Simi Group Submits Petitions for Vote on Restricting Traffic

The head of a slow-growth group submitted petitions Friday to put a measure on the November ballot asking voters to approve a moratorium on development that causes traffic congestion within Simi Valley.

Paul La Bonte, leader of the Fight Intolerable Growth and Horrible Traffic group, delivered the petitions containing 5,643 signatures to the city clerk. If the signatures are verified by the Ventura County Election Commission, Simi Valley voters will have the chance to adopt what La Bonte believes is one the most aggressive slow-growth measures in state history.

About 3,800 valid signatures are required for the measure--which is opposed by city officials--to be placed on the ballot.

If it passes, the City Council would be barred from approving developments that would cause traffic buildups within a 1 1/2-mile radius unless the developers first pay for road improvements to keep traffic moving smoothly.

The measure also calls for the city to establish a standard level of service on its roads where “traffic is generally free-flowing” and motorists only occasionally are confronted with waiting through more than one traffic light at an intersection.

Developers whose projects would cause that level of service to be exceeded would be forced to upgrade the affected roads before receiving a go-ahead to build.

“The growth and development has outpaced the will or ability of government to provide and maintain streets and freeways,” La Bonte said. “We’re talking about saving a quality of life before it’s too late.”

La Bonte, who collected 700 of the petition’s signatures, said: “I think it’s going to pass easily. There’s a groundswell of people out there who are very concerned.”

City planners have warned City Council members that the measure could lead to lawsuits from developers, retard economic development and force the city to spend thousands of dollars it cannot afford on upgrading roads.

“There are inequities,” said Mayor Pro Tem Vicky Howard, who was a member of the city’s Planning Commission before her election to the council six years ago.

“It exempts used-car dealers and veterinarians, but a general physician who wants to establish an office downtown would be affected,” she said.

Besides, she said, the city already has mechanisms to check the impact of new developments on traffic. “Resorting to Draconian measures like these would be a big mistake,” she said.

Mayor Greg Stratton said the standards mandated in the initiative are too inflexible.

“It is conceivable that it is not possible to meet them in all circumstances,” he said, explaining that some of the roads inherited from the county nearly 20 years ago would require massive improvements.

The Simi Valley measure is similar to one to be voted on June 7 in Orange County.

The Orange County measure, known as the Citizens’ Sensible Growth and Traffic Control Initiative, would condition future growth on whether local roads and public services can keep pace.

“I think the Orange County vote will tell us a lot about how things will go here,” Stratton said.