Owners of Thousand Oaks shopping center will slow tree removal

The removal of trees at Westlake Plaza shopping center will move at a slower, more systematic pace, following an outcry when trees were felled earlier this week as part of a $25 million renovation.

At the same time, planters in the sizable center at Westlake Boulevard and Agoura Road will be kept in place. The moves are meant to smooth the transition between the removal of more than 200 trees and the planting of replacements to update landscaping.

Regency Centers, which owns the 40-year-old center, was hit with dozens of phone calls and in person complaints from shoppers shocked to see some of the largest and oldest trees, including oaks and sycamores, cut down.

The company received permits from the city of Thousand Oaks to remove the trees and remodel the center in October after a two-year planning process.

Community members also peppered City Hall and City Council members with their concerns about the work, which includes the removal of some sick trees.

Tree removal stopped briefly Thursday morning at the request of city officials to give them time to meet with Regency Centers representatives. The work resumed by late morning.

We have come to an understanding on a way to phase the project so its less impactful to the community, said Patrick Conway, Regency Centers vice president and regional officer, who met with the city manager, community development director and two City Council members Thursday morning. But the work has continued and there are only a few more landmark trees, sycamores, out there. There shouldnt be any more impact.

Conway has ordered signs to place at trees that are being preserved that will note they are not being taken down. Other signs and rendering will have information and images of what the center will look like when the renovation is complete.

We are going to step up our efforts to better inform the community about the improvements that are going to be made, he said.

Conway stressed that trees that are encircled by orange plastic fencing are not among those that will be taken down. The fencing is meant to protect them.

Read more from the original source:
Owners of Thousand Oaks shopping center will slow tree removal