Supervisors to Hear Driving Range Appeal

Moorpark and Thousand Oaks officials look out on the Tierra Rejada Valley that separates their cities and see a largely pristine area that has helped to maintain the rural character of the region.

Developers Tom Barber and Ralph Mahan look out on the same area and see golf driving ranges. The two developers are proposing to build separate ranges on opposite ends of Tierra Rejada Road, just east of the Moorpark Freeway.

The county Planning Commission voted in November to approve both projects.

But that decision upset Moorpark and Thousand Oaks officials, who say that the driving ranges--with their giant nets and night lighting--will be unsightly, increase traffic and encourage further development.

The two cities have appealed the county Planning Commission’s decision to the Board of Supervisors, who will consider the matter on Tuesday.

“We oppose both projects, because we don’t believe that driving ranges are the kinds of uses we envision for open space,” said Moorpark Mayor Pat Hunter. “We believe this would be precedent setting and growth inducing.”

Barber could not be reached for comment. And Mahan declined to speak about his proposal, saying only that he and supporters will make a presentation to the board next week.

Although the two projects will be considered at the same time, they are different and unrelated to one another.

The range proposed by Tom Barber Golf Centers would include 75 tee boxes, a putting green, a parking lot for 100 vehicles and a 1,200-square-foot visitors’ building.

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Barber’s driving range would be built on 20 acres within the Tierra Rejada greenbelt, a 2,200-acre buffer zone that separates Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks. Under the greenbelt agreement, the three cities have agreed to guard against development within the zone.

Meanwhile, the range proposed by Mahan would be on a 32-acre site just north of Tierra Rejada Road, outside the greenbelt. His project would include 30 tee boxes, a putting green, a parking lot for 46 vehicles and a 1,400-square-foot visitors’ building.

Supervisor Frank Schillo, whose district includes Thousand Oaks, said he has not made up his mind on either project. But he said that Mahan’s project should be viewed differently because it is not within the greenbelt.

Supervisor Judy Mikels, whose district includes Simi Valley and Moorpark, said she believed that Mahan’s project should not have been appealed. She said his type of development is allowed under the open space zoning that it falls under.

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And while Barber’s development falls within the greenbelt area, Mikels said she did not have any major problems with his proposal because it also falls into a similar open space zone. She noted that there are already farms and equestrian centers in the greenbelt area.

“There is nothing I see in the staff report that gives me any great cause for concern,” she said. “I don’t think either one of these projects will be precedent setting, because they are allowed uses.”

The city of Simi Valley has not filed objections to either project.

“Our position was as long as there was no traffic impact on Simi Valley, and we didn’t think there was, we had no objections,” said Mayor Greg Stratton. “The purpose of the greenbelt agreement was to control the type of development that you had, not to eliminate development. If you eliminate it you get sued.”