Thousand Oaks planning commission approves new monument sign at Jans Marketplace

The Thousand Oaks Planning Commission on May 12 approved a special use permit to allow a new four-panel, double-faced monument sign at the northwest corner of Conejo Boulevard and West Hillcrest Drive for the Collection at Jans shopping center.

Staff told the commission the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Class 11, section 15311(a), and recommended approval of Special Use Permit SUP202470020. "Staff recommends the planning commission find that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ... and adopt a resolution approving special use permit 2024-70020," Community Development Tech II Greg Gomez said.

The commission approved the motion to find the project exempt from CEQA and to approve the permit on a 5-0 vote. Commissioner Lanson, who moved approval, said the Jans and the Collection "are very important to our city" and urged support for the businesses. The applicant, Luca Giovinardi of Newmark Merrill Companies, said the owners bought the property in 2023 and that "this sign will be very helpful in order to accomplish that" as they work to lease vacant spaces.

The proposed monument sign would match the existing on-site monument signs in design and materials, including a concrete pad base, stacked stone veneer, honed travertine tile and concrete capstone, and internally illuminated tenant panels. Staff said the sign is consistent in design and scale with other monument signs across Jans Marketplace and noted the permit is required because the requested additional sign would exceed the number of freestanding monument signs allowed under the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code.

Staff also clarified an earlier question about a larger monument sign at the terminus of the Jans Marketplace driveway off Moore Park Road: the sign was constructed at a maximum height of 19 feet 6 inches, which reflects the approved as-built condition; an earlier proposal had shown 21 feet 5 inches but was not the approved height on the building permit.

With no public speakers on the item, commissioners had brief remarks before the vote. The commission recorded the vote as: Commissioner Busch — yes; Commissioner Lanson — yes; Commissioner McMahon — yes; Commissioner Tyler Kettlehat — yes; Chair Farris — yes. The planning commission’s action may be appealed to the Community Development Department within 10 days.

At the meeting’s end staff listed upcoming items of interest to developers and residents: a May 19 public hearing on local ordinance updates related to SB 9 (lot splits and two-unit development), a June 9 tentative hearing on the Conejo Summit industrial project, and a June 10 public hearing on the Lakes development agreement.