Growth-Limit Proposals Make for Tug of War

Interested in curtailing growth? Got a couple of options.

On one hand, there is Mayor Andy Fox’s proposal, which would limit the number of people who can live in Thousand Oaks to 138,000 unless voters decide to allow more.

On the other, there is Councilwoman Elois Zeanah’s “Quality of Life” plan, which would raise development fees and require any building proposal that violates the city’s General Plan to be placed on the ballot for voter approval.

And don’t forget Planning Commissioner Linda Parks’ slow-growth initiative, which would prevent public open space from being rezoned without voters’ consent. Zeanah wants the City Council to place it on the ballot.

Not confused yet? Then consider Tuesday’s City Council meeting, where all these proposals are expected to come together in one seemingly endless political tug of war.

“I don’t know what some of the other council members are thinking, but I have only proposed a few ordinances in my entire term,” Fox said. “My ordinance is timely and it’s new.”

Fox’s ordinance would prevent any development that would exceed the population cap established in Thousand Oaks’ General Plan unless the project is approved by a majority of voters.

The City Council had hoped to ease residents’ fears about excessive growth by drafting an initiative to protect open space in coordination with the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the county.

But the park district voted unanimously last month not to take part in the project and advised the City Council by letter that it believed such measures were unnecessary, considering that the city and park district had worked together successfully for decades to preserve open space in Thousand Oaks.

Fox believes that his ordinance would better address the city’s growth problems anyway and expects to receive the support of his council colleagues.

“This is in response to the growing demands we’ve gotten from the community, which is worried about becoming another San Fernando Valley,” Fox said. “We’ve had a couple of misguided initiatives directed at the park district that are intended to prevent overdevelopment, but really miss the point.

“I think there are other things we can do to get at the real problem, and this is one of them.”

However, Zeanah and her slow-growth ally, Councilwoman Jaime Zukowski, contend that growth limits based on population caps, like the one Fox is contemplating, have been declared illegal in California courts.

“What he wants can’t be done,” Zukowski said. “It’s failed in court, and I don’t see why we would want to try it again.”

Zeanah said the council needs to consider raising development fees to ensure that Thousand Oaks’ police and library services do not become overburdened. Her ordinance would also require any development that would violate the city’s General Plan standards for traffic, noise or air quality to go before voters.

Fox charges that Zeanah’s plan would be a bureaucratic nightmare that would cost taxpayers dearly.

“Do we want to spend $100,000 in a special election for that every time?” he asked.

Councilman Mike Markey railed against the timing of Zeanah’s proposal, versions of which she has pitched to the council before.

“It’s one-upmanship, and it doesn’t make any sense,” he said.