Woodland Hills Development Proposal

I must respond to several articles that have appeared in local papers recently relating to the proposed development of 30 acres of land in Woodland Hills by John and Sue Boething.

Instead of just condemning the Boethings for their desire to develop their property into an aesthetically pleasing commercial complex, some credit should be given to them for preserving the open space for the past 30 years. All they are guilty of is being the last in the area to develop.

I also think that if the environmental zeal of their good neighbors is so strong that they might consider floating a bond issue to pay the Boethings the full value of the property plus projected earnings of the proposed development for the next 20 years. In this way the burden of letting the land lie fallow in the interest of preserving a rural environment can be spread evenly among all the local taxpayers instead of asking one family to bear the entire weight. If their idealism stops somewhere short of spending their own money, then I suggest that the people of Calabasas and Woodland Hills at least use a mask and gun in their dealings with the Boethings so the onus of villain in this matter falls where it belongs.

MICK STOCKARD

Valley Springs