Lang Ranch park plans taking shape

Since completing a series of community outreach meetings in spring 2012, the Conejo Recreation and Park District has further refined its plans for the development of its 124-acre Lang Ranch property, bordered by Erbes Road, Avenida de Los Arboles and Westlake Boulevard.

Source of this article: The Thousand Oaks Acorn, February 28, 2013

On Feb. 21, district officials shared the newest vision for Lang Ranch Community Park with roughly 60 people during a public meeting at the Hillcrest Center.

“We want to see how we are doing before we go out and spend some serious money and go through the point of construction,” said Tom Hare, parks administrator.

The tentative plans, which include an outdoor classroom, a disc golf course, seating areas, barbecue areas, benches, bike riding areas, a motorless sail plane area and multiple trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding, now feature entrances on Avenida de Los Arboles, Westlake Boulevard and Scenic Drive.

The entrance on Westlake Boulevard would allow for a right turn in and a right turn out only. Specifics for an entrance on Scenic Drive have not yet been determined.

The entrance on Avenida de Los Arboles will allow for a right turn in and a right turn out. Drivers headed west would make a U-turn on Kensington Drive before making a right turn into the entrance.

Many residents said they opposed the arrangement, which would require a driver to make multiple lane changes in a short distance before turning into the park.

Hare said that the district will work closely with the city’s traffic division to ensure that all entrances are safe.

In addition to parking lots at each of the entrances, the park will also have a permit only parking lot for CRPD staff and approved visitors near the glider area in its southwest section.

Although the area can be accessed by foot, parties that want to bring cars to the facility must clear their plans with the district.

Changes

Since the initial concept plan was created, some ideas have been scrapped.

At the direction of the watershed protection district, the park district eliminated one of its three active biking areas because it’s in a flood basin.

Joe Keays, an active member of the local cycling community, said he is still pleased with the district’s plans for the park.

In the next few months CRPD will hire an environmental consultant to do an analysis of the concept plan.

“There’s so much study that has to be done,” said Denise Johns, a park planner. “We need to know a little more about what our opportunities and constraints are before we move into a more detailed plan.”