Woodland Hills Property Owners Discuss Street Plan

Commercial property owners on Ventura Boulevard were skeptical but open to the idea of establishing a business improvement district to spruce up their section of the corridor, responding to the opportunity to gain control of any taxation that may be mandated.

A few dozen people attended a meeting Wednesday night of the Woodland Hills-Ventura Boulevard Improvement Assn. to express their concerns about paying a new tax and what would be required of them to implement the proposed Woodland Hills Street- scape Plan.

Longtime association members told the group that having a say in planning the assessment district was better than leaving it to city officials.

“This allows you to decide what you want to do on Ventura Boulevard and pursue the method in which you go about it,” said Brad Rosenheim, an advisor to the association.

Once the details are ironed out, the 340 property owners between Corbin Avenue and Valley Circle Boulevard will be asked to vote on the district plan.

To take the proposal to the City Council for approval, supporters need a simple majority vote of the property owners, with the weight of a vote based on the property’s assessed value.

If the owners reject the plan, the council could move to put an assessment plan to another vote but would retain control over the tax.

Without a special tax, the guidelines in the plan would be implemented over time, primarily with new development and remodeling, Rosenheim said.

Many of those attending said they would remain involved in the planning process though unsure of the impact their role would have.

“There are a lot of good-hearted people here that want to accomplish something, but dealing with the city is almost impossible,” said Stuart Marks, owner of several office buildings near Winnetka Avenue, who added that he would support the district plan.