Woodridge Vote Political Slam-Dunk

* Re:”Both Sides Win on Woodridge” (Sept. 14):

Save Open Space fully supports property rights and the legal concept of zoning. The Woodridge property was zoned by the county, priced and purchased as open space. That means the owner was legally entitled to build up to five homes under the county open space zone. The property’s unique greenbelt location and topography dictated its restrictive zoning.

Now upzoned for more than 240 homes by the pro-overdevelopment Thousand Oaks City Council majority, the Woodridge project will put millions in its developers’ pockets. This council majority even refused to apply the city’s protective ridgeline overlay zone, as this action would have reduced the development by 60 homes. Sound fair? We guess the Woodridge development vote to have been less land speculation than political slam-dunk. The fact that developer Rosenfeld’s business associate Harvey Bookstein gave $1,000 to the recall of Elois Zeanah further greases this developer’s wheel. Indeed, not the best way to plan communities.

Save Open Space fully supports property rights, including the right of property to be left unscathed by the wrath of bulldozed scars. Haven’t we learned that relentless sprawl eats away at the quality of life and friendly community feeling we want and need to survive in our neighborhoods?

SUE BOECKER

Save Open Space board member

Oak Park

* Re the Woodridge development:

Your story on Sept. 11 calls Thousand Oaks Councilwoman Elois Zeanah and us detractors. Even squirrels will fight to defend their holes and birds their nests. When the residents speak for their rights we are termed detractors/gadflies?

Mayor Judy Lazar and Councilman Andy Fox said Zeanah was spreading misinformation and the staff report said that our comments were “misleading and taken out of context.”

Well, if this were so, then why not challenge me at the podium? I admit the developer massaged the Woodridge project to remove many of its failings, but our major argument is based not on the micro but the macro level. Your paper quotes the concrete pushers as saying that the 23 Freeway will add two more lanes by 2004! Well, we already choke at the interchange twice a day at rush hour! How many people want to keep doing that in ever-worse conditions for six more years? Why not wait till 2005 and see if we really need more houses on top of the 7,000 that are approved to be built?

People who want to defend their abode should call us at 378-7274 to help in any way that they can--especially since the expensive courts may be the only place to get justice!

NICK E. QUIDWAI

Concerned Citizens

of Thousand Oaks

* Well, another 125 acres bites the dust thanks to the three stooges on the Thousand Oaks City Council. I am speaking of the Woodridge development. That is just what Thousand Oaks needs, another gated community on a ridge line buffer zone.

I have a better idea: Let’s put one huge gate at the Los Angeles County line.

Urban sprawl is alive and well in the Conejo Valley. The backers of this development say impacts will be minimal. Who do you think pays for the environmental impact reports? The developers, of course. Do you think they are going to hire a firm to write a negative report? Of course not. And the city is definitely not going to reveal any negative impacts. After all, it has a $68-million Civic Arts Plaza and a $75-million waste-water plant to pay for.

Let’s see, 252 luxury homes with an average of three cars is 756 more pollution-producing automobiles to add to our already congested streets and freeways.

Our new homeowners will more than likely have an average of 2.5 children; that is 630 more pupils for our already overly crowded schools.

People who can afford $600,000 homes are definitely not going to be satisfied shopping at our upper middle class stores. They are going to want Neiman Marcus and the likes. More development.

Now is the time to act for those of us who care about what is left of the quality of life in Thousand Oaks. We must hit them where it hurts, in the money belt. Jill Lederer, the pizza queen, is a good place to start. Boycott Domino’s Pizza, major chain stores and contractors who are developing our open space. Support what is left of your local mom-and-pop stores.

Attend Ralph Nader’s “The Oaks Project” Democracy teach-in by calling (310) 392-5304.

Vote NO on the recall measure.

Do not give one dime or your vote to pro-development council candidates. Take the time to do your homework before you vote. The future of our city depends on it!

GREGORY SMART

Thousand Oaks