cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS AMENDING THE CIVIC
ARTS PLAZA SPECIFIC PLAN (SP-11) TO CREATE
A NEW SUBAREA E TO FACILITATE
DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PEDESTRIAN-
ORIENTED DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING MIXED-USE
RESIDENTIAL, A HOTEL, COMMERCIAL, OFFICE,
AND ENTERTAINMENT USES; PARTIAL
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE EXISTING CITY HALL;
PUBLIC AMENITIES SUCH AS A PARK PLAZA AND
OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER; AND SUPPORTING
INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING NEW
ROADWAYS, RECONFIGURED UTILITIES, AND
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS;
(SP-2025-70001); AND CERTIFYING THE FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (CEQA-2025-
70002) AND MITIGATION MONITORING AND
REPORTING PROGRAM, FINDINGS OF FACT AND
STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS,
(APPLICANT: CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS)
The City Council of the City of Thousand Oaks does hereby ordain as follows:
Part I
WHEREAS, local governments are authorized by Government Code Section 65450 et seq., to prepare specific plans for the systematic implementation of the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on September 26, 1989, in order to provide for the comprehensive development of the Specific Plan Area; and
WHEREAS, Amendment No. 1 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on May 5, 1992, which amended the building height requirements for the Civic Arts Plaza building, amended the internal road configuration, and expanded the site; and
WHEREAS, Amendment No. 2 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on March 23, 2004, to incorporate the construction of the private commercial project (The Lakes) and future Discovery Center Project; and
ATTACHMENT #6
cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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WHEREAS, Amendment No. 3 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on May 25, 2010, which allowed angled parking as a permitted use within Sub -Area D (Ponds and Seasonal Ice Skating Rink); and WHEREAS, Amendment No. 4 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on June 11, 2013, relating to the adoption of parking standards for restaurant and retail uses established by the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan for Sub -Area A (Private Commercial) of the Civic Arts Plaza Specific Plan; and
WHEREAS, Amendment No. 5 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on May 22, 2012, to add approximately 2.8 acres of adjacent land to the Specific Plan area and adopt planning standards for said land; and
WHEREAS, Amendment No. 6 to Specific Plan No. 11 was adopted by the City Council on December 17, 2021, to modify and establish specific development standards for a mixed-use project, including residential development standards at Subareas A & D (The Lakes); and
WHEREAS, this specific plan amendment application SP-2025-70001 (SPA) has been prepared to facilitate the development of the Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (Downtown Project); and
WHEREAS, the SPA implements the policies of the General Plan by providing an orderly, functional and compatible land use pattern to guide the future growth and development of Thousand Oaks and its planning area; ensuring that the type, amount, design, and pattern of all land uses through the City and planning area serve to protect and enhance the character and image of Thousand Oaks as a desirable community; and providing for an orderly pattern of future development and change throughout the City that will be both compatible with and beneficial to existing land uses and which will provide residents with a desirable urban environment in which to live, work, shop, and play; and
WHEREAS, SP-11, as amended, contains all the necessary elements required by section 65451 of the Government Code and Article 4 of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code, and the Specific Plan was referred to all affected public agencies pursuant to sections 65453 and 65352 of the Government Code, and WHEREAS, the SPA was reviewed, studied, and found to be subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared for the project in compliance with CEQA; and WHEREAS, the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission held a noticed public hearing on May 18, 2026 regarding the Downtown Project and thereafter, recommended that City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report No.
CEQA-2025-70002, and that the City Council approve General Plan Amendment GP-2025-70001, Specific Plan Amendment SP-2025-70001, Development Permit DP-2025-70015, Tentative Tract Map TTM-2025-70003, Protected Tree Permit cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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PTP-2025-70093, and SUP-2025-70022 to regulate specific land uses and design standards for approximately 17.68 acres of property located generally at 2100 E Thousand Oaks Boulevard; and,
WHEREAS, upon notice duly given, a hearing was held at the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Thousand Oaks on June 23, 2026, at which time evidence, both oral and written, including a Staff Report and a Final Environmental Impact Report, were presented and received, and testimony was taken from all interested parties appearing in the matter; and WHEREAS, an ordinance is required to formalize Council action pursuant to Section 65453 of the California Government Code, and this ordinance is adopted; therefore, for that purpose and reflects the action of a majority of the members of the City Council in rendering a decision on this matter following the public hearing at the regular meeting of June 23, 2026.
Part 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to Government Code Sections 65451, 65453 and 65850, and Article 4 of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code, the City Council of the City of Thousand Oaks does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. The Final Environmental Impact Report (CEQA-2025-70002), along with the Findings of Fact, Statement of Overriding Considerations, and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program are approved as set forth in the Resolution approving the corresponding General Plan Amendment and development entitlements.
SECTION 2. Specific Plan No. 11 Amendment SP-2025-70001 (attached as Exhibit “A”), is approved based on the following findings:
1. “The project is consistent with the Thousand Oaks General Plan and any applicable specific plan or redevelopment plan” per TOMC Sec. 9-
4.2803(c)(1).”
The project amends the SP-11 subarea boundaries of Subareas B and C, to align with proposed Downtown Thousand Oaks Project improvements, eliminate Subarea C-1, and establish a new Subarea E, amend the permitted uses and development standards associated with Subareas B, C, and E, and establish other design and development processes, requirements, and procedures to guide the implementation of the Downtown Thousand Oaks project.
As demonstrated in the General Plan Consistency table in Appendix A, attached as SP-11, Exhibit B of Attachment #4, the development standards and uses of the Specific Plan, along with the companion land use amendment, is consistent with all applicable Elements of the Thousand cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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Oaks General Plan 2045, as amended by GP-2025-70001. In particular, the Specific Plan Amendment is consistent with the following General Plan Goal and Policy related directly to the Civic Arts Specific Plan:
Goal LU-13: Create a Downtown Core that is a vibrant and welcoming place that serves as the “heart of the City.”
LU-13.2 Civic Arts Specific Plan.
Redesign the Civic Arts Plaza frontage, building and open space to provide intuitive entrances with pedestrian connectivity between the Kavli Theatre Plaza level and the new Town Square and redevelopment of the Westside Properties (Subarea E Civic Arts Plaza Specific Plan). Implement the following policies:
Integrate institutional, entertainment, commercial and civic uses on the Civic Arts Plaza and Westside Properties, as part of the Campus Master Plan.
Retain existing healthy mature trees.
Provide flexible performance and active public space. Create quiet, contemplative spaces.
Improve the visual and physical connections from the Kavli Theatre Plaza level to the Town Square and Thousand Oaks Boulevard to encourage theatre patrons to stay and experience downtown. Reaffirm the development of civic gathering space within the Campus Master Plan.
SP-2025-70001 creates a horizontal mixed-use development with a pedestrian-oriented and interactive environment that implements the policies listed within LU-13.2. Subarea B, where Carpenter Park is located, includes a park restaurant and outdoor amphitheatre/bandshell, intended to offer ticketed performances, public community performances, and other active and passive public spaces. Subarea C, as amended, encompasses the existing Civic Arts Plaza structures and uses, including the Performing Arts Center, consisting of the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre and 394-seat Scherr Forum Theatre, the adaptively reused and reconstructed City of Thousand Oaks City Hall administrative offices, commercial and other community- serving uses, as well as the existing six-level parking structure.
Development within Subarea C would include the partial demolition and reconstruction of City Hall resulting in a mix of civic and commercial uses, such as a library and police outpost, County clerk’s office, artist studio spaces, and a public food hall to further emphasize the area as the City’s primary civic gathering space. Newly created Subarea E encompasses the remainder of the Specific Plan area located west of the Civic Arts Plaza and Carpenter Park, and north of the existing parking structure, where development is intended to introduce additional variety and vibrancy to the cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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area through mixed-use residential structures with active ground floor commercial uses, and an approximately 142-room hotel with associated food/beverage uses, banquet space, and other guest amenities.
In addition, a stated objective of the SPA is to “Preserve and celebrate existing mature protected trees on site in key public areas of the program,” with existing oaks forming the central focus of Carpenter Park.
Requirements within the SP balance meeting this objective and remaining consistent with other General Plan policies and City standards.
Lastly, robust pedestrian circulation opportunities are provided throughout the Specific Plan area to provide visual and physical connectivity across both the length of the site and from the higher elevations to the Main Street and Thousand Oaks Boulevard levels. For example, Main Street would provide a new thoroughfare connecting West Road to The Lakes Boulevard, and a grand staircase and public elevator would provide access from Carpenter Park and Thousand Oaks Boulevard at the ground level to the Kavli Terrace on the third level of the renovated City Hall structure. As such, the specific plan amendment is consistent with all Elements of the Thousand Oaks General Plan 2045.
2.“The project complies with all applicable laws, regulations and policies, including the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code” per TOMC Sec. 9-
4.2803(c)(2).”
A specific plan is a document designed to implement policies in alignment with the intent of the City’s General Plan and establish regulations for a specific geographic region. The Specific Plan Amendment includes custom development and design standards, permitted land uses, infrastructure requirements, implementation measures, and other criteria intended to implement the General Plan. These standards are not required to replicate the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code requirements since they are intended to be unique for a specific development area; however, SP-2025-70001 is consistent with the purpose and intent of the TOMC, City’s Architectural Guidelines (Resolution 2005-011 and 2023-061), and Freeway Corridor Guidelines (Resolution 1991-172). Where it is inappropriate for the specific plan to exactly mimic existing standards, such as those from Title 9, Chapter 4, Article 22: Objective Design Standards for Residential Development (ODS), revised standards have been included to meet the intention of such regulation or provide enhanced design requirements for other project components.
As such, the project is consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, including the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code that allows for specific development standards through adoption of a specific plan and amendments thereto.
cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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3.“The project will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or general welfare” per TOMC Sec. 9-4.2803(c)(3).”
The project will not be detrimental to public health, safety, or general welfare because the project has been evaluated and conditions imposed, by the Community Development Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD). An EIR was also prepared evaluating potential environmental impacts from the project, and as set forth in Section 2 of this Resolution, other than Air Quality and Transportation impacts, all potential environmental impacts will be less than significant with or without mitigation.
Nearly all impacts related to Air Quality, as analyzed by the EIR, are less than significant with mitigation. However, operational emissions from the project are expected to exceed the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District’s (VCAPCD) thresholds for certain pollutants, particularly reactive organic gases (ROG). This exceedance means the project would conflict with the 2022 Air Quality Management Plan’s (AQMP) emissions-reduction strategies, resulting in a significant and unavoidable impact even after implementation of mitigation measures requiring electric-only landscaping equipment and low-emissions architectural coatings. However, as noted in the Draft EIR, while the project would exceed the VCAPCD regional ROG threshold, the exceedance does not provide a basis for quantifying or inferring specific health effects, and the project’s contribution to criteria air pollutant–related health impacts would remain less than significant.
The project would not require mitigation for any CEQA impact threshold related to Transportation, except for one threshold regarding VMT impacts.
The vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis determined that the residential component of the project would result in VMT per resident that is below the citywide average, indicating a less-than-significant impact for that threshold.
However, the employment component for the analysis area already exceeds the citywide baseline. Due to that existing characteristic, the project would generate VMT per employee that exceeds the citywide baseline, resulting in a significant and unavoidable impact, even after accounting for travel demand management and VMT reduction strategies.
When evaluating the project as a whole, including both residential and non- residential uses, the overall VMT per service population is projected to be lower than existing conditions, and thus not considered significant.
Nevertheless, due to the elevated VMT associated with employee trips, the City must report a significant and unavoidable transportation impact for this project under CEQA. Despite the result of this conservative analysis, the project would not create traffic or pedestrian hazards because the project would utilize or create a network of roads designed to accommodate the vehicle traffic generated by this development and the existing development, including the residential, commercial, institutional, and open space uses in cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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all directions. In addition, the applicant will be required to pay the Citywide traffic mitigation fee to help contribute towards the cost of future improvements at the intersections identified in the City's Traffic Impact Mitigation Fee Nexus Study. Lastly, the project contributes to General Plan Policy LU-13.7 Traffic calming. Introduce traffic calming measures along Thousand Oaks Boulevard near the Downtown Core to slow down vehicles and encourage active transportation, as thirty diagonal parking spaces would be created along the Downtown Core frontage along Thousand Oaks Boulevard, per the street standards included in SP-11. This parking configuration would help to slow down vehicle traffic along this particular segment of Thousand Oaks Boulevard, which improves pedestrian safety.
The Downtown Core is within a very high fire hazard severity zone (VHFHZ) as designated by the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD). SP-11, section 2.E.VII.d states “An objective of the project is to provide an example for the City of how public areas can be fire resilient without sacrificing design or the natural landscape. The project will incorporate local requirements for buildings in wildfire hazard areas while embracing local flora and green spaces to create a welcoming, safe, and functional environment for the City.” Fire-resistant and noncombustible materials will be used for all exterior walls, projections, and roof coverings, and all landscaping is required to be approved by the VCFD. As noted by the Evacuation Analysis, prepared by EPD Solutions, Inc., dated February 27, 2026, provided in Appendix S of the Downtown Thousand Oaks Draft EIR, the proposed specific plan provides improved fire access to the project site by adding more than one point of ingress/egress connected to Thousand Oaks Boulevard, compared to existing conditions. With the addition of West Road, Oakwood Drive extension, and Main Street, the project has adequate fire access, including multiple evacuation routes located within a short distance. Travel distances from the project site to Highway 101 or other evacuation routes are short, and evacuation routes themselves have multiple travel lanes.
As described in the EIR, public service providers, including the Ventura County Fire Department and Thousand Oaks Police Department, School District, and Conejo Recreation and Parks District, have all affirmed that they have sufficient capacity and resources to maintain the necessary level of service for the project population and proposed development, with the implementation of conditions of approval required for DP-2025-70015 and SUP-2025-70022.
The Downtown Core is served by existing utility and public service providers. On-site infrastructure (sewer, water, natural gas, power, and communication systems) serving the existing Civic Arts Plaza and performing arts theatres will be maintained and/or relocated to ensure cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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continued operation and functionality of the existing performing arts theatres throughout construction with minimal interruption.
Therefore, the project will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or general welfare with the incorporation of Mitigation Measures required by CEQA-2025-70002 and conditions of approval.
4.“The project has been reviewed in conformance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act” per TOMC Sec. 9-4.2803(c)(4).” The Downtown Project, including said SPA, was reviewed for conformance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act.
SECTION 3. The foregoing findings and determinations are based upon the following:
(a) The Recitals set forth in this Ordinance, which are deemed true and correct;
(b) The Resolution corresponding to the Project entitlements, including GPA-2025-70001, adopted by the City Council on June 23, 2026, and which Resolutions and exhibits are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full;
(c) All City Staff reports (and all other public reports and documents) prepared for the Planning Commission and City Council, relating to the Specific Plan Amendment, and other actions relating to the Project;
(d) All documentary and oral evidence received at public hearings or submitted to the City during the comment period relating to the Specific Plan Amendment, and other actions relating to the Project; and (e) All other matters of common knowledge to the Planning Commission and City Council, including, but not limited to the City’s fiscal and financial status; City policies and regulations; reports, projections and correspondence related to development within and surrounding the City, State laws and regulations and publications.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby certifies the Final EIR and approves the associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and approves the Civic Arts Plaza Specific Plan (SP-11) amendment SP-2025-70001, attached hereto as Exhibit A, subject further to such minor, conforming and clarifying changes cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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consistent with the terms thereof as may be approved by the City Manager, in consultation with the City Attorney to execution thereof, including completion of references and status of planning approvals, and completion and conformity of all exhibits thereto, and conformity to the General Plan, as amended, as approved by the City Council.
SECTION 5. The approval contained in Section 4 hereof is subject to and conditioned upon Resolution No. ____, adopted by the City Council approving the General Plan Amendment, becoming effective.
Part 3
(Uncodified)
Severability
If any section, subsection, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this title; it being hereby expressly declared that this title, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase hereof, would have been prepared, proposed, adopted, approved, and ratified irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
Part 4
(Uncodified)
Effective Date
This ordinance shall become effective on and after the thirty-first (31 st) day following its adoption, provided, however, that if the actions referred to in Section 4 hereof are not effective on such date, then the effective date of this Ordinance shall be the date on which all of said actions become effective, as certified by the City Clerk
PASSED AND ADOPTED this XXth day of XXXX, 202X, by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Mikey Taylor, Mayor
City of Thousand Oaks City Council
ATTEST/CERTIFY:
________________________________
Laura B. Maguire, City Clerk
cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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Date Attested: ___________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Office of the City Attorney
Tracy M. Noonan,
City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO ADMINISTRATION:
Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
Introduced: XXXX XX, 202X
Published: XXXX XX, 202XX
Ordinance No.: XXXX-NS
The presence of electronic signature certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy as approved by the City of Thousand Oaks City Council on the date cited above. cdd:440-35/kr/H:COMMON/City Council/Agenda Packet/2026/2026-06-23/Downtown Project/DTTO SP-2025-70001 Attach 6 Ordinance.docx/pz (FILE ID: SP-2025-70001)
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EXHIBIT “A”
SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 11
(Specific Plan Amendment will be attached upon project approval. See Attachment 7)