Measure B isn't everything it's advertised to be

There have been a lot of letters pro and con concerning Measure B, the socalled traffic initiative. On one hand, the supporters of the measure censure Home Depot for fighting the measure, and the other side criticizes the Do-it Center for backing the proposition to block Home Depot from being a competitor.

Who you believe and for whatever reasons, I hope you'll consider the following.

First off, why is this proposition necessary? Is it going to do just what the backers of say it will or are there unknowns in this proposition that will rear up and bite all of us in the not-too-distant future? According to what I've read, and I have read the entire proposition, it will force a vote of the city electorate every time a large project is contemplated.

I hear the "not sos" from a lot of people, and that may indicate they haven't read the document.

"A comprehensive traffic study shall be required for any proposed large retail project, large project, or specific plan." The preceding words are taken directly from the proposition in Section 9-14.102 (b).

Under (e) in this same section, a definition is provided: "the term large retail project means any project involving the sale or rental of goods where the total square footage of the business encompassing both inside and outside sales area(s), exceeds, or will exceed, 75,00 square feet in gross floor area."

In the next paragraph (f): "the term large project means any project that exceeds, or will exceed, 100,000 square feet in gross floor area."

Backers of this proposition say that it will bring to a vote only retail-type proposals. Nothing in the wording of the proposition exempts, say for example, a hospital that may be built in the Conejo and will surely contain more than 75,000 square feet.

How many more "gotchas" does this proposition contain?

The big problem with propositions that address a perceived problem, real or otherwise, is the backers cannot envision all the problems that can and will arise out of the adoption of the proposition.

No, this proposition is not the answer to the traffic problem.