Calabasas growth is scrutinized





More homes and businesses coming

Calabasas still expects about 20 percent more growth before the city’s build-out is complete, Calabasas Development Director Maureen Tamuri said. But the additional development has some residents concerned, especially those who live in the Highlands, a rural area on Mulholland Highway in the eastern part of town.

Calabasas adopted its city General Plan in 1995. At the time, the city was made up of about 18,800 people and included approximately 173 acres of commercial development, according to a report delivered by Tamuri at last week’s city council meeting. City officials predicted that by the time the city grew to a population of about 27,000, Calabasas would have about 387 acres of commercial development, the report said.

Calabasas has several commercial projects in development on 7.5 acres of land. The projects include the Rondell office building and the Messenger commercial project on the west side of the city. Tamuri’s report said Calabasas still has 43 acres that can accommodate commercial projects. Almost eight acres are currently underdevelopment.

As for residential development, Calabasas had about 8,300 properties in 1993. Today, the city has more than 9,100 residential units with 221 additional units being planned, Tamuri said. Among them are the Malibu Hills senior condominiums and the Standard Pacific condominiums on the west side of the city.

Tamuri’s report shows that the city still has room to build 1,929 more residential units.

The west side

Projects on four of the 11 undeveloped sites on the west side of Calabasas have been filed with the city, Tamuri said. The work includes both residential and commercial development.

“All of the projects that we’re taking a look at are primarily along the Ventura Freeway or at the Las Virgenes scenic corridor,” Tamuri said.

“Most of the sites along Las Virgenes corridor are hillside lots, so they require a level of attention relative to the grading and other hillside topography issues.”

Calabasas Road On the 11 undeveloped sites on Calabasas Road, only two projects have been filed with the city, Tamuri said. One project is a pending condominium development near the Silverado Assisted Living Alzheimer’s facility, and the other project is a pending Vespa dealership that would be located on a triangular lot just west of Swings and Things.

According to Tamuri, many developers have inquired about the driving range property on Calabasas Road, but the property remains for sale.

Southern Calabasas

In the southern portions of Calabasas, 37 undeveloped sites remain. The city only has one application for a project in that area on a 28-acre lot that’s split.

“We’ve had some inquiries (from developers) in this area, but not too many,” Tamuri said.

Calabasas Highlands/

Old Topanga

Ten housing projects are planned for some of the 242 undeveloped lots in the Calabasas Highlands/Old Topanga area, according to Tamuri.

“We believe that this is really the area in the future years that will come under most development,” Tamuri said.

Since 1994, the Calabasas Highlands/Old Topanga area has seen the addition of 34 homes, an average of just three per year.

Residents of the Highlands spoke at last week’s meeting about their dissatisfaction with the aggressive development nearby. One resident said the area would need an emergency access route if the development continues. Others talked about the new houses not being conducive to the current rural aesthetics.

According to Calabasas City Manager Tony Coroalles, the city’s planning commission has approved all projects that are in the works. All of them are in compliance with city rules, Coroalles said.

But Mayor Dennis Washburn said the projects could be in accordance with the law and still not be aesthetically pleasing to the neighbors and to the city.


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