MOORPARK : Montgomery’s Ties to Builder Criticized

Moorpark Councilman Scott Montgomery was harshly criticized at a City Council meeting this week for accepting campaign contributions from a Santa Monica developer whose project he wants to exempt from a future growth-control ordinance.

The president and owner of Carlsberg Financial Corp. donated $1,500 this spring to Montgomery’s campaign for a seat on the Board of Supervisors. Montgomery has expressed his support for a proposed negotiated settlement with the company, which would exempt its plan to build 552 homes in Moorpark from a future growth-control ordinance.

Although the company will have to comply with the city’s existing slow-growth law, called Measure F, it would not have to comply with a new law that might have stricter limits on the number of building permits it could receive in a single year.

Former councilman and growth-control advocate Clint Harper had harsh words for Montgomery’s support of the proposal, which would settle a lawsuit pending between the city and Carlsberg.

“It might not be illegal, but I don’t think it’s ethical,” Harper said.

Montgomery did not respond during the meeting but said during a break that the donations did not influence his decision to support the settlement. He said his record showed that in many cases he has voted against developers that donated money to his political campaigns.

He added that in the case of the Carlsberg development, he had initially recommended that the company get approval only for 405 homes, not the 552 that the firm wants to build.

“I don’t think that just because I get money from someone I should be excluded from voting on projects they have that come before the city,” he said.

The council will discuss the possible exemption and the Carlsberg development plan at a meeting scheduled for Aug. 3.