“We’re proud that Pepperdine opened that up,” Klein says, noting that although the main campus is in Malibu, the satellite location in Calabasas has been part of the community for nearly a decade. This extension of Pepperdine brings a new dimension to the city’s educational offerings, especially with its upcoming Health Science program. A RIGOROUS APPROACH TO COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Calabasas places a high value on community involvement and quality design in its development projects. The city’s Community Development Department (C.D.D.) oversees all aspects of planning and building, ensuring that any new development aligns with Calabasas’s standards and the community’s expectations. Klein describes Calabasas’s “very robust permitting process,” where nearly every development undergoes public hearings to ensure community input and quality outcomes. The Planning Commission plays a key role, while the Architectural Review Panel, comprised of architects and developers, provides expert guidance to ensure a high-quality design. A unique requirement is the Community Development Forum. “For new commercial development and larger-scale residential or mixed-use projects,” Klein explains, developers must hold community meetings before submitting formal plans. Central to Calabasas’s approach to development is its General Plan, a document required by California law that outlines a city’s priorities and long-term vision.“The city’s general plan was last... completely rewritten in 2008,” says Klein, replacing earlier fragmented documents with a cohesive blueprint. The 2008 revision, known as the 2030 General Plan, marked a fresh start, laying out a comprehensive blueprint for the city’s future. This plan emphasizes sustainable growth, earning the “Sustainable Communities Award” from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). “Calabasas effectively is a very built-out community,” Klein notes, with 40% of its area dedicated to open space. Given these limitations, the plan focuses on infill development and mixed-use opportunities rather than suburban sprawl.This approach ensures 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10
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