Ahmanson Ranch

I am perfectly willing to admit that I am a celebrity. It’s the truth.

And as a celebrity, I realize that I have the ability to help the people of Ventura and Los Angeles counties who are concerned about Washington Mutual Bank’s disastrous plan to develop [Ahmanson Ranch in] the Santa Monica Mountains into a “new city” for 10,000 people.

I can help these communities focus attention on the issues that must be raised: the impact of 45,000 new daily automobile trips on the region’s already congested traffic, 20 additional tons of air pollution and 20,000 tons of dust, water pollution from urban runoff into what are now natural streams, protecting Surfrider Beach and other precious environmental resources from being destroyed.

Now that I’ve admitted I’m a celebrity, can The Times help me in convincing Washington Mutual that the California Environmental Quality Act, the bulwark of all our environmental protections, should apply to their project? The purpose of this law is to disclose the truth to the public before decisions are made. The truth is a good thing. We need more of it with respect to Washington Mutual’s development plans.

Rob Reiner

Beverly Hills