The Camarillo City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve a zoning change for a 45-acre swath of centrally located property within the city, which will allow property owners and developers to implement a city-initiated redevelopment strategy for the area.

The rezoning move brings the city one step closer to what officials call a "mixed-use village concept" known as the Camarillo Commons Strategic Plan.

The plan was adopted by the council last year.

Officials said the zoning change — from commercial planned development to mixed use — is part of a comprehensive redevelopment planning effort that would include a blend of commercial and residential land uses, plazas and green spaces, and interconnecting walkways that are pedestrian-friendly.

The rezoned property is referred to as the Commons. Until Wednesday night, it was zoned for commercial use only.

The vote was 4 to 0, with Mayor Charlotte Craven excusing herself from council discussion and from voting because of a "financial conflict of interest."

Craven said she and her husband own property adjacent to the proposed mixed-use area and that it was inappropriate for her to be present when the rezoning issue was addressed.

City officials describe the property as being south of Ponderosa Drive, east of Mobil Avenue, west of Arneill Road, and north of Daily Drive and the Raemere Street residential neighborhood.

The area contains commercial buildings, offices, a church, a post office, a fire station and two of the city's oldest shopping centers.

When the area is fully redeveloped, something officials said would likely take several years, it will contain a mixture of businesses, retail stores, offices and residential housing.

New development would have to be at least two stories in height, with residential units permitted above the first floor.

The area would have architectural and streetscape design elements that would visually link it to Old Town, according to city officials.

The council also unanimously approved an environmental impact report that studied potential effects related to the zoning change and the Commons development.

Prepared by the city's community development department, the report said there would be no significant impact on noise, traffic or air quality.

Before the votes were cast, Gail Beltramo and Carl Cashin, who own separate properties within the designated Commons area, expressed unease about the zoning change.

"I'm not convinced that mixed-use development would be good for the area," said Cashin. He told the council he had concerns about potential traffic congestion and the possibility of unoccupied retail space.

"I'm concerned about the whole plan. And the environmental impact report is too technical," said Beltramo, a Camarillo resident for 45 years. Beltramo said she's also worried about the effect the zoning change would have on tenants.

Before gaining city approval, officials said, the Commons redevelopment plan was extensively studied, and included an economic and market analysis, a traffic study and public outreach meetings.

"Without a buy-in from property owners, this project will go nowhere," said Councilman Kevin Kildee.

He asked Cashin and Beltramo to keep an open mind about the possibilities the redevelopment plan would offer them and the city.

"We don't want an adversarial relationship. We want to make it a great area," said Councilwoman Jan McDonald.