[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6609604,"mediaKeyId","2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc","parentId",2911024,"title","Residents press Thousand Oaks council over Lassen’s closure and Caruso downtown deal; city says staff will follow up","audioSeconds",996,"startMs",4772000,"endMs",5768000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc&start=4772&end=5768","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc/thumbnail_4772000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6609604/Thousand-Oaks/Ventura-County/California/Residents-press-Thousand-Oaks-council-over-Lassens-closure-and-Caruso-downtown-deal-city-says-staff-will-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609604-8d3052f54f5b3801cf0e75712a70a39f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448690&Signature=P0aX09Fksf9EIAAoKzBEfv7U5eMDQraGYOqjt7mszF8vyelu9YltpwLSOd-I-VYipvo~fwzpO~~YnqggNuCXlFIkzltPIaWCaR~1DnUffhTJXxCvil9NKGS7npx1NIUMgrp5mw8ShqjM2qsWwhkga-mxS-e9yURlEEuXG0Zpt--pxRwMj04WX72x6DyOOUzrOSrig-aeGooOnkHu17Jcezlwx5n1OvNx9dGfffNjzvPVK5tXfWBi3kjI~1kCT5pFqFzJPuiHxQxMpoENFXsuhvqmMR8aJqcYxSdV3lCJ--pu-HdNQP-gG5kanhSaQfUmWqF4hL-P2ATIql26i-h5cQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-03T19:34:30Z","article","Several residents used the public‑comment period at the April 8 City Council meeting to urge elected leaders to intervene after local grocery store Lassen’s announced it would close and its space would be leased to Erewhon as part of the Caruso downtown Thousand Oaks redevelopment.

Christine Robert Fox thanked the council for community support and said businesses such as Lassen’s have helped build community ties. Laurie Cameo said pricing at Erewhon would not suit Thousand Oaks shoppers and repeated claims she said she had heard from Lassen’s staff that Lassen’s was not given an opportunity to renew its lease and that Caruso awarded the space to Erewhon. Cameo also criticized prior land deals with the developer and asked council to reconsider the city’s collaboration with Caruso, calling for protections for small businesses and trees and for affordable housing priorities to be preserved.

Several speakers said the Save Lassen’s Thousand Oaks Facebook group had more than 100 members and that the community is grieving the loss of the store. City Manager Drew Power told the council staff was aware of the Lassen’s closure, said economic development staff would contact Lassen’s ownership to discuss potential alternative locations and noted press reporting that relocation might still be possible. Power said the city has no direct control over private lease negotiations but that staff would follow up with Lassen’s ownership and would be in touch.

Speakers urged the council to revisit the 2021 agreement with the developer, Caruso, though no specific motion or formal council action was made on the record. Councilmembers acknowledged the concern and asked staff to pursue outreach to Lassen’s ownership.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Thousand Oaks City Council Meeting - April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents criticized the planned replacement of local grocer Lassen’s by Erewhon as part of the Caruso downtown redevelopment and urged the council to renegotiate the 2021 agreement; city manager said staff will contact Lassen’s ownership and economic development will explore alternate locations.","taxTitle","Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, California","taxId",4670,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6609609,"Residents and mitigation experts urge Thousand Oaks council to accelerate wildfire prevention work",610,5141000,5751000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc&start=5141&end=5751","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc/thumbnail_5141000.jpg","/articles/6609609/Thousand-Oaks/Ventura-County/California/Residents-and-mitigation-experts-urge-Thousand-Oaks-council-to-accelerate-wildfire-prevention-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609609-c19c25a5681b59e0a2cf732087e9f585/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448690&Signature=i8cVXEVRWw8VtUZ-5vXpMSA797Bxxk~1Xrv6RHLG7d8KrEhNbeoRrn5oiyQUFoJpU5vmCQAu~SDeoOnN~YprHjGCgc~oD198Bk~IMq3tpLjfGMa6MjLmsj1iE~fYiiJKioaolAc5sO9N4Z12oCOqgxjOMhNmh~22ouGECmLzi2PzSd9eLs0TVDdQB~wz~Uh-s8VeVrWI3LN5G5ACKOxHJNVzqqdmrLxvWI~Keycjyvm1GE9KGjgyaKzPNhmMW8yCTRdctweCXrh3JLa5rsJIEkqmwMpiRqhpLgOubfxvpTYoa1t8XQsUiC48Tko4F8QierMY05I1BasjK-h4NiV95w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and wildfire mitigation experts urged the Thousand Oaks City Council to adopt an urgent call to action on wildfire prevention, citing recent regional fires and updated state hazard maps that place large portions of the city at very high risk.

Chris Sam, a longtime Thousand Oaks resident who identified himself as a risk professional and leader of a local Firewise community, told the council that “a catastrophic fire impacting the city of Thousand Oaks is inevitable” and urged an immediate citywide mitigation effort, including a city fire‑safe council and greater resident education and engagement. He asked the council to adopt an urgent call to action and offered to volunteer time to help.

Peter Feller, president of the Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council and a wildfire mitigation consultant, told council that mitigation efforts must operate at the parcel level and focus on home hardening, defensible space and community wildfire prevention programs. Feller said communities around the Conejo Valley have established Firewise programs and ongoing education to track mitigation activities and improve resident preparedness.

Councilmembers and staff responded that the city has been engaging with County Fire. City Manager Drew Power said he had reached out to County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner and that the chief had been in contact with Mr. Sam; Police and Fire staff will follow up and the city will send a city representative to meet about possible collaboration and use of County Fire facilities for training and outreach.

Speakers said wildfire risk has affected homeowner insurance availability and home values in the region and that parcel‑level actions are a necessary complement to city and county planning. Councilmembers asked staff to continue coordination with fire agencies and residents and to provide updates as plans are developed.","Several residents and wildfire mitigation consultants urged the City Council to form a fire‑safe umbrella organization, expand resident education and accelerate parcel‑level mitigation after updated hazard maps designated large sections of the city as very high fire risk.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6609612,"Thousand Oaks council reviews $159.6 million proposed CIP, schedules public hearing for June 10",2372,5906000,8278000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc&start=5906&end=8278","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2911024-409580f752f1684f44bced2fa2f915bc/thumbnail_5906000.jpg","/articles/6609612/Thousand-Oaks/Ventura-County/California/Thousand-Oaks-council-reviews-1596-million-proposed-CIP-schedules-public-hearing-for-June-10","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609612-b077cd26069798d997be60e43120aa95/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448690&Signature=kfcdUksKfuNETTeMo9tCfqWboAbynrXLze90jo-uBpIAfN7VNnlI9579rCYsbgpBkhtgRLC6TlByUMhqPXP2OLEvGhkk7CHqCU1U6QOg8jXZNriYRsPsHZfp27rK~7ecfbxCLeinbHqP8L3IaS9mLAz~87mllmVpGlacr6H32gGJi6FQA0m91QYq99lEwK-k840zMgO7GgOAvY12ZNiL8Vv6CqiWPXa-mIzsOWBSPwtiM3D6ImA7u5eZZHCuZZhNBvC9llD5F9pggxG3-8h6edjtXRqKZdSSxLIGEfGPzvHqk~b~j5hFkdGpuF3wow-DUQtvyU6EmCWkWKZdII1UcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a proposed $159.6 million capital improvement program covering fiscal years 2025–27 and a five‑year planning horizon, and the Thousand Oaks City Council voted 5‑0 to accept the report and schedule a public hearing for June 10.

Finance Director Jamie Boscarino told council the CIP includes 147 projects across categories such as water ($33.8 million), facilities ($28.8 million largely for the downtown project), streets and transportation, landscape, and stormwater. Boscarino said the budget is a planning document that balances carryover funds, capital reserves and grant opportunities and that staff will return with an operating budget and the CIP for adoption on June 10.

The draft highlights resiliency measures prompted by recent widespread power outages and wildfire risk, including battery energy storage at libraries to support cooling centers and shelters, large‑scale generators and power backup at pump stations, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for water customers, and microgrid work at the municipal services center. Boscarino said the city has set aside capital reserves and identified grant prospects but will pause grant‑funded projects until funding is secured.

Councilmembers pressed staff on prioritization and flexibility. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor and Councilmember Engler emphasized resiliency investments such as backup power at water facilities and traffic signals, and asked how secure funding is for projects if federal or state grants are delayed or reduced. Boscarino said core resiliency projects would proceed from dedicated fund balances (for example, water‑fund projects coming from water capital revenue) even without grants, while other projects could be postponed or held at design to preserve flexibility.

Councilmember Adam asked whether drainage work tied to a Newbury Park neighborhood in the FEMA floodplain (South Branch Arroyo Conejo drainage improvements) was the correct project; staff confirmed the project is intended to upsize conveyances and to study whether updated hydrology could remove properties from the floodplain without construction. Staff said that study will return to council later in the year.

Councilmembers also discussed the downtown Thousand Oaks project, undergrounding of overhead utilities along Hodecnamp (Hodencamp) Road in coordination with private development, bike lanes on Lynn Road and Hillcrest Drive (with Class 4 protected lanes planned), and funding for transit fleet electrification and transit resiliency. Boscarino said some projects already have cash set aside (she cited about $40 million toward the downtown project) and that staff remains cautious about grant uncertainty and construction cost inflation.

Mayor Pro Tem Taylor moved to accept the proposed CIP report, find the action not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and schedule a public hearing for June 10; the motion passed 5‑0. Council also voted 5‑0 to approve the consent calendar earlier in the meeting and to accept two trip reports (see Votes at a glance).","City staff presented a $159.6 million five-year capital improvement program (CIP) covering 147 projects including downtown planning, water system resilience and bike lanes; council accepted the report and voted 5-0 to schedule a June 10 public hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press Thousand Oaks council over Lassen’s closure and Caruso downtown deal; city says staff will follow up

Residents and mitigation experts urge Thousand Oaks council to accelerate wildfire prevention work

Thousand Oaks council reviews $159.6 million proposed CIP, schedules public hearing for June 10