Development of restaurants and stores along Medea Creek in Agoura Hills is expected to go forward following final approval by the city, officials said.

The final OK, in late June, came after years of planning, public hearings and changes in the proposal, which resulted in some changes in the planned tenants, said developer Michael Adler.

"I'm happy about the approval, although we did lose a few potential tenants because the process took so long," Adler said.

The mixed-use retail and restaurant development on the north side of Canwood Street, called The Shops at Oak Creek, is planned as a 33,600-square-foot, five-building project. It is being spearheaded by Danari Oak Creek, LLC, a subsidiary of Adler Realty Investments Inc. of Woodland Hills.

The shops will straddle the east and west banks of Medea Creek. A footbridge will span the creek.

In April, the council considered the proposal as it heard Adler's appeal of the city Planning Commission's previous rejection of his proposal. At that April meeting, the council made a number of suggestions for revisions to the project.

The most recent revisions include relocating a building northward, away from Canwood Street and Highway 101, with the parking moved from the back of the building to the front. That will allow for better views of the creek from the building, according to planners.

The change reduces parking by seven spaces and was made to accommodate the council's wishes, as Adler had indicated his preference for the previous design.

Other changes involved slightly rotating another building in order to create a less linear appearance, including more trellising in various locations for shade and ambience, adding a new pedestrian link between one building and the creek and planting a large coastal live oak tree as a focal point near the drive entrance.

Councilman Dan Kuperberg expressed his satisfaction with the changes but reiterated his wish that restaurants make up at least half the development. He had suggested adding a "use restriction" to ensure that the project would not ultimately turn into a retail or office complex.

"If we don't put something in writing, it could change a few years down the line and we couldn't do anything about it," Kuperberg said at the council's June 25 meeting.

Chuck Cohen, the lawyer representing Adler, said maintaining the proposed amount of restaurant usage is in his client's interest, but Cohen cautioned against restricting Adler in the event of a change in the business climate.

"The economics of this project really require as much food service as possible," Cohen said. He said higher rents can be expected from restaurant use, which is an incentive to stick with "a restaurant-row utilization."

The majority of the council disagreed with Kuperberg's suggestion of restricting usage, and the city attorney pointed out a potential shortcoming with that approach.

"I think that limiting the amount of square footage for one use would not be appropriate according to the original development agreement," City Attorney Craig Steele said.

The developer said he would consult with Mike Kamino, the city's director of Planning and Community Development, regarding landscaping and other details in the coming months. A target date for the beginning of construction has yet to be determined.