The Agoura Village Specific Plan

http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=13167

Introduction

The Agoura Village Specific Plan (AVSP) is the final authority as to the vision, economic goals, regulations and guidelines for development of Agoura Village.

History

The Agoura Village Specific Plan (AVSP) is the result of a long range planning effort by the City of Agoura Hills that goes back to 1997. (See the Agoura Village Specific Plan here: http://stagea11.visioninternet.net/home/showdocument?id=13167).

The AVSP is based upon an EIR conducted in 2006. The AVSP environmental documents are located on the City's website, here: http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/department/planning-community-development/agoura-village-specific-plan

The AVSP was adopted in 2008. Despite several amendments to the original plan, there are concerns that, if implemented today in its current form, it will create practical and safety issues. In addition, currently pending Agoura Village Projects are out of compliance with some relevant aspects of the AVSP.

Location

Agoura Village will encompass both sides of Agoura Rd, one block west of Kanan and approximately 2 (long) blocks east of Cornell Rd. Roadside Dr. and the 101 Freeway border the north. The Village is being built on the City’s south-most border with the unincorporated area of Cornell.

Map clarifies borders of Agoura Village. Locations of Kanan Rd and Agoura (Labeled "Agoura Village Rd") Roads and the 101 Freeway are clearly marked.

Concept

The concept for Agoura Village is “a pedestrian-friendly, vibrant and entertainment oriented village scale vision for the area” and a "24 hour pedestrian destination" (page 4-38). The Village concept is to maintain the "unique character of Agoura Hills" (page 1-10). The Plan calls upon developers to "retain views of the natural surroundings" and "promote preservation of open space" (pg 1-13).

Issues

Currently pending Agoura Village Projects do not comply with the AVSP in terms of preserving view corridors.

Traffic congestion on Kanan Road threatens to endanger the communities both north and south of the Agoura Village location. The Plan must be adjusted to address this reality as it applies to wildfire and other natural disaster concerns.

Traffic improvement fees. Developers must pay outside firms to conduct traffic studies and create reports that project the impact that their particular project will have upon traffic movement. The fees are steep which beg the question, how accurate can such reports be? The AVSP describes these fees. How objective can these traffic reports be?

Evolution - Has the Agoura Village Specifc Plan strayed from its original concept? Click here for a little history.