New Land Law Questioned

Where were you, Thousand Oaks property owners, on March 5, when the City Council was reducing the amount of land you could build on by adopting a new grading ordinance?

You may think such an ordinance only affects commercial property. Fact is, plans for your dream house will be limited drastically by this ordinance. As Councilman Alex Fiore stated, “For 26 years the existing ordinance has worked to create a beautiful city, so why change it now?” Fiore also stated he thought this ordinance was confiscatory. It does reduce usable land without compensation. All owners of raw land, residential or commercial, should apply for property tax relief.

For many months, planners, architects, civil engineers, landscape architects and landscape maintenance contractors have been working through the Chamber of Commerce Land Use Committee to analyze and supply information to the city. We could not find any need for the ordinance based on information supplied to us by the city. After the public hearing was closed, many new issues were raised by the staff and council. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for the public to respond.

NEAL SCRIBNER, AIA

Chairman, Land Use Committee

Thousand Oaks