Skirmishing in Thousand Oaks

As a longtime resident and parent, I have watched the Woodridge approval process carefully and would like to share the following facts:

1. Linda Parks and Elois Zeanah originally approved 700 homes on this property as members of the General Plan Review Committee. This original approval included no donation of the open space owned by Woodridge property owners.

2. Andy Fox and Judy Lazar were the council members who negotiated with Woodridge to build only 250 homes and got them to donate the remaining acres of open space to complete the ring around Thousand Oaks.

3. When this much-improved proposal came before the council, Parks and Zeanah voted no, declaring themselves to be the protectors of our city, but overlooked the fact that they had originally approved almost triple the number of homes with zero open space.

4. Fox and Lazar, in yet another effort to work with these two women, didn’t publicly embarrass them with the truth. However, there were also other citizens who served on the General Plan Review Committee and we know the truth.

5. When the school board tried to wiggle out of its problems, once again it was Fox who stepped in threatening to withhold the next round of approvals if Woodridge did not withdraw its future homeowners’ children from the new Lang Ranch school.

6. Once again, Parks and Zeanah are yelling and accusing while Fox and Lazar work to protect our schools, open space and city.

A suggestion: Could we hook Parks and Zeanah up to a lie-detector machine during each council meeting? It would be a great public service.

NORMA LEYS

Thousand Oaks

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Councilman Andy Fox is a lot like a lot of professional politicians: You never know where he stands on an issue.

Before the recall campaign, he voted consistently to approve developments and reward land speculators. If that meant that a ridgeline had to be sacrificed or a waiver to city standards was required, so be it. Now that 67% of the voters say they have had enough of big money politics, he is backpedaling so fast on Woodridge he is running over Mayor Mike Markey (never far behind.)

We now read that he would have never voted for the development had he known that by approving Woodridge the schools would be impacted.

The impact on the schools was brought up in public comments with facts and pictures. Fox ignored them and instead listened to the school superintendent, whose testimony was that there would be no unmitigable impact. But even if no one had brought it up, it should be obvious to the most casual observer that if the schools are overcrowded now, a $2-million contribution by a developer will not pay for a $6-million school--and we aren’t even talking about middle or high schools yet.

Where is your leadership, Mr. Fox? You only respond in fear of your own political future. Taxpayers should not have to pick up the tab every time a developer gets next to the council majority.

WAYNE POSSEHL

Thousand Oaks

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The press has once again taken the side of the Thousand Oaks City Council minority. No wonder this group of naysayers is not inclined to bring harmony to this city’s political scene.

Why, especially in the democracy in which we live, does the press encourage the same small group of negative and hate-filled folk who weekly berate the majority of our council and city staff? Obviously, you believe that negativity and controversy sell more papers!

As one example of your bias, let me refer to an article in your Dec. 3 Ventura County section. Rather than focusing on the 25 tributes given to Judy Lazar as she stepped down as mayor, your reporter referred to the organizations giving these kudos as “obscure governmental committees.” For your information, the tributes came from such groups as the Council on Aging, the Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, the Southeast Ventura County YMCA, the Ventura Regional Sanitation District, the Triunfo Sanitation District, the Ventura County LAFCO, the Mayor’s Business Roundtable, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce as well as from Congressman Brad Sherman and several private citizens. These are hardly “obscure” entities!

Enough, L.A. Times! Now is the time for you to take the high road. You can start by focusing on the positives. After all, Thousand Oaks is the envy of other communities throughout the state.

NANCY D. GRASMEHR

Thousand Oaks

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Councilman Andy Fox again demonstrates how one should work as a council member of the proud city of Thousand Oaks. Proactiveness, problem solving and a calm, rational demeanor are very effective tools for our community leaders to possess.

JACQUE SCANLON

Thousand Oaks

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While it is a valid point that there is a tremendous parking problem at the Promenade, I would like to point out that Elois Zeanah and Linda Parks both voted for this shopping center, as well as the one across the street from it.

In addition, Zeanah was absent from the subsequent meeting and did not vote when the council voted to use surplus GTE property for overflow parking.

I only point this out in response to a letter writer who said Zeanah was not responsible for the parking problems at the Promenade. She is indeed partially responsible and had no part whatsoever in the solution.

VIRGINIA DAVIS

Westlake Village