Separatists Claim 75% in Canoga Park Area Support Name Change

Organizers of a campaign to change the name of a Canoga Park neighborhood to “West Hills” said Tuesday that more than 75% of the area’s homeowners have signed petitions demanding the new name.

Campaign leaders said the petitions will be turned over to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joy Picus, who has the authority to redesignate the area.

West Hills backers began circulating petitions in October after Picus said she would initiate the name change with the city’s Transportation Department if an “overwhelming” proportion of homeowners sought it.

Seen as Proof

Committee head Joel Schiffman said the signature rate proves that the new name is widely sought in the three-square-mile area. The 4,350-home neighborhood is bounded by Victory and Roscoe boulevards, west of Platt and Woodlake avenues.

“There was 100% support from some areas,” Schiffman said Tuesday night. The new name was supported by at least two-thirds of the property owners of every area, he said.

Supporters of the name change say the West Hills designation could give them political clout and lead to lower insurance rates and higher property values.

Borrowed Name

The name change would not affect homeowners’ status as residents of Los Angeles. In fact, the West Hills name is being borrowed from an unincorporated, 303-home subdivision situated next to Valley Circle Boulevard at the west edge of the San Fernando Valley.

Richard DelliVeneri, one of the name-change organizers, said most Canoga Park homeowners approached by petition passers eagerly signed.

“Based on comments we received from many of our canvassers, it appears that most of the property owners who haven’t signed the petition were simply unavailable when our supporters canvassed the area,” DelliVeneri said.

Two weeks ago, the West Hills campaign widened when two smaller neighborhoods outside boundaries set by DelliVeneri’s group joined the name-change movement. Those areas are north of Roscoe Boulevard in Councilman Hal Bernson’s district.

Petitions were signed by 85% of the homeowners in a 668-home area north of Roscoe and west of Ducor Avenue and south of the empty Chatsworth Reservoir. About 69% of the homeowners in a 350-home area bounded by Topanga Canyon Boulevard and the reservoir on the east and west, and Nordhoff and Parthenia streets on the north and south, also signed name-change petitions.

Submitted to Bernson

Both of those documents have been turned over to Bernson, who also has said he will initiate the name change if the majority of residents want it.

About 35 businesses are within the proposed West Hills area. Leaders of the Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce are opposing the name change, saying it would be “a source of division and disharmony . . . an extremely dangerous precedent for the whole San Fernando Valley.”

Committee leader Schiffman said the chamber’s criticism has prompted some homeowners to suggest a boycott of businesses belonging to the chamber. He said West Hills campaign leaders have discouraged such action and know of no organized boycott.

Schiffman said campaign leaders will contact Picus’ office today to arrange delivery of the signed petitions.