PLAN WOULD PUT GOLF COURSE IN HILL CANYON.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Hill Canyon would be the site for a second municipal golf course in Thousand Oaks under a plan now moving forward with support from city, county and Santa Rosa Valley residents.

Thousand Oaks planners first looked to Hill Canyon in 1991 to relieve pressure on Los Robles Greens, where 120,000 rounds are played annually. Final plans were delayed so all sides could agree on the golf course layout, trail routes and a community park featuring an equestrian center.

On Tuesday the Thousand Oaks City Council approved spending $51,000 to develop the land use plan for the golf course clubhouse and trails. The consultant, California Muni Golf, also must complete initial studies of rare plants, birds and mammals that call the canyon home.

"This is a turning point," said Mayor Andrew Fox. "It's a council goal and we're moving as expeditiously as possible."

Planners anticipate that an 18-hole golf course in Hill Canyon would generate between 55,000 and 65,000 rounds annually during the initial years of operation. The city could earn $1.2 million a year from the course.

The project was languishing until development of the course was made one of five top priorities when the current council was seated in 1994.

Two important obstacles remained. The city needed a portion of 50 acres owned by Ventura County at the mouth of the canyon. The project also lacked support from Santa Rosa Valley residents, who have waited 25 years for the county to develop a community park in the area.

Spurred by a proposal from Santa Rosa Valley leaders, city officials began meeting last year with county planners and supervisors Judy Mikels and Frank Schillo.

"This is kind of a rallying point for the community," said Dan Peyton, president of the Santa Rosa Valley Community Association. "Prior to any discussion with Thousand Oaks, there was no vehicle for developing a park. This allows for a reasonable facility to be built."

The tentative agreement calls for the county to transfer 27 acres to the city. Thousand Oaks would pay $250,000 plus a portion of greens fees to the county to develop and maintain a 23-acre community park and equestrian center off Santa Rosa Road.

The golf course would be developed on 177 acres extending from the park into the canyon. A 100-acre area owned by the city would be preserved to protect wetlands bordering Conejo Creek and surrounding wildlife habitat.

"This entire canyon area is a very sensitive area from an environmental and habitat perspective," said Don Nelson, the city's public works director. "One of the things we have going for us is we have a lot of land to work with, and that allows you an opportunity to realize many of the multi-purpose goals."

The council's action Tuesday to complete land use planning and initial environmental studies is the first in a series of project milestones officials anticipate. The golf course and park could be completed by the end of 1998.

"It is finally going forward and working out these final details on the actual agreement will actually let it happen," Schillo said.

The county's primary concern is assuring a method for financing the community park. The county receives lease income on its land from a variety of agricultural users, most recently a flower grower. But the income, totaling about $170,000, is not nearly enough to develop a community park and equestrian center.

"With the tax atmosphere the way it is, people want government to come up with creative ways to do things that doesn't add to the tax burden, and this is a good example of that," Schillo said.