City Agrees to Settle Lawsuit Over Former Heschel School Site

The Agoura Hills City Council has agreed to settle a lawsuit with U.S. Bank over the ownership of the former Heschel School site, City Manager Greg Ramirez announced Tuesday in a press release.  

The issue of land ownership near Old Agoura has been contested since the city won the property for $630,000 at a 2010 public auction. The bank has since challenged the sale on grounds it had inadvertently placed a less expensive second mortgage up for auction rather than the first trust deed of almost $2 million.

"A settlement eliminates the risk of losing the lawsuit and would maintain preservation of 70 percent for open space," Ramirez told Patch.

It would also ensure that the City be reimbursed for litigation costs as well as money expended to date on acquisition of the property.  

The City has entered into a conditional Purchase and Sale Agreement, as part of the settlement with Trot, Canter & Gallop, LLP (TCG),  that would sell the property to a group which has proposed subdividing the 70 acre site into 15 residential lots and one open space lot, the press release said.  

"Home construction is not a done deal," Ramirez said. "Each individual home is subject to the City’s public hearing process, including hearings before the City of Agoura Hills Planning Commission and City Council." 

The City will issue public notices throughout the preparation of an EIR for the proposed project and for all public hearings. 

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