Thousand Oaks Development Deal

Re “Council Approves Plan to Swap Development Rights,” March 15.

The March 13 Thousand Oaks City Council meeting showed great vision on the part of three council members who voted to take the first step to save the valuable Western Plateau.

This forward-thinking concept by Councilman Andy Fox was certainly in step with the dream the city’s founders had in mind when they imagined what Thousand Oaks would eventually look like.

It was possible because all parties worked together to come to an agreement that everyone could live with, instead of one party attempting to force its wants and needs on the other.

It is evident that the community is tired of the cheap rhetoric delivered by council members Linda Parks and Ed Masry, judging by the words of the residents who spoke that night. Masry’s comments questioning the integrity and competence of the city attorney were highly inappropriate.

Congratulations once again to Fox, Dennis Gillette and Dan Del Campo. It’s a great step toward ensuring a welcomed addition to our open space without having to violate someone’s property rights in the process. Job well done.

PETER J. TURPEL

Thousand Oaks

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I would like to add my family’s thanks to Councilman Andy Fox for making the acquisition of the Western Plateau possible.

My husband and I have lived in Thousand Oaks all our lives, and are raising our daughters here. This incredible piece of land has been coveted by environmentalists and ordinary citizens for years. Now it is Thousand Oaks’ land.

It took patience, leadership and vision to achieve this. The new equestrian center and YMCA will be particularly welcome additions. Guaranteed affordable housing is an added benefit for those of us whose retired parents are now either living with us or downsizing their homes.

Councilman Fox, with support as always from his colleague Dennis Gillette and even Dan Del Campo, did what he always does: He picked his way through the political minefields of and kept his eyes on the goal.

SANDRA MATTHEWS

Thousand Oaks

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If I ran the Academy Awards committee I would order a 10-ton Oscar to be awarded to Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Masry for his stellar performance at the March 13 City Council meeting.

My wife and I almost fell out of our seats when Masry held the document under debate and declared that the citizens of Thousand Oaks were being sold snake oil. He explained that the document was presented to council members only 24 hours earlier, hardly enough time to examine the many legal loopholes.

Masry, a veteran attorney who has spent 40 years practicing law and won a most significant lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric Co., tried to warn the council and the good folk of Thousand Oaks that the development agreement being offered would open the city to a ton of lawsuits and give the key to the city to developers.

Even though the council finally voted in favor of the proposal, with Masry and Councilwoman Linda Parks opposing, the words of Abraham Lincoln come to mind: “You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”

Clarence Darrow is alive and well and he lives in our community. His name is Ed Masry.

SAMUEL M. ROSEN

Newbury Park