Westlake Village Real Estate Blog

Posts Tagged ‘North Ranch’

If there’s something Thousand Oaks didn’t need, it’s another grocery store chain. At least that’s what I thought until I went to Sprouts.

The second specialty market brand developed by the Henry Boney family, who sold their Henry’s Farmers Markets in 1999, Sprouts has sprouted onto the scene as an alternative food store of healthy, organic, local, fair-trade options (did I miss any buzz words?). Located at the site of the old Circuit City, in Thousand Oaks near The Oaks Mall, Sprouts is definitely a destination store – and it’s worth the trip. There are gluten free products, local produce at, believe it or not, local prices, fresh (really fresh) meats and fish. Oh, yes, there’s a selection of low-carb food too, as well as “bin” coffee and grains.

Prices are surprisingly modest. Some would say (although lately the charge is not entirely fair) that Sprouts is Whole Foods without the whole paycheck.

Take a check, check it out, and enjoy a fresh Sprouts meal tonight.

To be sure, the Conejo Valley has its share of excellent French and Italian cuisine. But now, as the anemic economy nibbles into the everyday budget, comes some lighter fare with European flair: Europa.

Located in the North Ranch Shopping Center, in Westlake Village, Europa is owned by Jorge Gruener, a professional chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, NY. “Good coffee is my passion,” he explains. “I wanted a European-style coffee house where you could get a great cup of coffee with light, healthy food.”

Indeed, the coffee and teas (all loose leaf) are organic and certified fair trade. Gruener orders the coffee on one day, and the next morning it is roasted and delivered in the afternoon. Each cup of espresso is made with a Rancilio espresso machine – Italian and the best in the world, Gruener says – and served in a biodegradable cup. The panini is made on the premises with La Brea bread, and the pastries come from a boutique bakery.

Outdoor seating and soon-to-come wireless Internet service complete the café. Europa is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and perhaps later on weekends.

Europa Cafe, 3945 E. Thousand Oaks B.vd, Suite A, Westlake Village 805.494.1089

Earlier this month the 462 property owners within the North Ranch Property Owners’  Association received a packet via mail  containing the proposed new CC&Rs and By-Laws. Within the week another smaller package arrived in the mailbox via hand delivery, this one asking for a vote to disapprove the proposed CC&Rs and By-Laws.

The letter accompanying the first package explained that the current CC&Rs, being more than 30 years old, predate California state statutes governing all homeowner associations.  New documents, the letter explained,  are  needed for the association to comply with state law. Furthermore, the current documents are sometimes ambiguous and not “user-friendly,” the cover letter stated.

The bone of contention prompting the second letter focuses on the storage of recreational vehicles.  The proposed new documents would allow for such storage provided RVs are not visible.  The 14 property owners who issued the vote-to-disapprove  letter argue that commercial storage is available for recreational vehicles and therefore no RVs should be allowed within the neighborhood.

Another issued posed by the concerned 14, which includes two current Board members, is the power Board members would gain in the new documents to create new rules without a vote of the property owners. In addition, the proposed By-Laws state there shall be one vote per lot, and that for election of Board members, owners may cast one vote for each open position but may not cumulate their votes for any one candidate.

In a letter to all property owners dated March 16, 2010, attorney Glen Kulik, whose law firm participated heavily in the development of the new documents, issued a rebuttal. In a nutshell, he indicated homeowners can disapprove just the items they dislike without disapproving the entire document, that banning RVs would be held illegal if challenged, and that other concerns would violate California Civil Code.

While this may be turgid stuff, if you are a North Ranch property owner, be sure to review the proposed package and subsequent letters, and then cast your vote – yeah or nay, no later than May 1.

If you are hoping for the CliffsNotes on the significant changes, you won’t find them.  There are too many changes to itemize them, according to North Ranch Center staff. For other questions, call the North Ranch Center at 805.373.3725 between 1:00 and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.

1791 Shawness Ct., Westlake Village, CA 91362

This well-priced four-bedroom home, nestled in the heart of North Ranch at the end of a cul-de-sac, has been updated throughout with contemporary taste. The spacious gourmet kitchen features a large center island, granite counters, built-in pantry, stainless-steel appliances and a sunny breakfast room. Adjacent to the kitchen is the family room. There is one full bedroom/bathroom suite downstairs. A wide staircase leads upstairs to the elegant master suite with fireplace, sitting area and plenty of closet space. The grassy yard has ample room for play or entertaining. The home is close to the North Ranch Golf Course and Country Club, a large public park, and fine resutarnts and shopping. The school district is Conejo. Listed at $975,000 by Nicki La Porta and Karen Crystal, Ewing & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.