Wall's agenda out of step with the city

The Oct. 9 planning commission was highlighted by a lengthy review of the Mount Clef//Dubin family application to construct a 7,000-square-foot home/garage on or near open space coveted by the city.

As reported in the Thousand Oaks Acorn, the Dubins have been in the planning phase, negotiating with city staff and various other open space interests for the past three to five years.

When staff thoroughly and repeatedly reported to the commissioners that the project was reasonable in all aspects--passing each and every litmus test--one commissioner could still not support the project.

When legal counsel repeatedly clarified case law and conditions that would place the city at risk of litigation should the project be denied, this commissioner was still opposed, concluding once again that the design looked like a big hotel and mumbling that she could not support the project under any conditions.

This commissioner regularly editorializes and opines about aspects of projects that she personally finds offensive and fails to support projects regardless of code/zoning compliance.

Earlier in the year she called the applicant homeowner of horse property to task to explain why there were so many white-rail fences on similar properties, explaining her displeasure with their appearance.

Frankly, it is not her place to ask, nor should an active applicant be placed in the position of justifying widespread practices among horse-owner fences, while that applicant is trying to "dance the right dance" with the commissioners to get his project fairly reviewed. One ought to stick to the merits of the application and do homework on one's own time.

Should the planning commission and/or the City Council one day be composed of a majority that ignores staff and legal counsel--as was demonstrated by the commissioner in this case--the city and its taxpayers will necessarily be obligated to indemnify those actions. Remember when your sewer bill was about half its current amount?

Our elected and appointed leaders have a moral, ethical and fiduciary responsibility to the citizens they represent.

That includes taking reasonable and responsible positions when faced with difficult decisions. The late Ed Masry fast learned the value of building consensus, even while occasionally disappointing some of his base constituency.

Time to wake up, Janet Wall. Ron Bauer Thousand Oaks