Straddling a Fence : Prompt Action Asked on $100-Million Proposal That Has Topanga Canyon Folks Split : BY BOB POOL

Topanga Canyon homeowners have appealed to top-level Los Angeles County officials to quickly decide the fate of a $100-million resort proposal that has split their community for four years.

Residents complained to county Supervisor Mike Antonovich and Planning Director Norman Murdoch that the developer, by building a 2,200-foot-long fence across the canyon, has created a physical as well as philosophical division in the community of 7,500.

At the end of a two-hour community meeting Monday night at Topanga’s hand-built, hilltop Town Hall, the officials promised fast action when a county review of the proposed Montevideo Country Club project resumes early next year.

But they refused to promise what most of the 175 residents who jammed the hall hoped to hear: that developer Christopher R. Wojciechowski’s golf course project would be rejected by county planning commissioners and supervisors for environmental reasons.

Seeking Permission Since 1982

Wojciechowski has been seeking county permission to build his resort since 1982. He proposes a 106-room lodge, 224 single-family dwellings, a small shopping center and tennis and equestrian facilities on the 257-acre site west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

The most recent county action on the application came seven months ago, when planning commissioners indefinitely postponed a vote on the project so an environmental report could be rewritten.

Two months ago, Wojciechowski began building a $25,000 fence along the southern edge of his property. The fence was erected, he said, because his insurance requires him “to keep people from coming in and getting hurt and dumping garbage.”

But the barrier has been characterized as a “spite fence” by some homeowners. They complain that it cut off hiking and horse trails and intruded on the rural atmosphere.

At Monday’s meeting, homeowner Linda Weiss said residents are worried about the effect of the estimated 4 million cubic yards of grading proposed for the project.

Homeowners also complained that the county has bent over backward to accommodate Wojciechowski--and to wear down protesters’ resistance. One said that county hearings on the project have been delayed 24 times.

“How much longer as a community are we expected to leave our jobs and homes and truck downtown to do battle with a man who hires professionals to fight his battles,” homeowner Wayne Northrop said.

Murdoch drew groans from the crowd when he replied that he would “tell staff you want this case decided one way or another” soon after the new environmental report is filed. Wojciechowski has indicated that he will file it at the end of next week.

But Murdoch warned homeowners to “focus on the facts” instead of emotionally arguing for the county to preserve Wojciechowski’s property, known locally as Summit Valley.

Antonovich said he has not decided if he supports the project.

Not Invited

Wojciechowski said Tuesday that he did not attend the town meeting because “I wasn’t invited.” He said his project is rapidly gaining support from canyon residents.

“We’ve done a lot of converting to our way of thinking. Basically, you start a conversation about what could happen, what somebody else could build,” Wojciechowski said.

Along Wojciechowski’s fence line Tuesday afternoon, 53-year canyon resident Joel Penny agreed.

“I’d rather have a golf course than a condo standing there,” Penny said, pointing through the fence, which passes within a few yards of his front steps. “And I like his fence. It keeps the noisy off-road motorcycles out of there.”