Calabasas Council’s action puts the fight against Ahmanson Ranch at risk

The Calabasas City Council has stood firm for over a decade to save Ahmanson Ranch from development. We have spent $1.8 million over 11 years (1992-2003) and are now positioned to win lawsuits just filed.

Despite community pleas, the Calabasas City Council turned its back on its citizens Wed. night, April 30. They voted 3-2 (Washburn and Bozajian dissenting) to re-bid both the city attorney and our lead counsel on Ahmanson litigation, Katherine Stone. Our decade-long battle to save Ahmanson Ranch from development is now in jeopardy.

The new council pushed forward this perilous course of action under the stated purpose of ensuring the best legal services for taxpayer dollars and to eliminate waste and inefficiency in government. But why are they taking this reckless action now?

They did not conduct any normal reviews to discuss any perceived fee disputes, performance evaluations or audits. Instead, on the eve of going to trial with a winning legal team, with only weeks to prepare from the 51,000+ administrative record largely built under the skillful legal expertise of Stone, they are signaling Washington Mutual that our city is backing down. Why is the council majority deliberately attacking Stone on the eve of trial?

The prior city council approved all direction given to our lead counsel for expenses required to prepare for hearings, public relations and experts. In order to preserve attorney-client privilege, the council directed her to hire these experts and consultants, and to include their bills with hers.

Councilman Harrison knows full well this was the case but is misleading the public. To say that she was doing something underhanded is simply outrageous.

Following his malicious diatribe attacking our lead counsel, he openly stated his belief in the project. Speaking on behalf of Calabasas residents last December at final hearings in Ventura County, Michael Harrison praised the development and recommended widening Las Virgenes Road to a six-lane highway, with a frontage road and soundwall for residents!

The public deserves to know what is motivating this new city council because the stated purpose contradicts the facts. At this critical juncture, we need the best attorney for the job and that continues to be Katherine Stone. Nobody knows the legal arguments like she does because she made the record.

The city council must stop side-tracking and undermining the important effort to save Ahmanson Ranch and to protect our citizens from its devastating impacts. Concerned Calabasas residents need to e-mail the city and/or attend the next council meeting to express their outrage and concern.

Janice Lee

Calabasas

Lee is a former Calabasas city councilwoman.