City Seeks to Unsnarl Mall Congestion

With overflow traffic jamming the parking lots of the new Promenade at Westlake, the Thousand Oaks City Council has asked city officials to examine ways to combat the congestion at the upscale strip mall that opened earlier this month.

With such draws as gourmet grocery store Bristol Farms, several trendy chain restaurants and an eight-theater multiplex, the Promenade has been a major commercial success. But a shortage of parking spaces has resulted in major congestion problems, and has led to people parking at shopping centers and streets near the center at Thousand Oaks and Westlake boulevards.

Mayor Andy Fox said he does not believe parking at the shopping mall will be a permanent problem. But he said with the holiday season approaching it’s a good bet the Promenade will remain congested for the next few months unless something is done soon.

Speaking before the council Tuesday, developer Rick Caruso characterized the dilemma as a “parking issue,” not a parking problem.

He said he had worked out a deal with nearby Westlake High School and GTE to use their parking lots during Wednesday’s Christmas tree lighting celebration, with shuttle buses ferrying people back and forth between the lots and the mall. He is hoping to work out a similar, more long-term arrangement with nearby property owners.

“Whatever problems the Promenade causes, we will work to fix them,” Caruso said.