City of Thousand Oaks Special Election on June 2nd to Fill City Council Vacancy

Former City of Thousand Oaks City Councilmember Jacqui Irwin resigned from City Council on November 25, 2014 to assume her newly elected role as California District 44 Assemblymember.

As a result, the City of Thousand Oaks is holding a Special Municipal Vacancy Election on Tuesday, June 2nd to fill her term that expires in November 2016.

The estimated cost of the election to be incurred by the Ventura County Clerk's Office is $200,000 and will be reimbursed by the City of Thousand Oaks.

The City Clerk's office started accepting nomination papers for the special election on February 9th and will continue accepting them until 5 p.m. on Friday, March 6th.

To run for office, you must be a registered voter in the City at the time of nomination, must be a City resident and at least age 18. You must also obtain a minimum of 20 valid signatures of other City of Thousand Oaks registered voters to run.

The newly elected councilmember will start his/her new role in the June/July timeframe, after election results are certified.

Contact the Thousand Oaks City Clerk at 805.449.2151 or visit toaks.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=2677 with questions.

So when will start seeing political signs around town? Signs may be posted starting 45 days prior to the election, which will be April 18th.

The last day to register to vote in this election is May 18th.

More on the City Council:

The City Council has five elected members that serve four year staggered terms. Elections are normally held in November of even-numbered years. The Council's meets at least two Tuesday night each month, except for August and its duties include appointing a City Manager, City Attorney and members of City Boards and Commissions, adopting a two year budget, enacting legislaton and establishing City policy. The Council also appoints one of its members as Mayor each year to preside over its meetings.

Councilmember compensation is currently $1,750 per month. Benefits include health insurance, vision and dental insurance, 7% retirement plan contribution and other benefits highlighted in City Council Resolution 2011-070.

The winner of this Special Election will be joining councilmembers Al Adam (Mayor), Joel Price (Mayor Pro Tem), Andy Fox and Claudia Bill-de la Pena.

City of Westlake Village Continues Its Prohibition of Pot-Bellied Pigs

The City of Westlake Village municipal code prohibits large animals, farm animals and livestock (except horses) such as pigs, hogs, cows, sheep, goats and wild animals, from city limits.

Up to four dogs and cats are allowed per residence, as are most tropical fish and up to three small birds for every 1,000 sq ft of land area. Betcha didn't know that.

Certain other animals are allowed, assuming minimum lot size requirements are met. For example, up to three pigeons, at least three months old, are allowed for each 1,000 sq ft of land area. Yes, you heard it here, pigeon fans.

Chickens, turkeys, peacocks, geese and ducks are permitted on parcels of 15,000 sq ft or larger, provided that not more than six (6) such fowl are maintained on the premises.

That said, pot-bellied pigs are considered livestock in Westlake Village and thus are unable to enjoy living in this fine city.

But a Westlake Village resident tried to change that at the City's July 9, 2014 City Council meeting.

At that meeting, this resident, I would assume to be a pot-bellied pig fan, proposed the possibility of unplugging this particularly unpleasant pot-bellied pig prohibition.

The City Council's Administrative Committee met on July 24th, September 19th and October 16th, involving "a considerable amount of research and discussion" according to a City report that will be presented at the November 12th City Council meeting.

Ultimately, the Committee decided that the demand for keeping pot-bellied pigs in the City was not sufficient to warrant a change to its regulations. Unless City Council overrides this conclusion on the 12th, pot-bellied pigs' preclusion from partaking in pleasureful partying in Westlake Village will be propagated in perpetuity.

If you are a pot-bellied pig, we feel your pain. Join us in Thousand Oaks, where municipal code allowas you to habitate, along with other livestock pals, assuming you have at least 50 sq ft of pen per pig and are maintain a distance of at least 40 feet away from your human's pen.

City of Westlake Village Municipal Code: www.municode.com/library/ca/westlake_village/codes/code_of_ordinances

City of Thousand Oaks Municipal Code: www.amlegal.com/thousandoaks_ca

Gateway Community School in Camarillo For At-Risk Kids Lauded in New Book

Gateway Community School in Camarillo, which serves some of Ventura County’s most troubled kids, is receiving recognition for major reforms that have made it a model for schools across the country.

It’s About Time: Planning Interventions and Extensions in Secondary School, edited by Mike Mattos and Austin Buffum, dedicates a full chapter to the changes Gateway has undergone since it began implementing reforms in 2010. In the chapter titled “From a Last Resort to a Model School of Choice,” the book describes Gateway’s transformation from a troubled, underperforming school to an example of success. The chapter was authored by Dr. Jane Wagmeister, the Executive Director of the Curriculum and Instruction Department at the Ventura County Office of Education.

Students are sent to Gateway Community School from their home districts due to repeated suspensions, expellable offenses, severe substance abuse and gang involvement. Prior to the reforms, Gateway suffered from low attendance and frequent disciplinary problems, with only 30% of students passing the state high school exit exam.

To address these issues, the Ventura County Office of Education, which operates the school, began a complete restructuring that included the hiring of James Koenig as the new Principal. After a careful assessment of the reasons for the school’s troubles, an extensive series of reforms were put in place. These included improved training of teachers and staff, an updated curriculum, adjustments to the school schedule and separating the middle school from the high school. Perhaps the most important change was shifting the school culture to one that gives students positive feedback, emotional support and a clear understanding of expectations.

The results were dramatic: the daily attendance rate at Gateway increased from 75% to 88%, the number of eleventh and twelfth graders passing the high school exit exam rose from two to 15, and the number of suspensions due to physical altercations decreased from 451 to 14.

Another positive outcome is that Gateway students have a newfound respect for service to the community. They are working at giving back by organizing blood drives, serving as volunteers at the local animal shelter and collecting donations for the homeless in Ventura County.

About the Ventura County Office of Education

The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at www.vcoe.org

The Annex to Bring Local Artisan Marketplace to Oxnard in 2015

Shea Properties and CenterCal Properties recently announced the newest addition to The Collection at RiverPark called, The Annex, a 13,800 square foot collection of microshops, artisan boutiques and epicurean discoveries, opening in 2015.

The Annex will showcase unique local retailers and craft food and beverage purveyors. The community-oriented marketplace will bring together a mix of tenants who wish to share their passions with a wider audience. Archtecturally, the Annex will have a contemporary feel, with wi-fi and comfortable seating available throughout.

The Annex will offer a combination of local shops, boutiques and eateries in a communal layout that encourages social interaction. A craft brew coffeehouse, wine and cheese bar, boutique retailers and small restaurant concepts, such as a noodle bar and taco shop, will be among the types of vendors to open at The Annex. Leases will be announced as they are confirmed.

For more information about The Annex, visit www.tcrpannex.com. 

About Shea Properties

Shea Properties, headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, is a diversified real estate company responsible for the acquisition, design, development, construction and management of business parks, shopping centers, apartment communities and mixed-use environments. Since beginning operations in 1969, annual revenues have grown steadily to more than $250 million, while the overall value of the portfolio has grown to more than $3 billion. Shea Properties owns and operates approximately 6,300 apartment units and 5 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space in California and Colorado. Currently, Shea Properties has nearly $1 billion in development projects underway. For more information, visit www.sheaproperties.com.

About The Collection­

The Collection at RiverPark is a 650,000 square foot, open-air specialty retail center located in the heart of West Ventura County. Inspired by the beauty of the California coast, The Collection reflects the unique atmosphere of the surrounding seaside communities. Built around a pedestrian friendly grid of retail streets, the center includes a carefully crafted assortment of established and contemporary designer shops, distinctive dining, and signature entertainment venues. Anchors include Target, Century RiverPark 16, REI, Whole Foods Market and H&M. Restaurants include Yard House, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, and Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana. Visit www.thecollectionrp.com.

CLU Unveils $15 Million Ullman Commons in Thousand Oaks; Includes a Starbucks

California Lutheran University (CLU) announces the grand opening of the $15 million Ullman Commons at 101 Memorial Parkway in Thousand Oaks.

The 20,000 sq ft building includes an all-you-can-eat dining hall, a quick-service counter called Ullman To Go, a Starbucks and a conference center. Designed to transform the heart of campus, the facility provides a gathering place for students, faculty, staff and visitors. It features glass curtain walls and second-floor balconies overlooking Kingsmen Park and the academic corridor.

The dining hall, which is open to members of the CLU community and their guests, serves a wider variety of food than the former facility. An international station offers Mongolian grill and Asian wok options as well as vegan food, sushi, samosas, and fried rice and noodle dishes. Diners can order from the grill, pick up daily specials or wood-fired pizza, and serve themselves at the pasta, soup, salad and dessert bars. A deli station offers made-to-order sandwiches and wraps. I had the pleasure of visiting the dining hall and was extremely impressed!

Ullman To Go, which is open to the public, sells fresh-baked pastries, made-to-order sandwiches and prepared wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza and hot entrees.

Starbucks is open daily from 7 a.m. until midnight, providing a gathering spot for students as well as community members attending events. The CLU Starbucks, the 18th Starbucks in the Conejo Valley, has three times the seating of the chain’s typical cafes, with 65 spots inside and a patio with space for about 50 people. The patio, which features a fire pit, is called Jack’s Corner in honor of generous donor and longtime Cal Lutheran Regent Jack Gilbert, who died in 2012. Their phone is 805.492.2411.

The first-floor conference center has two rooms for banquets or lectures that can be combined, a smaller seminar room and an intimate dining room.

The building was designed to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification. It uses natural lighting and ventilation extensively and has water-saving fixtures and a system designed to turn waste into compost.

Ullman Commons is named for a family of alumni and generous donors who provided a $2 million gift for the facility through their foundation.

Learn more about CLU at www.callutheran.edu.

Hueneme Fishing Pier Closed through Summer 2014 Due to Severe Sand Erosion

Hueneme Fishing Pier closed through the summer due to severe sand erosion.

Due to severe sand erosion on the beach, the Hueneme Fishing Pier is structurally unsafe and will remain closed through the summer and until repairs are completed. Updates at www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us.