Allied Studios in Simi Valley takes steps to expand its TV, film operations

Allied Studios is poised to expand after the Simi Valley City Council gave the green light to apply for a land-use designation change.

Council members voted 5-0 April 22 in favor of a go-ahead for Allied Realty Partners LLC to submit an application within a year. It’s the first step on the road toward a review of the project, said Sean Gibson, deputy environmental services director and city planner.

Allied Studios, a movie and TV studio, is located at 6800 Smith Road near Corriganville Park. The studios would like to change the land-use designation from moderate density residential to industrial for three parcels on the north side of Smith Road.

Allied Realty Partners LLC, which is listed as the applicant for the change, owns the three parcels, which add up to 2.77 acres, according to the Planning Division report. Two of the parcels are vacant, and one has a residence on it, the report says.

The change would allow Allied Studios to turn that area into a parking lot, which is part of its overall expansion, associate planner Zarui Chaparyan said Monday.

Allied Studios also plans to build eight, 20,000 square-foot sound stages and a four-story building for support services such as offices and storage on the south side of Smith Road, Chaparyan said.

That site is a 9.11-acre parcel located at 6700 Smith Road, just west of the existing studio. It is already zoned for industrial use, Chaparyan said.

Allied Studios, which couldn't be reached for comment, lists five existing sound stages on its website, www.alliedstudios.net . By that count, the expansion would bring the total to 13.

The approximately 20-acre movie studio is in a rural area with some homes.

What's next for the application?

When an application is received, the Planning Division will review it and consult with other city departments and agencies, Gibson said Monday.

After the division decides the application is complete, it will take nine months to a year before the project appears before the Planning Commission, Gibson said. He added that the project would also require a City Council hearing, which takes place a couple months later.

Brian Dougherty, whose home is a few feet from the proposed parking lot, objected to the parking lot as the only speaker during public comments at the City Council meeting. He expressed concern he would see cars coming all hours of the night through his bedroom window.

City staff would look at buffers and setbacks to mitigate the impact, Gibson told Dougherty and the council.

“We’ll ask the applicant to work with neighbors to lessen the potential impact,” he said during the meeting.

The movie studio expansion would mean more jobs for Simi Valley, said architect Melvin Guieb, who’s working on the project.

Allied Studios has been in Simi Valley since 2003 and has been a filming site for movies, TV shows, commercials and music videos, Guieb told the council before describing the expansion.

The city supports the idea of local film shoots, Assistant City Manager Samantha Argabrite said Monday.

"It creates jobs. It's great for associated businesses," she said.

City Council member Elaine Litster also said Monday the movie studio expansion could generate wages, income and commerce for Simi Valley.

She also praised Allied Studios’ decision to move its main gate on Smith Road farther west of the area’s homes and closer to Kuehner Drive as part of the expansion.

Allied Studios is within the so-called 30-mile "movie zone" from Los Angeles, making it ideal for movie and TV production companies in terms of their costs, Chaparyan said.

Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Allied Studios in Simi Valley takes steps to expand its TV, film operations