Agoura Hills celebrates 25th anniversary in 2008

The Agoura Hills silver anniversary brought to end more than a decade of discussion, lawsuits and planning for the Agoura Village Specific Plan, a guiding document approved by the City Council that allows developers to build retail, commercial and residential projects on a 135-acre swath just south of the 101 Freeway.

Shops at Oak Creek were also approved. Adler Realty Investments tussled with city officials over the type of businesses that would be built adjacent to the 336-unit Oak Creek Apartments near Medea Creek and Kanan Road, but finally agreed to build two high-end restaurants, four smaller eateries and a few retail shops.

Despite fierce opposition from the city, some local residents, homeowners associations and environmental groups, the Heschel West Day School was approved for construction next to Old Agoura. The school must meet 80 conditions of mitigation.

A feasibility study identifying potential sites for a new recreation center was completed in 2008, but residents were unhappy with the prospect of Forest Cove Park being the home of the new center.

City officials balked at trash pollution limits adopted earlier in the year by the Los Angeles Regional Water Control Board. The cost to meet the pollution requirements could cost the city up to $10 million over 20 years, officials said.

In other developments:

•Agoura Hills purchased 18.3 acres from the school district that will be used as permanent open space. The former Yerba Buena Elementary School property will be transformed into a city park.

•An ancient oak tree was spared in the Liberty Canyon area of the city, but a majestic walnut tree was axed by a businessman who had a beef with the city.

•The city approved a law in 2008 to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries.

•Two beloved businesses— Baseball City and Stage Door Theatre—closed during the year to make room for new development.

•George Annino, the heart and soul of the "Santa Comes to Agoura and Beyond" food drive for the past 29 years, turned over his philanthropic group to the Westlake Junior Women's Club.

•In November, Agoura Hills' first mayor, Fran Pavley, was elected to represent the 23rd District of the California Senate.