A Host of Reasons to Support Canyon Oaks

* I am a retired person living in the Woodland Crest area of Topanga Canyon. My home is within yards of the proposed Canyon Oaks development.

I favor the project and request that the county stop opposing it for a long list of reasons, some of which I will state in this letter.

From my observations, the majority of the residents of Woodland Crest, Viewridge Calabasas and other homes located close to the proposed development very much favor the Canyon Oaks project. The reasons are obvious:

* A tract of fine homes set within a golf course will be beautiful to look at and an asset to our area.

* Improved fire protection. It was just 1984 that a fire swept up the valley and rained sparks down on our homes in Woodland Crest.

* A sensitive approach to grading and replanting of shrubs and trees.

* A conformance to the Santa Monica Mountains Area Plan.

* The area is now surrounded by homes and development.

* The project will create jobs during construction and permanent jobs when completed.

* With the golf course included, over 85% of the land will remain as open space.

* Hiking trails presently in the area will be improved and additional trails and open spaces will be created as a result of the developer’s gift of a community benefit-land deeded to the park system and a one-time gift of money that is to be used as a continuing fund to provide an income to maintain walking and hiking trails in the area.

I am among the people who live in the Woodland Crest area and will be in the shadow of this project. We are the ones who will be impacted by the sound of the big diesel engines, the dust and dirt and construction traffic.

The county is never faced with just an easy answer, just an intelligent choice.

BERNARD H. MARRINGTON

Woodland Hills

* Tom Hayden’s opposition to the proposed Canyon Oaks project in Topanga Canyon (June 11) is disgraceful at a time when the state is bemoaning loss of tax revenues and claiming not to have enough money for essential services.

We must wonder why Mr. Hayden is personally opposing a conforming, environmentally sensitive development that would contribute millions of tax dollars to an area that uses a disproportionate amount of our revenue funds to support an antiquated infrastructure and substandard homes. I, for one, do not want to see my hard-earned money used to maintain an area which refuses private-sector improvements and then cries for public assistance to solve their problems.

Canyon Oaks is beautiful and thoughtful. It will improve fire safety, water supply, sewage disposal, create jobs and pay a tremendous amount of school and other fees.

It will provide gracious living and a badly needed recreational area in the midst of desolation. Why should we acquire this for public land when the state and county cannot afford to maintain their present acquisitions?

Opponents say they want to leave open space for their children. The Santa Monica Mountains provide plenty of open space already. By continually decreasing our property-tax base and private investment money, what they are leaving for their children is a lifetime of debt to pay for the bonds that will be needed to put in the upgrades that Canyon Oaks is offering to do now.

Perhaps Sen. Hayden should just lead a secession of all the Santa Monica Mountain communities that oppose modernization and safety improvements which save lives and property. That way the rest of the taxpayers in the county will not have to pay for their irresponsibility and their “lifestyle.”

PHYLLIS M. DAUGHERTY

Los Angeles

* I have always supported property owners’ rights when the project conforms to the zoning guidelines. And I support Canyon Oaks for that very reason.

With Los Angeles County facing its most severe budget crisis in recent memory, we do not have the luxury to pass up all of the jobs, tax revenues and development fees which will be generated by this housing plan.

Canyon Oaks will create hundreds of local construction jobs, many of them union workers, and 250 permanent support jobs once the development is completed. The developer will pay $2.2 million in development fees, $1.2 million of which goes directly to the schools.

Improvements to the property will increase the paid property taxes from $100,000 each year to $2.7 million. This huge increase can be used to offset many of the cuts we face.JACK T. COLLIS

Encino