Church's plans for expansion into greenbelt draws criticism
By Angela Randazzo Special to the Acorn

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers Cornerstone Community Church

Just below the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library lie 140 acres of open land dotted with cactus plants, scrub brush and jack rabbits.

The land, located in the Tierra Rejada Valley greenbelt zone, is the proposed site for Cornerstone Community Church's new religious complex.

Rick Parkinson, project manager for the expansion, believes the set of buildings, with mission-style architecture similar to that of the presidential library, would compliment the area's landscape.

"We're really upfront about everything in the proposal," Parkinson said. "We want to be good neighbors to the community."

But in recent weeks the church's proposal has elicited some opposition. One of several local civic leaders concerned about the loss of open space is Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks.

Parks is the chair of the Board of Supervisors and a leading backer of the SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources) initiative, which requires voter approval for zoning changes involving open space or agricultural land in unincorporated areas of the county. SOAR also establishes urban boundary lines between the cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

"It gives me a lot of concern because we're currently working on heightening the protection zones," Parks said. "This proposal should draw attention to the fact that this area is starting to be urbanized. If we don't move strongly and quickly, we're going to lose this area to urbanization."

Site plans for the complex call for a 300seat chapel with a 5,000seat outdoor gardenstyle amphitheater, a multipurpose hall with a 1,000person capacity and a classroom building for Eternity Bible College, a school affiliated with Cornerstone.

The church also plans to relocate the staff of its Children's Hunger Fund, an outreach program for children in need around the world that is currently based in Pacoima. A large portion of the land would remain open space or be donated for community use, Parkinson said.

"Because this parcel is so large there is an additional 80 acres that include the hillside and ridgeline surrounding the property," the project manager said. "It would be our desire to donate that land to the Ronald Reagan Library or to some conservancy so those acres would remain open space indefinitely."

According to Parkinson, the church, which has an option agreement on the unincorporated land, originally looked for a site within Simi's city limits, but there wasn't a parcel large enough for the proposed development with adequate parking, he said.

The Cornerstone Community Church, at 2080 Winfred St., began with a small Bible study group 13 years ago. Today the church conducts four weekly services attended by 3,000 to 4,000 people.

Parks said this is the largest development proposed in the Tierra Rejada greenbelt but just one of many such projects set to come before the board.

For this reason, Parks said, she's working with city and county officials to tighten the Tierra Rejada Valley greenbelt restrictions. Parks brought up the same issue in April when the county's Local Agency Formation Commission took steps to allow the Reagan Library to come within the sphere of influence of Simi Valley.

"I want to make the 'handshake' agreement between the cities not to annex or urbanize a greenbelt area into an ordinance or law so it strengthens it," Parks said. "We've done this in West Valley greenbelt areas so you don't have these issues arise."

Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, who represents the area of unincorporated land in question, said the county staff hasn't had time to fully review the recently submitted proposal.

"(Cornerstone officials) came in and showed us what they were doing. There are some issues concerning SOAR and zoning," Foy said. "One of the things I thought was nice about the project is they plan to donate a portion of the property for community use. I'm keeping an open mind and watching it as it goes through."

Under the Tierra Rejada greenbelt restrictions, the land Cornerstone is looking at is zoned for a house every 40 acres.

"We have asked the county for direction on that. We think there might be a way to approve the project without rezoning because colleges and universities are an approved use in this zone," Parkinson said. "However, we're upfront that we are a church and asked what zoning changes would be required."

The church proposes donating five acres on the front side of the property to Simi Valley, Moorpark or Ventura County for community use.

"We want to donate those acres to use as two athletic fields," Parkinson said. "We're willing to donate the land or develop it and let the community use it. We're open to exploring the possibilities there."

The voters may eventually have to decide whether to incorporate the land into Simi Valley or make zoning changes, Parks said.

"We (the cities and county) have all agreed not to take land into a city to develop and to preserve the open land," Parks said. "The regulations don't allow for a massive development. We want to make sure we uphold our SOAR ordinance."