Agoura Hills
City Council made the right decision

Your article and editorial concerning the proposed expansion of Roadside Lumber overlook some very important points the public should be aware of.

First, the council’s action in no way prohibits Mr. Tuchman from improving his property. He is free to do repairs, remodeling, painting, landscaping or other improvements that would improve the appearance and usability of his property. He has always had the option to improve the appearance of his site, if he chose to do so. A threat that it will remain an "eyesore" serves only to cast doubt on the sincerity of the proposal. To his credit, I have never heard such a statement from Mr. Tuchman.

The council’s action does not jeopardize the proceeds from the sale of the old library building. The city will still get those funds from L.A. County in any case.

The proposal had far-reaching consequences, such as changing the zoning in the freeway corridor to allow lumberyards and similar uses along the freeway. It also meant that a significant parcel would be removed from the Agoura Village area even before the plan was completed. And it would have put an industrial type use immediately adjacent to Agoura Village.

This was a particular concern of mine because the outdoor storage on the property is screened from view on three sides only by the uses on the adjacent properties. If those uses are changed, the screen could disappear. Moreover, since the zoning would allow it, the lumberyard use could continue to expand into adjacent properties or establish satellite sites elsewhere in the freeway corridor zone.

Reasonable people may disagree about this issue. But I am disappointed in Denis Weber’s characterization of the council majority as doing "the wrong thing." These are public policy decisions, not matters of faith and morals.

The council took a long-term view and chose to uphold the standards and policies that have been established by this community and upheld by its community leaders for the past 17 years. There is nothing "wrong" about that.

Ed Corridori

City Councilman,

Agoura Hills