Fair Way to Treat Environment

There may never be a golf course that environmentalists truly love, but the one Thousand Oaks is painstakingly designing for Hill Canyon should come close.

The idea is to open the spectacular canyon to a variety of users, from golfers to hikers, bikers and equestrians, while retaining as much as possible of the native vegetation, terrain and wetlands.

If the builders follow through on all the good intentions reflected in the still-evolving design, we predict it will become a popular destination for golfers and non-golfers alike and a source of civic pride for a city that has many.

Three years into the planning process, the project is a joint venture by the city and the Conejo Recreation and Park District. City Council and park district board members reviewed the design last week.

The course is being designed by Michael Hurdzan, nationally known for creating layouts that respect and take advantage of the existing natural features. The 18-hole course would follow the creek down-canyon and back, crossing it twice, dodging rare plants and ancient oaks as it goes. Reclaimed waste water from the adjacent Hill Canyon treatment plant would keep the minimal amount of turf green.

The latest round of revisions reduced to 23 the number of oaks to be moved or removed. At least three new ones would be planted for each one lost. Other steps to reduce the impact on wetlands and wildlife are in the works.

As a unique touch, the clubhouse would sit at the top of the canyon, just off Rancho Conejo Boulevard, with golfers shuttled down a curving trail that drops 350 feet in a quarter-mile before picking up their carts and teeing off.

Trails for hikers, bikers and horses would also start at the clubhouse and loop into the canyon, connect to a nature center, and provide access to the rest of the Thousand Oaks trail system.

At present, Hill Canyon is used mainly for four-wheeling and unauthorized target practice. We see this project as a way to share this remarkable place with a much wider variety of visitors, by balancing the experience of nature with the money-making potential of the current golf boom.