Topic
Public Parks and Trails
The section below identifies goals and policies throughout the General Plan related to Public Parks and Trails. Use the buttons below to jump to a specific chapter.
Goal LU-5: Enhance quality of life, enable active modes of transportation, and provide housing opportunities with vibrant mixed-use areas.
LU-5.5 Land use integration.
Provide infrastructure connectivity between mixed-use developments and surrounding land uses, including streets, pedestrian trails, bikeways, park lands, commercial retail, and employment uses.
Goal LU-12: Promote healthy living for all residents of Thousand Oaks.
LU-12.12 Parks and Open Space Areas.
Encourage the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of park and open space facilities that provide physical, mental, and social benefits for all ages.
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-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-2.2 Regional trail planning.
Participate in cooperative regional trail planning with public and private organizations, such as California State Parks, NPS, SMMC, County of Ventura, MRCA, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, other adjacent municipalities, CRPD, and COSCA to identify and develop new regional trail connections, including beyond the City’s Planning Area boundaries.
POS-2.4 Funding opportunities.
Seek grants and other special funding sources for prioritized trail easements and habitat restoration or enhancement projects.
Goal POS-4: Design trails and open spaces to encourage outdoor recreation and education while protecting natural resources.
POS-4.1 Diversity of trail experiences.
Provide a range of scenic experiences and degrees of difficulty on trails and regulate trail use as necessary in order to maintain and protect both the natural environment and trail improvements.
POS-4.2 Visitor facilities.
Locate visitor facilities such as signs and kiosks, principally at trailheads to limit impact on natural resources and maintain the natural appeal of trails.
POS-4.3 Natural materials.
Design trail facilities to blend unobtrusively with the natural setting by using natural building materials, native plant materials, and earth-tone colors to the greatest extent possible in all fencing, trailheads, kiosks, and other open space improvements.
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.
POS-6.2 Enhance existing facilities.
Enhance and update facilities and amenities at existing public parks to meet the recreational needs and interests of residents of all ages.
POS-6.3 Environmental stewardship.
Incorporate low impact and sustainable building practices in the revitalization and development of parks, trails, open spaces, and recreation facilities.
POS-6.4 Public safety.
Consider the safety of park uses with the design of new and expanded park facilities.
POS-6.5 Equitable park access.
Ensure that new parks and recreational facilities are placed equitably throughout the city to maximize access to parks for all residents.
POS-6.6 Accessible parks.
Park design should consider usability by and safety for children, seniors, and those with mobility, sight, hearing or other special needs.
POS-6.7 Community and regional parks.
Encourage the development of community or regional parks, to address expanded demand for organized sports activities and community functions.
POS-6.8 Neighborhood parks.
Support enhancing existing neighborhood parks and developing future neighborhood park sites.
Goal POS-8: Expand and fund parks to keep pace with the City’s long-term growth.
POS-8.1 New parks.
Work with CRPD to achieve a goal of 10 acres of parks, accessible open space and recreational facilities for every 1,000 residents in the City as follows:
- A goal of 5 acres of community parks, playfields, and neighborhood parks per 1,000 residents.
- A goal of 5 acres of district-wide parks, including accessible open spaces, per 1,000 residents.
POS-8.2 Parks fees.
Maintain and amend as needed, ordinances imposing impact fees and Quimby Act fees on new development.
POS-8.3 On-site parks.
Require development projects of greater than 10 acres in size to provide parks on-site.
POS-8.4 Funding sources.
In partnership with CRPD, explore new potential funding sources to enhance programming, property acquisition, park improvements, operations and maintenance, and capital facility replacements.
POS-8.5 Parks long-term planning.
Collaborate with CRPD on their 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan, 30-Year maintenance plan, and long-term master plan.
Goal C-5: Properly manage, conserve, and protect native plant communities.
C-5.8 Public education.
Produce materials to educate the public regarding the importance of native plant and animal species and best practices for encountering these species along trails or in other recreational spaces.
Goal C-6: Protect sensitive, rare, threatened, or endangered species.
C-6.2 Natural space.
Preserve complete ecosystems as natural open space in order to avoid the loss of sensitive plant and animal species.
Goal C-7: Connect wildlife habitat and wildlife populations.
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-8.5 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.
Goal C-9: Minimize disturbance of wetlands and riparian habitat.
C-9.2 Wetland and riparian restoration.
Encourage the restoration and enhancement of degraded wetland and riparian habitats in order to conserve and protect native plant and animal species, increase biological diversity and productivity, and maintain permanent access for wildlife to surrounding open space.
Goal CFS-4: Encourage building and landscape design that conserves or recycles water.
CFS-4.7 Recycled water use.
Strive to reduce potable water use and use recycled water for landscaping on City-owned and operated properties, focusing initially on larger, water-intensive properties such as Los Robles Greens Golf Course and the Civic Arts Plaza.
Goal CFS-16: Support the ongoing operations and expansion of California Lutheran University (CLU) in Thousand Oaks.
CFS-16.10 Public recreation access.
Encourage ongoing partnerships between CLU and the City to allow public access to recreational facilities on campus.
Goal G-5: Foster partnerships with other regional and local agencies to ensure residents have access to high quality parks, recreation, education and leisure programs and services.
G-5.4 Parks and open space partnerships.
Partner with agencies and organizations that preserve and expand parks and open spaces within and around Thousand Oaks, including COSCA, CRPD, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and others.
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 |