Because the post office has outgrown its space in the Ralph's shopping center, Postal Service officials are looking for a new home for the Moorpark post office.

Moorpark's increasing population and the lack of adequate space in the current facility to handle more mail and more customers has prompted officials to seek the new location, said Laureen Yamakido, real estate specialist for the U.S. Postal Service.

"It's very crowded right now, especially in the rear, where mail is sorted and delivery trucks are parked. It's been a safety issue for us for a long time," Yamakido said.

Postal officials met with residents Tuesday to discuss the project and get ideas for relocating the facility.

Residents have until Feb. 27 to give their suggestions and comments.

Yamakido said the new post office will be in a new facility within the next two years, before the current lease expires in 2010.

She said postal officials will first need to determine whether they should move into an existing building or construct a new one.

It would take a year to move into an existing building and two years to construct a new building.

The post office is in a 5,000-square-foot facility, sandwiched between stores within the shopping center. Postal officials are proposing the same size facility on a 28,000-square-foot lot, which would allow more room for postal trucks and parking. It would also allow space for a larger building, if officials decided to do that.

"We can't expand in the existing shopping center. That is not an option because of where it is located," Yamakido said.

Residents at the meeting suggested moving the post office to part of the old Kmart building in the Mission Bell shopping center. Other suggestions included building a facility in an empty lot on Los Angeles Avenue, next to the Mission Bell shopping center; or relocating to an office area by the proposed Home Depot development near Highway 23.

Lisa Leal, a Postal Service employee in Moorpark, said she would like to see a bigger building than is currently being proposed, and more parking for customers and workers.

Moorpark resident Lynn G. Hodge said he would like to see service counters staffed at all times and a dedicated drop-off mail lane that doesn't interfere with parking.

Yamakido said it will take several more months to determine a new location and to meet with city officials about the plans. During that period, she said, residents will have additional opportunities to give their input.

In the meantime, Moorpark Postmaster Richard Sigman said, residents can also use a contract postal unit at Casino Self Storage in Moorpark. Sigman also said the Postal Service is looking to open another contract unit near Moorpark College before the new post office is complete.

Residents can submit comments to the Moorpark post office at 215 W. Los Angeles Ave.