Thousand Oaks Planning Commission elects chair and vice chair, swears in commissioner; staff previews General Plan and ADU items for City Council

The Thousand Oaks Planning Commission elected Commissioner Farris as chair and Commissioner Tyler Kettlehart as vice chair and administered the oath of office to Commissioner Buss at its March 17, 2025 meeting.

The leadership votes were taken by roll call. The nomination for chair carried 4–0 (Commissioners Buss, Farris, McMahon and Lanson voting yes; Commissioner Tyler Kettlehart absent). The nomination for vice chair likewise carried 4–0 with the same four members recorded as voting yes. The commission also approved minutes from its Jan. 27, 2025 meeting (motion carried 3–0 with Commissioner Buss recorded as abstaining and Commissioner Tyler Kettlehart absent).

The commission opened the meeting by presenting a commendation recognizing outgoing Commissioner Justin Link for his service; the document noted that Link attended 45 planning commission meetings, participated in 59 public hearings and voted on about 150 planning applications during his term.

Deputy Community Development Director Fabiola Melicker provided a staff update on items headed to City Council and upcoming planning commission business. Melicker said City Council will hold a goal-setting session on March 18 and will receive a department report and the 2024 General Plan and housing element annual progress report on March 25, which staff described as an informational summary of units approved in 2024. Melicker also said two CEQA consultant contracts — one for a downtown master plan and one for a mixed-use project at 195 East Hillcrest Drive — will be presented to council, as will a second reading of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance update intended to address recent state law changes.

Melicker told the commission there were no items scheduled for the March 24 commission meeting. Looking further ahead, staff said the commission will receive a department report on the capital improvement program and general plan consistency determination on April 7 and will hold a public hearing on April 28 on a proposal for 15 industrial buildings at the intersection of Conejo Center Drive and Rancho Conejo Boulevard.

During public comment, resident Connie Tai Gutierrez spoke in support of the newly sworn-in Commissioner Buss and thanked her for accepting the appointment.

The meeting adjourned with a reminder that the next regular meeting is scheduled for March 24, 2025 at 6 p.m. and invited attendees to stay for refreshments.