Wetlands should be left undeveloped

In the summer of 2006, plans were being drawn up by Centex Homes and Shato holdings to develop nearly 30 acres of wetland habitat next to the 101 Freeway and the Borchard Road exit.

For the last several decades, many of us living here have enjoyed the flocks of ducks, killdeer, frogs toads, egrets, etc. that call this place home. To me, this place should be made into a park, not another subdivision--not now or ever. It's been stated by the developer that just a portion of the property is "artificial" wetlands due to the discharge of water from the recent Borchard Road cloverleaf interchange improvements.

At ceres.ca.gov "defining wetlands," the Army Corps of Engineers defines wetlands. It says the term wetlands means those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.

Anyone living in town for the last several years will tell you that the area floods every rainy season. The area is considered a "flood plain" by the city of Thousand Oaks. Unfortunatly, the area was altered by disking equipment about nine months ago and several riparian plants were cut.

I urge everyone to contact city hall and lobby the City Council to negotiate with the developers to make the idea of this area becoming a park a reality. Clint Robert Matkovich Thousand Oaks