Petition signatures opposing Home Depot submitted to Agoura Hills City Clerk’s office
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn ON THEIR WAY-Al Abrams, spokesman for Citizens for Responsible Growth, carries the 2,860 signatures requesting a special election regarding big box stores in the city of Agoura Hills.

Citizens for Responsible Growth (CRG) delivered 2,860 signatures to the Agoura Hills City Clerk’s office Monday, an ample number to force a Home Depot referendum by spring of next year, according to proponents.

CRG opposes a developer’s plan to build a 140,000 square-foot Home Depot on Agoura Road, west of Kanan. Since July, the group has been trying to collect enough signatures that would give voters the right to turn away any big box store greater than 60,000 square feet.

Los Angeles County law says 15 percent of a city’s registered voters are needed to call a special election (1,878 in the case of Agoura Hills). Al Abrams, CRG director, said an independent research company already confirmed that about 85 percent of the 2,860 signatures are valid, well above the required minimum.

"The original goal was 2,000, and then it just started going crazy," Abrams said. "I think a lot of it was people watching the debates and making up their own minds."

Abrams said 60 workers began a late push and turned in 1,400 signatures over the last 10 days. While they walked the streets and knocked on doors, Abrams planted petition tables at various locations around town including the Do-It Center, a competitor and one of several businesses that might be threatened by a Home Depot.

Melvin H. Adams, a CRG member and city council candidate, spent time gathering signatures at Lake Lindero Country Club.

"I had people who came up and said, ‘I want to sign,’" Adams said. "I didn’t even have to explain what it was. They knew what it was."

Currently, the city council must approve any retailer greater than 60,000 square feet. If successful, the referendum would pass that responsibility to the people.

"From many of the people I talked to, the public sentiment was toward not having a Home Depot," said Ken Horton, a CRG member and city council candidate.

Agoura Hills City Clerk Carol Tubelis said she would deliver the petitions to the county registrar’s office yesterday. The county will report back to the city by Dec. 7 to confirm whether enough signatures are valid. The city council will take the matter up at its Dec. 12 meeting, Tubelis said.

"I would hope the city council just enacts this," Abrams said. "The people have spoken."

Councilmembers say they don’t want to comment on Home Depot until a formal application for the project is submitted. Home Depot would anchor a 255,300 square-foot shopping center called Ladyface Village Center.

Developer Dan Selleck criticized the referendum.

"It’s really just trying to limit the free enterprise system," Selleck said. "I think CRG has lost all their credibility. Back in May they said they could obtain these signatures in six days. It’s taken over six months."

The earliest date the referendum election could be held would be Tues., April 2, Tubelis said.