Community Changes

I have been a small business owner and resident of the Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village area since 1990. My family and I moved here for one major reason: We felt that it was a community with the highest values placed on family, open space and education.

Now, I am worried about what is happening around me. We have allowed things to change our beautiful community because we haven’t spent the time to show we care enough.

I can’t help but see more and more reasons to leave this area. Every time I look around, I see a bigger building being approved for smaller land. First, it was the Circuit City temple, something that could have been half the size it is. Then it was the Civic Arts Plaza, a monstrosity.

This came to a head for me recently while I was watching the Planning Commission on Channel 10 approve 45 townhomes on 3.5 acres of building space on Hillcrest Drive. The decision was made at 12:30 a.m. on a 3-2 vote.

I think it’s gone far enough. We are allowing other people to make emotional decisions for our families instead of making logical decisions for our future. If we don’t get more involved today in what is happening in our community, there won’t be a community left to worry about.

MICHAEL PETER AKEN

Westlake Village