A COMPLEX SCENARIO; AFTER POLL, BIDDING TO START TOWARD DEVELOPING PARCEL NEAR PLAZA.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

More than one year after rejecting the ill-fated Kilroy proposal to build an entertainment and retail complex on the open lot next to the Civic Arts Plaza, the city plans to start soliciting bids again for the contentious 11-acre parcel by the end of this month.

After reviewing the results of a recent public-opinion poll conducted by the city that asked residents to consider four land-use scenarios for the parcel, the City Council on Tuesday selected the most popular scenario in the poll and voted to begin requesting proposals from local developers to build on the land.

``We will ask developers to use the conceptual scenario selected and develop some specific site plans to present to the City Council,'' said interim City Manager Mary Jane Lazz. The council could then call for another poll to gauge public opinion on the more specific design proposals as early as this fall.

Tuesday's vote resurrected a years-old debate over how to develop the east-side parcel, as council members offered varied interpretations of the value of the public opinion poll and different readings of its results.

During a two-week period in March, residents were asked to register their opinions on the four land-use scenarios via designated telephone lines. While all scenarios anchor the development with a children's science museum, outdoor park, police center, park restroom and restaurant, the scenarios increased in size from a minimum of 76,400 square feet to a maximum of 152,400 square feet.

Of the 770 participants, 31 percent preferred Scenario Three - which adds a large-format theater, an additional restaurant, cafe and specialty shop and totaled 112,400 square feet. Following closely with 18 percent was the first scenario, which called for minimum density.

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the council approved Scenario Three as a conceptual guideline for developers to follow in submitting designs to the city and directed its staff to begin drafting a formal request for proposals immediately. The council also extended the scenario to include a 10,000-square-foot catering center that had not been part of that scenario.

The inclusion of the catering center drew opposing votes from Councilwoman Elois Zeanah and Mayor Pro Tem Linda Parks, who said the catering center was one of the distinguishing elements of Scenario Four - the most dense scenario and the least popular in the poll.

Zeanah also criticized the council's soliciting bids as being too hasty.

``It was not my understanding that the results of the telephone poll would be the springboard for the city to get developer proposals,'' she said. ``Frankly, I question the validity of the poll.''

With only 770 votes recorded in a city of 112,000, Zeanah said she considered the poll - a pilot program initiated by the city with GTE - a failure. At the most, she said she hoped the results would be used as a basis for further discussion among members of the council or of a citizens task force.

For Mayor Michael Markey, the results of the call-in poll were reassuring for a brand new process.

``I think more than 700 people calling in is not a failure. I think it was a success, especially for the first time,'' said Markey. ``I think that as residents become more familiar with the process, the number of participants will also grow. If there were no calls the first time, I would have been concerned.''

The City Council is currently running its second call-in poll utilizing designated telephone lines in GTE's Community Action Partnership System. That poll will gauge public opinion on three designs for the copper curtain.

Following the outcome of a recent public opinion poll on what to do with the 11-acre parcel just east of the Civic Arts Plaza, the City Council voted Tuesday to select the third of four scenarios considered.

Scenario Three, which calls for up to 112,400 square feet of development on the land, includes:

A 60,000-square-foot building for the Ventura County Discover Center.

A 5,000-square-foot outdoor science park.

A 1,200-square-foot police center.

A 200-square-foot park restroom facility.

A 10,000-square-foot restaurant.

A 15,000-square-foot large-format theater, such as an Imax Theater.

A 7,500-square-foot restaurant.

A 7,500-square-foot cafe.

A 6,000-square-foot specialty shop.

The council also voted to include the possibility of a 10,000-square-foot catering center in the project.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: Following the outcome of a recent public opinion poll on what to do with the 11-acre parcel just east of the Civic Arts Plaza, the City Council voted Tuesday to select the third of four scenarios considered.

Scenario Three, which calls for up to 112,400 square feet of development on the land, includes: (See text)