Canoga Park Secessionists : 2 More Areas Enlist in ‘West Hills’ Campaign

The campaign to rename a Canoga Park residential area “West Hills” was widened Monday as two new neighborhoods joined the controversial “secessionist” movement.

Residents of a 668-home area at the southwest edge of the Chatsworth Reservoir filed petitions with Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson asking for the new name.

And a mile away, homeowners from a 300-house neighborhood at the eastern edge of the reservoir were reportedly poised to do the same.

The two groups hope to join a third neighborhood at the western edge of Canoga Park that is preparing to file petitions with Councilwoman Joy Picus requesting the name change.

Residents of the three areas, which all are part of the city of Los Angeles, want to adopt the name of an adjacent, unincorporated pocket of Los Angeles County.

Technically, the name change would mean little because the would-be “West Hills” neighborhoods still would be a part of the city. But both Picus and Bernson, whose districts include one or more of the neighborhoods, have indicated that they will consider instructing the city transportation department to erect “West Hills” signs at the neighborhoods if residents want it.

The idea has drawn fire from some in Canoga Park who say they feel that snobbery is behind it. Homes in the three proposed “West Hills” areas are among the most expensive in the community of 100,000, which has a long-established, lower-income Latino neighborhood near its downtown.

Picus has not taken a position on the name change. And neither has Bernson, who said he does not want to put pressure on his council colleague by announcing his decision before she makes up her mind.

But Bernson made it pretty clear where he stands on the issue.

Homeowners handing in their petitions Monday were all but assured by Bernson that he will authorize the “West Hills” designation early next year--whether or not the other two areas get the new name.

‘Mood of the People’

“I have to listen to the people who live in the area,” Bernson said. “Basically, my mind is made up. There’s no question about the mood of the people. It’s overwhelming.”

Petitioners said 85% of the homeowners southwest of Chatsworth Reservoir, in an area north of Roscoe Boulevard, west of Ducor Avenue and next to the empty reservoir, approve of the name change as a way of localizing their identity and increasing property values.

“Some of the people just grabbed the piece of paper out of our hands to sign it,” said petition passer Elaine Miller, who has lived in the neighborhood eight years.

“Canoga Park is a very large area,” said petition leader Marge Fligg, an 18-year resident. “We want the identity so people will know where we’re located.”

Greig Smith, an aide to Bernson, said name-change petitions from the second reservoir-area neighborhood are expected to be turned in soon.

The second area is bounded on the east by Topanga Canyon Boulevard and on the west by the reservoir, and by Nordhoff and Parthenia streets on the north and south, Smith said.

Both reservoir neighborhoods launched their “West Hills” campaigns after homeowners in a 4,700-house section of Canoga Park initiated a similar move in early October. That section is generally south of Roscoe Boulevard and west of Woodlake/Platt avenues.

Leaders of that group are expected to submit their petitions to Picus later this month. They hope to borrow the name from an unincorporated 303-home neighborhood called West Hills located next to Valley Circle Boulevard at the west edge of the San Fernando Valley.

The secessionist movements are being opposed by the Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce and others, however.

Veto Requested

Chamber President William Vietinghoff said Monday his business group has asked Picus to veto the name change on grounds the movement is “a source of division and disharmony . . . an extremely dangerous precedent for the whole San Fernando Valley.”

That two new neighborhoods are trying to get in on the name change proves that contention, Vietinghoff said.

Susan Pasternak, a spokeswoman for Picus, said the chamber’s position will be studied by the councilwoman when homeowner petitions are filed. “Everything will be put on a scale,” Pasternak said.

Bernson, fingering the petitions presented by Miller, Fligg and two other residents, said, “If the percentage she gets is the same as these, it’s going to be pretty obvious what she’s going to do.”

Defending the efforts to get a new name, he said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with an area having personal pride.

“I don’t look at it as a slam against Canoga Park. Just as a group of people wanting identity for their area.”