Thousand Oaks plans City Hall renovation and drainage projects with Ventura County partnership

The Planning Commission Meeting held on April 7, 2025, in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, focused on several key infrastructure projects and improvements aimed at enhancing the city’s facilities and flood management systems. The meeting began with discussions regarding upgrades to the Share Forum and the anticipated redesign of City Hall, particularly its exterior. Deputy Public Works Director Nader Hidari addressed concerns about whether the current improvements would suffice for the upcoming changes to City Hall, assuring that the enhancements are intended to be interim solutions while the overall downtown redevelopment project is still in the preliminary design stages.

The commission then turned its attention to the South Branch Arroyo Conejo Drainage Improvements project, identified as CI 5807. This initiative aims to partner with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District to evaluate and improve the stormwater system, ultimately helping to remove parcels from the 100-year floodplain. Hidari explained that the city leads the study to assess floodplain limits and that improvements within Thousand Oaks will be executed by the city, while those in unincorporated areas will be managed by the county.

Further discussions included the Oakwood Drive improvements, which are part of the downtown project. Hidari described Oakwood Drive as a lesser-known street located west of City Hall, where planned enhancements will include curb and gutter installations, sidewalks, drainage improvements, and potential utility undergrounding. He noted that both the Oakwood Drive project and the downtown redevelopment are still in early design phases, with coordination between the two ongoing.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the 1000 Boulevard Center line alignment, Hillcrest Drive survey monuments, and geographic information system updates. These projects are designed to streamline the city’s entitlement process, making it more business-friendly and facilitating new developments and renovations. The importance of replacing survey markers, which can be lost or damaged, was emphasized as essential for future construction and development efforts.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the city’s commitment to improving infrastructure and flood management while preparing for significant redevelopment projects in the coming years. The commission plans to continue monitoring these initiatives as they progress through the design and implementation phases.