MOORPARK : New Site Planned for Maintenance Yard

A complicated land swap involving the state Department of Transportation, the city of Moorpark and a developer has been worked out, moving Caltrans’ proposed maintenance yard away from the main entrance to the city.

Caltrans had planned to build a repair yard to store heavy equipment and trucks on Los Angeles Avenue at Moorpark Freeway. City officials said the yard would detract from a regional shopping mall planned for the area.

“It’s a key location for the city,” Mayor Paul Lawrason said. “It would be totally inappropriate to place a Caltrans yard with industrial-type equipment at the entrance of the city, especially when we had plans for a mall right next door.”

The city sued Caltrans to block construction, forcing negotiations to relocate the yard. An alternative site on Fitch Avenue that is owned by a local developer was found.