Incumbent councilman is big on slow growth, open space, the environment and public safety
By Sharon Makokian
Acorn Staff Writer

James Bozajian

Calabasas City Councilman James Bozajian, one of two incumbents in this year’s council race, is concerned with several community issues, including open space use, public safety and public transportation.

"I’m a slow-growth candidate. I want to preserve open space and not see over-development. We’re pretty much built out," said Bozajian, who wants to annex adjacent property to prevent build-up around the city.

Last year, he was one of the councilmembers who requested an inventory of the city’s vacant parcels for the possibility of purchasing some for open space. Since then the city has done the inventory and began buying land.

Bozajian would eventually like to see an open space initiative put before Calabasas voters, such as the one that recently passed by a landslide in Agoura Hills.

"When we’re done acquiring a significant amount of land, I would like to put on the ballot an open space initiative to prevent future councils from misusing it, for example, selling it for development or building something inappropriate on it," he said.

Bozajian considers himself to be pro-business, in addition to being a preservationist and environmentalist. He doesn’t consider them to be mutually exclusive.

"I think we need appropriately-sized community oriented businesses, not oversized developments, either commercial or residential," he said.

He said he’s very pleased with some developments that have occurred while he’s been on the council, such as The Commons, the renovation of Old Town and the recently-approved Creekside Village, a shopping plaza to be anchored by an Albertson’s supermarket in the Lost Hills area.

Bozajian is "strongly against" the Ahmanson Ranch development because of the negative impact it would have on Calabasas. He serves on the Ahmanson Ranch subcommittee of the city council with Mayor Pro Tem Janice Lee.

Bozajian envisions possible solutions to the Ahmanson project.

"We should attempt to acquire it (with other public agencies) and dedicate it to open space. Barring that, I would like to see a tax initiative bill go through that would give a special tax incentive for Washington Mutual (the land’s owner) to donate it," he said. "We’ve met with a number of elected officials."

And if all else fails, he’ll keep fighting. "It’s been 10 years and it’s not developed yet," he said.

As a deputy district attorney with Los Angeles County for more than 10 years, Bozajian feels he’s especially equipped to deal with public safety, something he sees as a big issue for Calabasas.

"The three main reasons people live here are for the semi-rural ambiance, excellent schools and a safe community," he said.

Prior to his election to the council in 1997, he served on the city’s community policing commission for four years, which works with the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station on crime reduction. He founded and continues to work with the Teen Court, a diversion program for juveniles. Since his tenure, the Calabasas crime rate has dropped by 50 percent, with the exception of a small rise last year, he said.

Having served as the president of the Los Angeles County Association of Deputy District Attorneys (a group of 1,100) for two years, and as a city councilman for four, Bozajian feels he’s well qualified for reelection because he understands how government operates, especially the city’s structure.

"I work well with a broad base of people, regardless of difference on any one issue," he said.

One goal is to create a shuttle system along main thoroughfares to help alleviate traffic and provide a service for those who don’t drive, Bozajian said.

He said he’s very proud of what the council has accomplished in the time that he’s been a member, including the acquisition of five new parks and recreation facilities, neighborhood beautification projects and the creation of a municipal library. He also is pleased with the wide range of television coverage on the city’s cable station.

"I’m very proud of the way we work with the schools," he said. "The council supported Measure R (in 1997), which raised $93 million for the improvement of school facilities."

He also prides himself on The Citizen’s Guide to Calabasas, an informative guide to the city, which took him a year to write. The books were mailed to all city residents and are available at city hall.

Bozajian supports "the fiscally sound policies that have produced a budget surplus every year, currently at $10 million."

He said he wants to be on the council to see to completion the new civic center, currently in its design phase.

Bozajian, 35, has never missed a city council meeting since his election four years ago, when he was the youngest person to be elected to the council. He served as mayor from 1998-99, when he gave the first "State of the City" address. Bozajian received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his Juris Doctor (law degree) from USC in 1990, after which he joined the district attorney’s office.

He’s the chairman of the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center Joint Powers Authority. Bozajian belongs to the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce, the Calabasas Historical Society, the California District Attorneys Association, the Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation, Friends of the Calabasas Library, Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council, Sierra Club and alumni associations of USC and UCLA.