Factory Outlets

Despite opposition from environmental groups and a governmental advisory body, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week approved a giant factory outlet complex near Gorman. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups have vigorously opposed the proposed 90-store Quail Lake Associates complex, saying it will bring the traffic and pollution woes of Los Angeles into the scenic rural area. The Southern California Assn.

Despite opposition from environmental groups and a governmental advisory body, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Thursday approved a giant factory outlet complex near rural Gorman. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups have vigorously opposed the proposed 90-store Quail Lake Associates complex, saying it will bring the traffic and pollution woes of urban Los Angeles into the scenic area bordering Kern County. This week, the Southern California Assn.

El Monte city officials have launched an ambitious plan for a unique shopping mall in their city: a factory-outlet plaza specializing in goods from Asian manufacturers. Tentative plans call for the mall to be built on the 4.8-acre site of the former Longo Toyota dealership on Valley Boulevard. The proposal envisions as much as 200,000 square feet of commercial space and, possibly, a hotel, office buildings, warehouses and convention center.

Ventura County officials have decided to take an increasingly hard-line approach to cities' approval of developments that would pour traffic onto county roads. And they are testing that new approach on proposed factory outlet centers in Oxnard and Camarillo.

The Camarillo Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously voted to recommend approval of a factory outlet mall. The mall, which would be south of the Ventura Freeway between the Carmen Drive and Las Posas Road exits, will be considered by the City Council on Jan. 13. Camarillo officials admit that they are in a race with Oxnard to begin construction on what will be the first factory outlet mall in Ventura County.

The day before Ventura County and Oxnard officials met to usher in a new spirit of cooperation, the county filed a lawsuit to block the city's plans to build a factory outlet mall. The county alleges that the Oxnard City Council failed to adequately assess the impact that the mall will have on air quality and county roads, and wants to halt the project's advancement until the city conducts an in-depth environmental review.

A proposed factory outlet center near Gorman, consisting of 85 retail shops, has moved a step closer to reality. The Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission approved the planned 325,000-square-foot project Wednesday, clearing the way for the County Board of Supervisors to consider final approval of the development, proposed by the Washington-based McArthur/Glen Group. The project also would include a retail strip center to be built by The Sammis Co.

No matter how thin their wallets, most desert travelers stop at an oasis. Particularly one selling Ralph Lauren golf shirts at 70% off. The proof is in Barstow, a no-frills rest stop halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Barstow has been doing well in an otherwise miserable Southern California economy. Mayor Mal Wessel, a bulldog of a town booster, invokes the mantra of real estate brokers to explain why.

Oxnard officials have shot out of the gate in the race to build Ventura County's first factory outlet mall by approving plans for the city's booming northeast area. The City Council voted 5 to 0 late Tuesday to allow construction of a 284,000-square-foot center on 27 acres south of the Ventura Freeway between Rice and Rose avenues. To provide incentive, the council offered to freeze building fees, thus saving the developer about $1 million.

Oxnard leaders got their first view Tuesday of a factory outlet center proposed for the city's booming northeast area. In a preliminary review of the development at the Oxnard City Council meeting, council members said they worried that the popular outlet stores would take away business from area merchants. "We don't want to ruin a lot of local businesses just because (factory outlets) can sell the same thing at a cheaper price," said Councilman Michael Plisky. The Carl M. Buck Building Co.