TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Kelvin Parker, Community Development Director
DATE:January 27, 2026
SUBJECT: Height Limit Overlay Zone Change and Concurrent Processing (Z-2025-70002); Applicant: Sender One Thousand Oaks LLC RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt resolution finding that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), initiating a Zoning Change to add a Height Limit Overlay (MU-H) limited to a specific geographic area, and authorizing concurrent processing of entitlements for a contemplated indoor rock-climbing gym on an approximately 23,500-square-foot site within the Janss Marketplace generally located at 145 West Hillcrest Drive.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Costs are limited to staff time to prepare this report and are offset by applicant application fees.
BACKGROUND:
On December 5, 2023, City Council adopted the 2045 General Plan. The General Plan established standards and policies and created the Mixed-Use land use designation with a maximum height of 50 feet or a maximum height of up to 75 feet with approval of a Specific Plan or Height Overlay zone. The Janss Marketplace has a Mixed-Use land use designation and corresponding Mixed-Use zone.
On November 21, 2025, the applicant, Sender One Thousand Oaks LLC (Applicant), submitted a Height Limit Overlay Zone Change application for a property generally located at 145 West Hillcrest Drive (APN 525-0-054-030) (Attachments #1 through #3), requested authorization of concurrent processing of Planning entitlements, and acknowledged they are aware of the potential risks involved with the financial expenditure in preparing plans for a development contingent on the Zone Change application being approved, particularly since approval of the Zone Change initiation is not guaranteed (Attachment #4).
Height Limit Overlay Zone Change and Concurrent Processing (Z-2025-70002) January 27, 2026
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DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Proposed Concept
The proposed concept location is within the Janss Marketplace. The Janss Marketplace, located on approximately 38.16 acres at the northwest intersection of West Hillcrest Drive and North Moorpark Road, consists of approximately 611,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment space, related surface parking with landscaping, and a parking structure. The Janss Marketplace is proximal to employment centers, other shopping centers, and bus transit lines.
The concept involves repurposing an approximately 23,500-square-foot tenant space (a portion of the former Sears building) and raising an approximately 7,500- square-foot roof area of the 23,500-square-foot tenant space to approximately 65 feet (approximately 1/3 of the tenant space’s footprint). The conceptual plans show: 1) the raised roof area would be setback from the main building’s façade and 2) the roof line height, as viewed from the Hillcrest Drive public right-of-way, would appear similar to the height of adjacent tower elements identifying building entrances (Attachment #5). No new floor area is proposed, but new volume would be created to accommodate higher climbing walls inside the building.
The General Plan includes goals and policies intended to guide and direct the long- term planning for land uses established by the new General Plan. At a high level, the contemplated rock-climbing gym use appears to be consistent with General Plan Land Use Goal LU-1 which seeks to provide “…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” and specifically identifies the redevelopment of the Janss Marketplace “…into walkable, mixed-use places that include multi-family residential, hotels, entertainment and retail uses.” Detailed General Plan consistency determination is preliminary and will be evaluated as part of the formal entitlement review if concurrent processing is authorized.
Several portions of the Janss Marketplace have a Height Limit Overlay and were processed under the prior Community Shopping Center (C-3) zone which limited the maximum height to 35 feet:
• 285 North Moorpark Road (currently pop-up retail; previously occupied by Burlington Coat Factory) has a maximum height of 44 feet. • 255 North Moorpark Road (currently Regal Cinema) has a maximum height of 40.5 feet.
• 225 North Moorpark Road (currently pop-up retail and medical; hotel redevelopment approved on November 14, 2023) allows a maximum height of 75 feet.
• A four-story parking structure has a maximum height of 47.75 feet.
Height Limit Overlay Zone Change and Concurrent Processing (Z-2025-70002) January 27, 2026
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An additional structure to the west of the Janss Marketplace at 225 West Hillcrest Drive (originally Exxon Corporation regional headquarters) has a maximum height of 69.83 feet. Another Height Overlay exists to the south of the Janss Marketplace.
This proposal would introduce the potential for a second portion of the Janss Marketplace site to exceed the Mixed-Use zone’s maximum height of 50 feet.
Existing surface parking and parking structure would continue to serve the proposed indoor rock-climbing gym and existing retail, restaurant, and entertainment components of the shopping center. Shared parking opportunities within the Janss Marketplace will be evaluated as part of the parking demand analysis, consistent with the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code. A comprehensive parking supply and demand analysis would occur through the formal review process if concurrent processing is granted.
Procedural Steps
Height Limit Overlays are subzone categories attached to an underlying zoning category to accommodate additional building height in areas deemed appropriate by City Council. This category would allow an applicant to file an application for consideration of a building height up to approximately 65 feet. A Height Limit Overlay can be applied to an entire site or, as is this case, to a specific geographic portion of a site.
Formal entitlement applications have not been submitted at this time since the City cannot process the request without having a Height Limit Overlay designation or authorization from City Council for concurrent processing. If City Council initiates the Zone Change and concurrent processing, the applicant could then submit formal entitlement applications. The applicant only intends to proceed with the proposed development if the formal applications can be processed concurrently.
City Council previously approved concurrent processing of entitlements with a Height Limit Overlay at the Janss Marketplace to accommodate construction of a major tenant, theater, and hotel at three specific locations on the property.
Similarly, in this case, the request for a Height Limit Overlay is not for the entire center, but for an isolated portion of the site. Concurrent processing of entitlements will provide the Planning Commission and City Council the opportunity to review the proposed development prior to deciding whether to allow an increase in height.
City Council authorization to initiate the Zone Change and concurrent processing is recommended because it would provide staff and decision-makers the opportunity to: 1) determine if the contemplated rock-climbing gym use is consistent with General Plan policies, including Land Use Goal LU-1, 2) study the rock-climbing gym’s roof line height and associated impact categories (e.g., Height Limit Overlay Zone Change and Concurrent Processing (Z-2025-70002) January 27, 2026
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Aesthetics), and 3) confirm if the remainder of the building massing would be unchanged from the existing condition.
Next Steps
If City Council authorizes the request to initiate the Zone Change and authorize concurrent processing (Attachment #6), the applicant will then file formal entitlement applications including: 1) a Special Use Permit for the proposed use and 2) a Development Permit Minor Modification to alter the physical development.
The application materials will be reviewed and evaluated by all relevant agencies and departments, resulting in a project that is further refined based on staff input.
The Planning Commission will then have an opportunity to review the complete package (legislative action, entitlements, and CEQA determination) and make a recommendation to City Council. City Council will have final decision-making authority over the entire project since the request involves legislative action.
Alternatively, if City Council does not initiate the Zone Change to consider the Height Limit Overlay, the applicant indicated they do not intend to submit a formal application and no further consideration is required.
LEVINE ACT (California Government Code § 84308):
This item is subject to the Levine Act. City Councilmembers who have received a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) within the preceding 12 months from a party or their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; or if applicable (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $500 within 30 days from the time the official knew or should have known about the contribution, and participate in the proceeding.
All parties and their agents/representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any aggregated contribution of more than $500 made to any Councilmember within the preceding 12 months. Councilmembers are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. In addition, a party, their agent/representative, or a financially- interested participant is prohibited from contributing more than $500 (aggregated) to a Councilmember during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made.
Height Limit Overlay Zone Change and Concurrent Processing (Z-2025-70002) January 27, 2026
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COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
B. Provide municipal government leadership which is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
I. Maintain a strong local employment base geared toward retaining high quality businesses; sustain a healthy business community; and, diversify the local economy, with a specific emphasis on small businesses and high technology/biomedical jobs.
K. Prepare for transition of City workforce by ensuring that sufficient succession planning takes place to develop an employment base which is reflective of the community’s demographics.
PREPARED BY: Scott Kolwitz, Sr. Planner
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity Map
Attachment #2 – Location Map
Attachment #3 – Aerial Map
Attachment #4 – Applicant Correspondence & Application
Attachment #5 – Conceptual Project Plans
Attachment #6 – City Council Resolution
cdd:420-46/sk/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-01-27/Sender One/Staff Report-City Council/pz/(FILE ID: Z-2025-70002)