Planning commission backs shorter extension, benchmarks for Runkel Canyon buildout

The Simi Valley Planning Commission on June 18 voted to recommend that the City Council approve a two-year extension with benchmarks for development agreement DADash2025Dash0001, the fifth amendment to the original Runkel Canyon/Woodlands agreement, rather than the five-year extension requested by the developer.

The modification — which the commission will forward to the council as a recommendation — was approved by the commission after a public hearing that included staff presentations, comments from the applicant and multiple residents who urged tighter timelines and consequences for delays. The commission’s motion to shorten the proposed five-year extension to two years and ask the council to adopt performance benchmarks passed; the meeting record notes one abstention on the final vote and that the item will proceed to city council with the commission’s recommendations.

Principal planner Narayan Kunezakara told the commission the applicant, Runkel Canyon LLC, is seeking a five-year extension to move outstanding portions of the project to completion and to extend the development-agreement expiration to June 10, 2030. Kunezakara said the project covers about 1,595 acres and that remaining work includes 25 custom estate lots, 298 detached single-family…