Council Advances Downtown Thousand Oaks Project: Authorizes Next Steps on Finance, Land Use and Surplus Lands

The Thousand Oaks City Council on June 24 advanced the Downtown Thousand Oaks project after a detailed study session and a live three‑dimensional fly‑through of the proposed site plan. Council members voted 5–0 to (1) authorize the city manager to begin discussions with other taxing entities about tax‑increment financing (EIFD/TIF), (2) initiate the necessary General Plan and specific‑plan amendments to change city‑owned land from institutional to mixed‑use, and (3) return with additional surplus‑land declarations under the Surplus Lands Act for portions of the site.

Deputy City Manager Akbar Alikhan introduced the project’s design evolution and community engagement history dating to 2018. Consultants from RRM, SmithGroup, and others led a live 3D fly‑through that showed the revised 2025 site plan. Key elements include a six‑story, 147‑room hotel with a rooftop deck; mixed‑use buildings with ground‑floor retail and residential above; a retooled civic center that retains theaters and introduces a new, accessible service hub and council chamber; an arts‑infused “culinary collective” and performance venue; an amphitheater for 200–300 people; and a town square planned to preserve mature oak trees.

Consultants stressed several programmatic choices driven by community input: preserving and showcasing oak trees, prioritizing a transparent indoor/outdoor architectural vernacular (described as Southern California or regional modernism), consolidating parking into structured and subterranean garages to create “park once” convenience, and designing accessible routes including a prominent glass elevator from the civic terrace to the new public plaza. The plan also anticipates significant inclusionary affordable housing: staff explained that the interplay of the city’s inclusionary ordinance, state density‑bonus provisions and the Surplus Lands Act could result in the project delivering roughly 22.5% of units as affordable (combined effect of the different requirements), more than double the city’s base inclusionary requirement.

On financing, staff recommended exploring an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District or similar tax‑increment mechanism; the council authorized the city manager to begin outreach with other taxing entities. Council also directed staff to return July 8 to initiate General Plan and specific plan amendments and to bring back additional surplus‑land declarations for council consideration. Staff noted one technical clarification: Building D’s (restaurant pavilion) eligibility for an SLA exemption was still under review with outside counsel.

Councilmembers and members of the public offered extensive comment: business and tourism leaders, arts advocates, entrepreneurs, residents and regional stakeholders largely supported the project’s goals. Speakers highlighted the project’s potential to attract young professionals, support small businesses and provide venues for arts and community programming. Some commenters and council members raised design and operational questions about walkability, ADA access from the west parking structure, protected bike lanes, and how the Boulevard itself will be configured; staff said the Thousand Oaks Boulevard configuration would be addressed in a later, related process while noting the project itself is governed by its specific plan amendments.

After discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Taylor moved to accept staff’s recommendations on the four actions presented by staff; the council approved the motion 5–0. The action does not itself entitle development; it authorizes the city to proceed with financing discussions, initiate plan amendments, and return with surplus‑land actions and further design details.

Ending: Staff will return with follow‑up items — including TIF discussions with taxing entities, initiation materials for required General Plan and specific plan amendments (anticipated at the July 8 meeting for initiation), a formal surplus lands package, and additional detail on accessibility, parking management and boulevard configuration. The council indicated support for further public engagement as the project moves past 30% design.