Topic
Open Space and Community Forest
The section below identifies goals and policies throughout the General Plan related to Open Space and Community Forest. Use the buttons below to jump to a specific chapter.
Goal LU-1: Create a land use pattern of development that preserves existing neighborhoods while providing opportunities for targeted infill projects in strategic locations to enhance the quality of life, preserve the natural environment, and ensure the long-term fiscal viability of Thousand Oaks.
LU-1.1 Overall City structure.
Establish a clearly defined urban pattern of development and open space by:
- Maintaining and expanding the open space network and natural areas around the City.
- Maintaining the single-family residential character of established neighborhood areas.
- Supporting development along Thousand Oaks Boulevard in the area encompassing the Downtown Core Master Plan through revising the Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Civic Arts Plaza specific plans to implement the General Plan policies, and the Downtown Core Master Plan’s Primary Actions and Supporting Activities.
- Revitalizing Thousand Oaks Boulevard with a diverse mix of multi-family residential, retail, commercial, office, healthy food options, service and entertainment related uses, and civic gathering spaces. Incentivizing and streamlining infill multi-family development.
- Redeveloping large shopping malls, including The Oaks shopping mall and Janss Marketplace, into walkable, mixed-use places that include multi-family residential, hotels, entertainment and retail uses.
- Promoting new visitor-serving uses, such as lodging and commercial recreational uses, along Highway 101.
- Expanding and diversifying the employment uses in the City with a focus on biotech, high tech, research and development, and office uses.
- Redeveloping strip commercial shopping centers into walkable, mixed-use centers with housing, retail, and public meeting and gathering spaces.
- Discouraging the development of drive-through facilities and building designs for single use occupancy within mixed-use areas.
- Providing a supportive network of public uses throughout the City including parks, schools, libraries, and community centers.
- Supporting new development with sufficient sewer, water, electrical, and other critical infrastructure. Incentivizing and streamlining infill residential at mixed-use designations, including adding residential development on existing parking lots and underutilized portions of the site.
LU-1.7 Quality “Third Places.”
Support the development and enhancement of “Third Places” (places people go after work or when not at home), including open space, recreation, art, and entertainment venues.
LU-1.10 Landscaping.
Strive to increase the amount of green landscaping and trees throughout the City in order to combat climate change, provide shade and enhance the visual quality of Thousand Oaks. Landscaping shall be native and drought-tolerant where feasible.
Goal LU-9: Design public streets and other spaces for pedestrians and that foster interaction, activity, and safety.
LU-9.4 Shade trees.
Encourage the planting of street trees that shade the sidewalk and off-street parking areas in accordance with the City’s Forestry Master Plan.
Goal LU-12: Promote healthy living for all residents of Thousand Oaks.
LU-12.2 Tobacco and alcohol sales.
Prohibit the sale of tobacco and alcohol products near schools, parks, libraries, and community centers.
Goal LU-14: Activate Thousand Oaks Boulevard as a walkable, mixed-use area with housing, retail, restaurants, office, and services.
LU-14.10 Parks, Open Space Areas, & Community Gathering Spaces.
Work with CRPD to pursue opportunities to provide parks and other open space areas in closer proximity to planned housing and mixed-use projects.
Goal M-3: Create and maintain a transportation system that improves community health.
M-3.1 Active travel facilities.
Prioritize active transportation investments that provide a means for physical activity, and improve access to Thousand Oaks’ parks, trails, equestrian facilities, open space, and recreational areas.
Goal POS-1: Preserve open space lands for future generations of Thousand Oaks residents.
POS-1.2 Transfer ownership.
In order to preserve open space in perpetuity, coordinate with COSCA to transfer ownership of natural open space parcels owned by the City and CRPD to COSCA for consistent planning and management.
POS-1.3 Privately-owned open space.
Ensure privately-owned open spaces are subject to appropriate conditions of approval, deed restrictions, or easements with the City or COSCA as a beneficiary.
POS-1.4 Privately-owned golf courses.
In the event private golf courses that are designated as open space are no longer economically viable, a public referendum is required to determine any future non-open space allowed use.
POS-1.5 Public agency ownership.
Continue the transfer of private open space lands to public agency ownership as conditioned during the entitlement process to provide consistent management, linkage with other components of the open space system, and appropriate recreational and educational opportunities.
POS-1.6 Thousand Oaks City Urban Restriction Boundary.
Comply with the restrictions of the 2016 Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) and Parks Initiative Ordinance known as Measure W to the extent required by its terms. A copy of Measure W is included in Appendix E.
Goal POS-2: Complete the connected ring of natural open space around the developed portions of Thousand Oaks.
POS-2.1 Preserve public parks and open space.
Strategically acquire undeveloped parcels that contribute to completion of the ring of open space around developed areas.
POS-2.3 Greenbelt agreements.
Participate in cooperative regional planning efforts, such as greenbelt agreements, which reinforce and extend the ring of open space, which may include low intensity rural agricultural land use, beyond the Planning Area boundaries.
POS-2.5 Restoration of new open spaces.
In areas to be dedicated as natural open space, remove ground disturbances, such as unauthorized roads and trails not part of the trail system, and remove debris and improvements foreign to the natural environment.
POS-2.7 Ring of open space in planning documents.
Regularly review and ensure that local and regional planning documents appropriately describe and depict the ring of open space.
Goal POS-3: Manage and regulate open spaces to protect the natural environment.
POS-3.1 Public service facilities.
Locate and design emergency facilities, or other necessary public service facilities such as trail heads, access roads and parking lots and restrooms, to minimize impacts to open space areas.
POS-3.2 Roads in open spaces.
Limit the development of roads, either unimproved or improved, within or traversing natural open space areas. Any proposed road easements potentially affecting open space lands shall be carefully reviewed to avoid or minimize impact on open space resources. Management of existing access roads shall seek to minimize impacts on adjacent natural areas.
POS-3.3 Restricted hunting.
Prohibit all forms of hunting or trapping, except hunting conducted under the auspices of a public agency for public safety purposes and live trapping which is necessary for purposes of scientific study conducted by, or under the auspices of, a public agency and which does not result in injury or death to the animal. Prohibit use of anti-coagulant baits, which are known to be harmful to non-target species.
POS-3.4 Stream water quality in open space areas.
Promote efforts to protect water quality of streams located within open space areas from the adverse effects associated with unpermitted recreational use and stormwater runoff.
POS-3.6 Natural drainage courses in open space areas.
Discourage use of concrete or other flood control improvements in natural drainage courses within open space areas, unless no reasonable alternatives can be found that would maintain natural hydrological and ecological functions.
POS-3.7 Groundwater recharge in open space areas.
Allow groundwater recharge areas if they are beneficial to regional water conservation and groundwater replenishment efforts and not detrimental to the function and resources of the open space system.
POS-3.8 Fuel modification zones.
Protect open space vegetation by restricting new development that expands fuel modification zones onto designated open space properties.
Goal POS-4: Design trails and open spaces to encourage outdoor recreation and education while protecting natural resources.
POS-4.4 Outdoor programming.
Promote outdoor recreation activities and programming within open spaces that avoid adverse impacts to natural and cultural resources.
Goal POS-6: Create and maintain beautiful and accessible parks and recreational facilities that meet the needs of all residents of Thousand Oaks.
POS-6.1 Preserve public parks and open space.
Restrict future development in areas designated for public parks and open space on land owned by the City or other public agencies. Development or maintenance of supportive structures and recreation facilities within these designations is permitted, as allowed by each agency.
Goal C-1: Conserve Thousand Oaks’ physical setting and natural scenic resources.
C-1.1 Scenic resources.
Protect and preserve public viewsheds of the mountains and hillsides along roadways, open space, and other key locations.
Goal C-3: Maintain and expand a healthy community forest in Thousand Oaks.
C-3.1 Street tree plantings.
Ensure the use of street tree plantings of appropriate species, scale and spacing in all new developments, in accordance with City tree standards.
C-3.3 Tree planting.
Actively plant or replant trees in existing neighborhoods where trees are sparse or lacking.
C-3.4 Tree replanting.
Enhance the community forest to a level of 25% canopy coverage by planting climate-appropriate street trees, including the City’s legacy oak trees, in public spaces and corridors as described in the Forestry Master Plan.
Goal C-4: Protect oak and landmark trees to maintain Thousand Oak’s unique environmental character.
C-4.1 Protected tree preservation.
Continue to implement the City’s Oak Tree and Landmark Tree Ordinances per the municipal code and the Oak Tree Preservation and Protection Guidelines.
Goal C-5: Properly manage, conserve, and protect native plant communities.
C-5.1 Prohibit destructive practices.
Prohibit practices such as off-road vehicle use, hunting, and trapping that are incompatible with the long-term survival and viability of resident and migratory wildlife populations.
C-5.2 Critical habitat protection.
As feasible, protect, restore, and enhance critical wildlife habitat resources such as movement corridors, chaparral and coastal sage scrub plant communities, surface water impoundments, streams, and springs in order to maintain the biodiversity, biological productivity, and ecological integrity of natural open space areas.
Goal C-7: Connect wildlife habitat and wildlife populations.
C-7.1 Wildlife movement corridors.
Design urban land uses adjoining natural open space in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of wildlife and avoids or minimizes adverse impacts to wildlife movement corridors.
C-7.2 Habitat linkages.
Support efforts by other government agencies or non-profit organizations to acquire additional land to complete vital habitat linkages and provide access by wildlife to these resources.
C-7.3 Urban-wildlife education.
Educate the public on local wildlife species and their habits and provide recommendations to reduce human–wildlife conflicts.
Goal C-8: Preserve natural streams.
C-8.1 Stream and creek protection.
Maintain streams and creeks in as natural a state as possible and protect from the adverse effects of development.
C-8.2 Restoration enhancement.
Restore and enhance degraded sections of streams and creeks as opportunities arise and financial resources become available.
C-8.3 Regional rehabilitation.
Support regional rehabilitation efforts for the Calleguas and Malibu Creek Watersheds.
C-8.4 Flood control.
Use of concrete for flood control improvements in natural drainage courses should occur only when no other alternatives can be found that would maintain natural hydrological and ecological functions.
C-8.5 Recreational opportunities.
Incorporate recreational amenities as part of restoration improvements, such as bike paths and walking paths, when compatible with riparian corridors, wetlands, and adjacent areas.
C-8.6 Development review.
Review all development projects on properties that include or are adjacent to streams to ensure stream protection.
C-8.7 Ventura County Watershed Protection District permit.
Ensure compliance with Ventura County Watershed Protection District permitting requirements for any development proposed over, under, adjacent to, or within the boundaries of a Watershed Protection District jurisdictional red line channel.
Goal C-9: Minimize disturbance of wetlands and riparian habitat.
C-9.1 Wetlands and riparian habitat.
Preserve wetlands and riparian habitat by maintaining existing wetland and riparian buffers as open space to protect the community’s water quality, biodiversity, and aesthetic value.
Goal S-7: A sustainable community with reduced energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
S-7.9 Community forest.
Expand and maintain the community forest to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Corresponding Implementation Actions
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Action | Goal | Chapter | Timeframe | Lead Responsibility | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.1 Comprehensive zoning code update. Following the adoption of the General Plan, prepare a comprehensive update to the Citywide zoning code. | LU-1 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | |
| 2 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.2 Create new mixed-use zoning district. Following the adoption of the General Plan, create a new mixed-use zoning district, including performance standards for infill development on parking lots and commercial structures. | LU-5 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Parking, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 3 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 16/12/2024 10:39 PM | LU-A.3 Inclusionary Housing Program. Adopt and implement an Inclusionary Housing Program. | LU-3 and LU-4 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Equity, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 4 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.4 Campus Master Plan. Implement vision of the Downtown Core Master Plan by redesigning the Civic Arts Plaza. | LU-13 | Land Use | Medium | City Manager’s Office | Civic Arts Plaza and Culture |
| 5 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.5 Creation of a downtown core. Initiate public/private partnerships to redevelop Thousand Oaks Boulevard as a “main street” with public, retail, lodging, entertainment and/or multi-family uses. | LU-13 and LU-14 | Land Use | Long | City Manager’s Office | Jobs and Economic Development, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 6 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.6 Update specific plans. Update Specific Plans where policy changes are required pursuant to the 2045 General Plan policies, starting with the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan. | LU-1, LU-13, and LU-14 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | |
| 7 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.7 Specific plan or master plan preparation. Coordinate with property owners of key opportunity sites to prepare Specific Plan or Master Plan efforts for the following areas: The Oaks, Moorpark Road/Janss Marketplace, Highway 101 Corridor/Borchard Property | LU-15, LU-16, LU-17, and LU-18 | Land Use | Medium | Community Development | |
| 8 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.8 Mixed-use and adaptive reuse parking requirements study. Conduct a study to investigate modifying parking requirements for new mixed-use development and adaptive reuse projects. Revise the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code accordingly. | LU-5 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Sustainability, Health, Parking, Mixed-Use and New Development |
| 9 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.9 Municipal code review for healthy housing. Review, revise, and update the municipal code (as well as other relevant plans, procedures, regulations, guidelines, programs, and design manuals) to promote healthy housing quality. | LU-4 | Land Use | Long | Community Development | Residential Neighborhoods, Health |
| 10 | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | christian | 13/12/2024 05:44 PM | LU-A.10 Affordable housing linkage fee. Study and determine nexus to implement a fee program where new commercial and/or industrial developments pay a fee to fund affordable housing units. | LU-3 and LU-4 | Land Use | Short | Community Development | Equity, Mixed-Use and New Development |