Woodland Hills committee finalizes plan for March town hall and open-house on general plan

The Woodland Hills Community Development Committee on Monday outlined the agenda, outreach and logistics for a city town hall and a public open house to present an updated general plan and gather neighborhood input.

Committee Chair Kirsten Thompson said the committee will coordinate with the city—s town-hall schedule so the community-development presentation follows the mayor and council updates, and that the public open house will include an hour-long presentation and breakout/visual-survey sessions. "I'll put something up about kind of an agenda so people know what to expect and the timelines," Thompson said.

The committee and staff discussed what to include in the presentation and in printed/poster materials: an explanation of "what is a general plan," basic state requirements (including affordable/moderate-income housing mandates), a brief history of Woodland Hills— prior plan, and regional context. Daniel (planner; last name not specified) described the proposed public engagement tools: conventional survey results plus a visual survey of images so attendees can indicate which types of housing, trails or parks they prefer. "Visual survey is, pick well, pictures. So they can look at images and then select which image they like," Daniel said.

Why it matters: committee members said visuals and word choice strongly shape how residents respond to questions about sidewalks, trails, housing density and commercial development. Several members argued that presenting images rather than abstract terms will produce clearer input from residents about acceptable design, density and amenities.

What the committee agreed to and discuss further - Presentation format and timing: the town-hall portion will run about 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., followed by a short break and then the community development presentation and breakouts/visual survey. The committee planned to have printed boards (foam-core easels) and maps at the event for people to view and annotate. - Visual survey and follow-up questions: committee members prioritized showing multiple images for each housing type (for example, townhouse/apartment, senior-living, two-story low-rise) so survey respondents share a common frame of reference. Nate Myers encouraged careful messaging: "I think the sky is probably the limit depending on how you are able to make the density look down there," he said, arguing that high-quality design can affect acceptance. - Design constraints and legal limits: committee members discussed tools to guide design, including overlays or planned-unit developments (PUDs) that can require architectural standards during approval. Staff noted state law limits some architectural controls in base residential zones and advised that design standards are most robust when tied to overlays or development agreements. - Area of focus: the committee will emphasize an area on the city—s north/lower side (the parcel and surrounding flat land south of the roundabout between the two churches, referred to in the meeting as the "lower section"). That area currently contains low-density zoning and some piecemeal smaller-lot approvals; the committee will treat it as an area-specific plan for the visual survey and breakout exercises. - Trails, parks and connectivity: multiple members urged emphasis on connecting a flat walking/biking trail along Woodland Hills Drive to the city park and, if feasible, to neighboring cities— trail networks. Committee members noted the existing park has a limited loop and small parking area and discussed whether new trails or a pocket park could be required as part of higher-density development. - Funding and finance: members asked staff to consult the finance director, Chris Helvey, and outside research (Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute was suggested as a source) to prepare simple revenue scenarios for display at the town hall: e.g., what modest commercial development or different residential densities could mean for city tax revenue. The committee discussed options including a special fee or a small dedicated sales-tax increment (described generically as a recreation/parks tax) and the possibility of developer-funded park amenities as part of approvals.

Process, outreach and timeline The committee decided the planner will prepare most of the survey questions and image boards within the next week and circulate drafts to committee members for language edits. The committee agreed on a short catch-up meeting the day before the town hall (Monday, March 24 at 5 p.m.) to review final materials and finalize logistics; the public open house will follow the city town hall on Tuesday, March 25. The planner said the general-plan drafting is already underway and that the strategic plan (short-term goals) will be developed alongside the 20- to 30-year general plan.

What the committee noted it cannot assume Committee members repeatedly cautioned against implying that the city will adopt any particular development outcome. They said the open house is intended to collect public preferences and to demonstrate what kinds of design choices might retain the city—s character while addressing long-term fiscal sustainability and trail connectivity. Staff reminded the group that some elements—for example, architectural controls in base residential zones—are constrained by state law and are more enforceable when placed in overlays or development agreements.

Ending Committee members asked staff to consult the finance director and the trails committee to ensure the town-hall boards include simple revenue scenarios and trail feasibility information. The planner will send visual-survey images and draft questions to the committee for review within a week and run a brief pre-event check-in on March 24. The committee adjourned after confirming the plan and the schedule for the town hall and open house.