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COSCA approves up to $285,000 contract for Arroyo Conejo trash removal phase 2; Thousand Oaks to contribute $250,000
Summary
COSCA authorized a contract award for Phase 2 of the Arroyo Conejo creek cleanup to remove decades of accumulated trash in a widened corridor; the city budgeted $250,000 and COSCA will provide a $35,000 appropriation from the Woolsey Fire Recovery Fund.
The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency approved a contract award for Phase 2 of the Arroyo Conejo trash removal project, authorizing a not‑to‑exceed amount of $285,000 for Woods Maintenance Services and approving a $35,000 appropriation from COSCA's Woolsey Fire Recovery Fund to complete project funding.
Staff summarized results from Phase 1, saying an earlier cleanup removed about 13.4 tons of trash at a cost of $87,400. Based on that experience COSCA released a request for proposals for a larger area; the Phase 2 scope described in the packet covers a corridor roughly 75 feet from each bank over approximately 4,300 feet in length in widened, flatter downstream reaches. "The first phase of the project used a narrower corridor ... As we move down into this area, it does flatten out and widen quite a bit," COSCA staff explained during the presentation.
The city of Thousand Oaks has budgeted $250,000 toward the project; COSCA staff recommended covering the $35,000 shortfall from the Woolsey Fire Recovery Fund, which the board approved. Staff described the contract as non‑hazardous debris removal: crews will pick up hand‑removable trash and small bulky items, bag material and haul it to roadways for removal. COSCA staff said larger hazardous cleanups or occupied encampments are handled under separate contracts and with the involvement of the Thousand Oaks Police Department and resource officers.
Board members asked about scope, access and how personal possessions from unhoused residents would be handled; staff said COSCA follows city procedures, works with TOPD resource officers to avoid cleaning active occupied encampments during operations, and that personal items removed would be stored off‑site and made available for later retrieval when appropriate. Staff also noted Phase 2 ties into larger invasive species removal and stream restoration work that is winding down in some reaches.
The board approved the contract and appropriation by roll call vote, 5‑0.
