Urban Sprawl Should End at the County Line

* Until the recent approval of the Ahmanson Ranch mini-city in the middle of the open space greenbelt between the Conejo and San Fernando valleys, Ventura County was a positive example of how to avoid leapfrog development. Ironically, the overriding consideration for its approval was that this development is beneficial to preserving open space.

The open space being preserved is that which is being purchased with our tax dollars by our government. Jordan Ranch (2,350 of the 10,000 acres which are to be preserved as a requirement of development) was purchased by the public, not Ahmanson. We now know Ahmanson is not required to donate even one of those 10,000 acres of open space.

Ahmanson/Home Savings will be bulldozing a critical 5,400-acre [open space] and extending the boundary of urban sprawl into Ventura County.

The Ventura Freeway in the Conejo Valley will be as it is in the San Fernando Valley when Ahmanson City residents join the commute. No mitigation was required of Ahmanson for this development’s impact on the freeway.

I can only hope that Ahmanson/Home Savings will join others who realize that it’s time to bring an end to urban sprawl. Los Angeles’ urban sprawl should end somewhere--let it be at the Ventura County line where the Ahmanson/Home Savings open space begins!

LINDA PARKS

Thousand Oaks

Please see LETTERS, B7