Neighbors Oppose Soka Expansion

In response to Jeff Ourvan’s letter on behalf of Soka University, having run for the new Calabasas City Council in March of this year, I can attest that the university’s planned expansion is very unpopular, at least among the voters in the new city of Calabasas.

During the three-month campaign, I encountered not one soul who approved or even was neutral on the issue. It was only later that I learned that possibly the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce is amenable to the expansion. Thus, even though the university’s lands are situated just outside Calabasas, I do not understand Jeff Ourvan’s statements regarding expansion “without causing undue consequences to the surrounding community or environment.” Moreover, if a “rational, dignified public planning process” has anything to do with the wants and concerns of the surrounding citizenry, then Soka’s commitment to development should be re-evaluated and maybe they should try to operate on the existing development.

JEFFREY S. KURTZ

Calabasas