Housing Project Has Too Many Negatives

* The Messenger Investment Corp. from Orange County wants Moorpark to annex more than 3,000 acres behind Moorpark College so it can build up to 3,221 homes, a golf course and business centers in the Hidden Creek Ranch project. The project, with its 10,000 new residents, would have a detrimental impact on the residents of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

If the massive Hidden Creek Ranch project goes through, traffic on the 118 and 23 freeways would become gridlocked. Downwind of Moorpark, the air quality of Simi Valley would be degraded. Since the amount of water allocated for Southern California has already been cut, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that water prices will soar if we have to supply another 3,200 homes.

The nitrates in the runoff from these homes and the golf course will eventually end up in the ecologically sensitive Mugu Lagoon. The wildlife corridor next to Happy Camp Regional Park would be wiped out. And the maxed-out Moorpark school system would get swamped with an additional 2,000 students.

The Moorpark Planning Commission is considering public criticism of the draft environmental impact report. Since this report fails to adequately assess the impact of the project on our existing communities, I would like to encourage as many people as possible to express their concerns by writing letters to the Moorpark Planning Commission, 799 Moorpark Ave., Moorpark, CA 93021. The deadline for accepting written criticism of the environmental impact report is Monday.

PATRICK MARTIN

Moorpark