Official to Seek Public Vote on Annexation : Moorpark: The firm that owns the 4,000 acres questions Councilman John Wozniak’s motives. He backs slow growth.

Concerned that the issue is too significant for five people to decide, Moorpark Councilman John Wozniak said he will seek a public vote to help determine whether Moorpark should annex about 4,000 acres northeast of the city.

Wozniak, a slow-growth advocate who was one of the original sponsors of the city’s controlled-growth ordinance, said he will propose the vote at the council’s meeting Wednesday.

“You’re talking about a large development in the city, very large,” Wozniak said Thursday. “And it really has to be put to the people of Moorpark. Do you really want to do this? The answer we get back may be yes. I don’t know at this point.”

The subject of any vote would be whether the city should annex about 4,000 acres owned by the Irvine-based Messenger Investment Co. and allow the developer to build 3,000 homes, two golf courses, an equestrian center and retail space.

The move would increase the size of the city by 50%.

Told of Wozniak’s proposal Thursday, Messenger Vice President Gary Austin questioned both the councilman’s motives and his timing.

“I’m completely taken aback by it,” Austin said. “I certainly don’t think that it would be beneficial at this point, for the reason that until the Specific Plan is put into some form where people could look at it and evaluate the proposals, I don’t know what they would be voting for or against.”

Austin said the notion of annexation and development of his firm’s property already received conceptual approval by the City Council when the property was included in the city’s General Plan update process, which was passed by the council in May.

The next logical step, he said, would be to allow Messenger to formulate a Specific Plan for the land and let the council rule on that.

“I don’t see why he would propose this issue now,” Austin said. “It seems like it’s in-between two milestones, one of which has occurred, one of which will occur within the next 12 months.”

Moorpark Mayor Paul Lawrason, who said the matter would be placed on the council agenda at Wozniak’s request, said he envisioned a broad discussion on how the city can provide for public input on the proposed Messenger development--not specifically a citywide referendum.

Lawrason said options to be discussed include inviting residents to mail in comments, distributing a survey or preparing ballots that residents could fill out and drop off at City Hall.

He said he may support one of those options, but would not back a citywide vote at this early planning stage.

“Maybe sometime in the future it’s very appropriate. At this point, no, I don’t think it’s appropriate,” Lawrason said. “The public is not well enough informed on this, and neither are we, to make a decision right now.”

Wozniak, who said he did not know when an election on the issue could be held, pointed out that he was not necessarily asking for a binding referendum.

“What I’m asking for is probably an advisory vote, which is not a binding vote by any stretch,” he said. “Then it would be up to the five council members as to whether you listen to the vote or not.”

“That’s an almost laughable comment,” said Councilman Scott Montgomery. “If you’re going to have an advisory vote, why wouldn’t you listen to the results?”

Montgomery said he would not support the city holding a public vote on a matter that had, essentially, already been decided as part of the General Plan update.

“This is the first I’ve heard of this, and I’m absolutely shocked. I have no idea where it’s coming from or why,” Montgomery said. “I’m puzzled at a minimum.”

Councilmen Pat Hunter and Bernardo Perez could not be reached.

But not all were critical of Wozniak’s intent.

“I applaud John for getting out on the limb on this item,” said Clint Harper, a former councilman and current school board member who remains one of the city’s leading advocates for controlled growth.

“I would think it would be much better for a developer to know whether the support of the community is there before they move ahead and spend a lot of money on a project. The sooner a vote like that could be held and the input gathered, the better.”