Council rezones 45 acres for mixed use
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Property owners within the Camarillo Commons now have more freedom to build what they want.

The Camarillo City Council voted 40 last week to approve rezoning a 45-acre parcel of Camarillo Commons to mixed use which will include residential, commercial, office and public space. Mayor Charlotte Craven abstained from voting because of a conflict of interest.

In the strategic plan adopted by the council in February 2007, the plan was to initially rezone 55 acres. However, 10 acres of residential property on Raemere Street was not included in the changed zone. The vote changed the project from a commercial planned development to a mixed-use to conform with the strategic plan.

"At this point, the rest of it is left up to the private sector to implement plans for development in the area," said Dave Anderson, assistant community development director. "The stage is set. All folks need to do is actually develop the property."

The Camarillo Commons, located in the center of the city, sits north of Daily Drive, south of Ponderosa Drive, east of Mobil Avenue and west of Arneill Road.

The Camarillo Commons includes various commercial buildings, offices, a church, two of the city's oldest shopping centers, the main post office branch and a fire station on Pickwick Drive.

Anderson said the next step for the city is to look at capital improvement projects in the area.

There are some provisions for the rezoning, as public areas can be allowed. The city envisions interconnecting walkways, plazas and green spaces that will be associated with Old Town's architectural design elements.

The strategic plan took months to develop. Before this project was approved for rezoning, businesses and home owners attended multiple workshops and outreach meetings. An environmental review was prepared and a traffic study was completed. Economic and market analysis examinations were also put together while the Planning Commission gave the project its blessing.

The city wants to see the Camarillo Commons thrive.

"There may be opportunities for the city to facilitate development," Anderson said, "once the developer has expressed an interest pursuing a project in the area."