GOLF DIVIDES MOORPARK BRIGHT LIGHTS DRIVING FOLKS TO DISTRACTION.

Byline: Paul O'Donoghue Staff Writer

MOORPARK - Heading home on the 23 Freeway one night recently, resident Gary Lowenberg got a visual jolt when he crested the hill separating the city from Thousand Oaks.

Down below in the greenbelt between the two cities where previously there had been only blackness at night, powerful lights now illuminated a broad swath of land.

``It looks like an airport landing pad,'' said Lowenberg.

``When you get close to it, the lights are tilted so that it blinds you. It's ridiculous.''

It had been the first night of operation for the new Tom Barber Golf Center located southeast of the intersection of the freeway and Tierra Rejada Road, and the lights illuminating the new driving range were on full.

The 20-acre center opened on April 5, and well into the night droves of golfers were crowding the 75 tees, whacking balls down the 320-yard long course.

Manager Tom Barber said he is aware of the ongoing complaints - having received two himself - and hopes to have adjustments to the system made by an engineer coming from the light company headquarters today.

``I know they're not happy,'' he said. ``I'm sorry about that but there are literally hundreds, if not thousands (of customers), who are telling us how much they are happy with the facility, that this is not only great for the community but an absolute necessity. They say we now have a place to practice in the community.''

The center, city and county have received more than a dozen complaints about the lights.

The facility's conditional use permit from the county requires that be glare from the center be mitigated by using ``low-level intensity lighting where possible'' and shielding of lighting fixtures.

The CUP also requires that the main lights at the center be turned off by 10 p.m. each night. The Moorpark mayor claims he has seen them on past the shut-off time, but Barber maintains that was a one-time occurrence during testing.

The center has 18 main light clusters: nine are three-cluster lights mounted on 35-foot-high poles behind the tees and point downward; and nine others close to ground level have two, three or four lights each.

Mayor Patrick Hunter said he has personally has received between six and 12 complaints. He complained to Ventura County Supervisor Judy Mikels' office and asked the City Council to discuss the issue at tonight's meeting.

``It's absolutely unacceptable,'' said Hunter.

``They are stadium lights similar to Dodger Stadium's, and another thing is some of them shine out on the off-ramp to the freeway creating a safety hazard, and they've been left on as late as 11:30 p.m.''

Barber said light meter tests done by his staff shows the facility has been out of compliance slightly with the terms of the CUP - a problem he expects will be fixed with today's adjustments by company experts. One problem he said was due to the direction of the nine ground level lights.

As for the late-night lights, he explained that the lights were left on past the shut off one night because they were being tested. He said the county had not allowed the facility to have power to test the lights before it opened.

``If the county had let us have power before we finished it would never have happened, and it was a mistake and will never happen again,'' said Barber.

Ventura County Planner Ron Allen confirmed the county had not allowed the facility full power prior to its opening, but said the county has not yet surveyed the situation.

Allen said that after the experts test and adjust the lights today, they will send him a report on Friday on whether the facility is in compliance. If the lights are not dimmed and the complaints persist, the county would likely hold a public hearing on the issue, Allen said.

``The whole point is they weren't given enough time, as far as adjusting the lights, because the county wouldn't allow them to energize the lights before occupancy,'' said Allen. ``So what they're going through right now is going through a plan to bring them into compliance.''

Lowenberg emphasized that he doesn't oppose the driving range per se but says the lights contravene the spirit of the greenbelt, where only minimal development - including golf courses - is allowed.

He wasn't the only one shocked at the glare from the center that is on incorporated land designated as a greenbelt area just outside Moorpark.

Supervisor Mikels took one look at the situation and had her staff contact Barber, who made a commitment he would tone down the lights.

``I just went, Oh my God,'' said Mikels.

``It's just that I'm not used to lights in the valley right there,'' said Mikels. ``But this made Dodger Stadium look dim.''

Barber is hopeful the changes will satisfy concerns from the community, which he said has otherwise been supportive of the new venture.

``We've been packed every night,'' said Barber. ``We've had adults and kids here. I'm overwhelmed at the response.''

Mikels said she expects the problem to be diminished after the engineer works on the system, which is standard for a driving range.

``Everyone has been cooperative from the get-go,'' said Mikels.

``If everyone will just be patient, it will be an asset to the community and not a glaring problem.''

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Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) The Tom Barber Golf Center, below, has polarized Moorpark. Golfers have been packing the facility. But others in the area say the lights have been too bright. Barber says he's making changes, but notes much of the community has been supportive of the facility. Above, Jim Siminofsky, left, of Simi Valley and Kevin Rogers of Westlake Village chat outside the center.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer