BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers LAND PROPOSAL—Joey Masry, the widow of former T.O. City Councilman Ed Masry, stands in front of Mount Clef Ridge, an open space parcel in Thousand Oaks. The Thousand Oaks City Council has been asked to dedicate the space in memory of Ed Masry, who died three months ago. Members of a local open space advocacy group asked the Thousand Oaks City Council during its meeting last week to dedicate the Mount Clef Ridge open space area in memory of former Councilmember Ed Masry, who passed away in December.

Masry’s widow, Joey, also appealed to the council for its support of the idea, initiated by members of Save Our Ring of Green (SOROG).

The council didn’t respond to the request. The 26-acre property, which is east of Wildwood Park and north of California Lutheran University, overlooks the Santa Rosa Valley. The city doesn’t own the property and is currently in negotiations with the owners, who plan to build two custom luxury homes on a portion of the land. Two other luxury homes on the ridge were completed several years ago by the same developer, Michael Dubin of SD Development Inc. in Moorpark

At one time the owners were willing to give the city the other half of the property to retain as open space, but council members rejected that offer, citing the importance of maintaining the entire parcel as open space.

A closed session conducted after last week’s council meeting between negotiators failed to produce a resolution.

Mount Clef Ridge is recognized by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy as an important wildlife corridor connecting several areas, including Wildwood Park and the Santa Monica Mountains, and is identified as a top priority by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency. COSCA, a joint powers agency between the city and Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD), manages open space in the city.

“If the 26 acres get developed, the habitat linkage will be cut and development from the city of Thousand Oaks side will connect all the way over the ridge to development already existing in unincorporated Santa Rosa Valley,” said SOROG Co-Chair Mark Burley.

The city had hoped to buy the entire parcel, but its open space endowment fund doesn’t have enough to cover the $129,000 per acre the owner had sought.

That price is far above the $25,000 to $30,000 per acre the city has previously paid for open space.

To help acquire the parcel, the city is looking into obtaining Proposition 117 funding, the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990, which requires the state to spend at least $30 million a year on wildlife habitat protection. Only public agencies may apply for Prop. 117 grants. The city did apply for such a grant in the mid1990s for the Rancho Potrero open space site, but it was unsuccessful, according to COSCA manager Mark Towne.

“A lot of work still needs to be done, to work with the sellers,” Towne said. “But it is one of the council’s top priorities for 2006 and we will pursue it with all of our energy.”

SOROG would fully support the city’s quest for grants, lobbying Sacramento and seeking private donations, according to Burley. “We can’t raise the kind of money that’s needed only from private sources,” Burley said. “It has to come from a larger source.”

Councilmember Claudia Bill-de la Peña supports the idea to honor Masry, calling it a fitting tribute.

“Ed was a true champion of open space, and he wanted to preserve Site I and Mount Clef, both important wildlife corridors,” Billde la Peña said. “He was a vibrant force in this town,” she said, “and honoring him in this way is the right thing to do.”

Mayor Dennis Gillette also expressed support, but he pointed out that such a decision may not be up to the council, as open space in the city is under COSCA management.

COSCA has a policy for naming trails and open space areas in the city, according to Towne, which includes naming parcels after either geographic features, historical figures, uses or events associated with the property. Other open space areas named in recognition of people include the McCrea Wildlife Refuge, a donation from actor Joel McCrea, and the Hope Nature Preserve, named for comedian Bob Hope, who donated a 348-acre preserve to CRPD.

Masry was a member of the city’s Mount Clef Ridge Acquisition Committee and strongly supported the city’s pursuit of the entire parcel, according to Burley.

“Having such an environmentally important area as this habitat linkage named after Ed Masry seems appropriate for his legacy,” Burley said.