, traffic, noise and drainage.

Kaplan said Calabasas has no other senior housing projects in the works and he feels the senior condo project is needed.

While the Steeplechase group objects to certains aspects of the senior condos, Reicheneder said he prefers the project to an office complex that another developer might build.

The earliest the developer would break ground on the project would be December, according to Starns.