A new transit center is moving forward in Simi Valley, bringing plans for electric bus charging, solar power and safer traffic circulation near the Civic Center. But the project comes with a difficult trade-off: removing many of the orange trees and mature sycamores near Tapo Canyon Road.

On October 7, the Simi Valley Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the approximately 1.31-acre project near Tapo Canyon Road and Avenida Simi, next to the Simi Valley Public Library. The city's project documents identify the location as 2969 Tapo Canyon Road.

What's planned for the new transit center?

The proposed facility would replace the current arrangement in which Simi Valley Transit buses stop and wait along Tapo Canyon Road and Avenida Simi. Plans include eight bus bays with electric bus charging, a 5,275-square-foot solar canopy, a dedicated bus entrance, pedestrian pathways and landscaping.

The city has identified approximately $7 million in state grant support. The new configuration is intended to address buses blocking bike lanes and conflicts with motorists entering and leaving the Civic Center. City staff have indicated that the transit routes and schedules serving the Civic Center are not expected to change because of the project.

A connection to Simi Valley's citrus-growing past

For longtime residents, the orange trees are a reminder of when orchards, ranches and packing houses shaped the valley. The Tapo Citrus Association packing house was built in 1917 near Tapo Canyon Road and Alamo Street; a railroad spur helped growers ship local oranges and lemons to markets far beyond Simi Valley. The Civic Center now occupies that historic packing-house site.

Historic photographs can be viewed of  the Tapo Citrus Association packing house and workers in Ventura County's Landmark No. 42 record (photographs archived by Strathearn Museum and Simi Valley Historical Society and Museum): https://rma.venturacounty.gov/divisions/planning/ventura-county-landmark-no-42-tapo-citrus-association-packing-house-site/

According to local reporting based on a city arborist assessment, the project site has 17 orange trees and 16 American sycamores, and plans would retain six of each. City staff reported that disease concerns and tree size made relocation impractical.

Transportation improvements and tree preservation

During the Planning Commission review, residents raised questions about preserving more of the trees, possible changes to the layout and pedestrian safety near the library. City officials emphasized electric transit infrastructure and the need to improve bus and bicycle safety.

Commissioners approved the project with added conditions, including 24-inch-box replacement trees, and directed attention to possible solar-equipment noise and pedestrian protection around waiting areas.

Update — October 26, 2026: City launches project information page

The City of Simi Valley announced a new online resource dedicated to the Transit Center Capital Project. Residents can use it to review project information, follow key milestones and check for progress updates as they become available. The announcement did not specify a revised construction timetable or new decisions about the grove.

Visit the City's Transit Center Capital Project webpage

What happens next?

The California State Clearinghouse recorded the city's environmental Notice of Exemption on October 9. A confirmed construction start or opening date has not been established in the project materials previously reviewed.

The transit center could make the area easier to navigate for riders, bicyclists and drivers. But removing established trees will also change a familiar corner of Simi Valley — a reminder of the choices involved when a growing community builds for the future.

Sources: City of Simi Valley Planning Commission agenda, October 7, 2026: https://simivalley.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=1899&view_id=6 ;

California Environmental Quality Act project filing: https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2026100294 ;

Ventura County landmark

history: https://rma.venturacounty.gov/divisions/planning/ventura-county-landmark-no-42-tapo-citrus-association-packing-house-site/