Park district has issues with Knolls development
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District wants to know if potential Santa Susana Knolls developer, Colton Lee Communities, will incorporate the agency's Recreational Trails Master Plan into its proposal to build 100 manufactured homes on the corner of Katherine Road and Pepper Tree Lane West.

According to the park district's plan, a currently undeveloped trail with the potential of connecting the Arroyo Simi Equestrian Center to Corriganville Park is located on the northerly portion of the 24-acre site, which lies in an unincorporated area just outside Simi limits.

Dan Klemann, senior planner with the Ventura County Planning Division, said that while the developer has included a network of trails and pedestrian paths in the proposal, none meet the park district's design criteria.

"They are not located in the area that the (park district) would like to see its trail constructed," Klemann said. "At this point, it's really up to the developer as to how they want to proceed. Of course, the park district will weigh in on the environmental document."

On Jan. 25, the Ventura County Planning Division issued a notice of preparation of a draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the project.

In the notice, the county asked the local park district to identify any issues that they would like to address in the report.

Based on an initial study of the location, which is in park district jurisdiction, the county determined the project would have potential significant impacts on nearby recreational sources, Klemann said.

In this case, Colton Lee's proposal may interfere with planned or future trail corridors, Klemann added, which therefore makes the issue eligible for evaluation in the EIR.

Gary Gorian, president of Colton Lee Communities, told the Simi Valley Acorn this week that the current project is designed to preserve an "enormous" amount of open space on the site, as they plan on developing on only 11 out of the 24 available acres.

"We're committed to working something out that works for both sides," Gorian said. "We are doing more than our part in this area, and we will continue to work together to be as reasonable as everybody can be."

In a park district memorandum dated Feb. 21, Assistant General Manager Ed Hayduk identified three issues- including the aforementioned trail- that will be discussed in a letter responding to the county's notice.

Another of the issues regards state legislation that allows the district to ask Colton Lee to donate land or pay park fees in lieu of the donation. The amount is calculated at a per-unit rate.

"Pursuant to the Ventura County Subdivision Ordinance, manufactured housing communities are exempt from paying park fees," the memorandum states. "This issue, therefore, has not been resolved."

Hayduk also expressed concern about two mature oak trees in Santa Susana Park that may be removed as a result of the project because of a proposed widening of Katherine Road- the primary access street into the 300-home Knolls community.

At a townhall meeting with Supervisor Peter Foy last summer, many residents of the Knolls came out to voice their strong opposition to the widening of the old street as a condition of the development.

Gorian said that the street in its current state is "very substandard" and that he considers the widening to be a major regional safety improvement.

"At the end of the day, this is an issue of safety," he said. "We've offered to step up to the plate and fix those roads."

Klemann said the county is currently in the process of choosing a consultant to conduct the EIR.

If all goes as planned, the county will hold a public scoping meeting for the report by midspring.