Responding to criticism of Standard Pacific

The letter from Jeanet Moltke regarding the new Standard Pacific development on Las Virgenes is typical of the people who outright oppose projects without viewing the realities of the situation or offering alternative reasonable and realistic solutions.

In the case of the proposed Standard Pacific development, the density of the homes is less than almost every other housing development per acre on the Las Virgenes corridor. Ms. Moltke also does not mention that Standard Pacific has agreed to widen the road to relieve the already existing traffic problems and install a

street light to reduce the danger

to motorists trying to enter Las

Virgenes road from the many

homes and businesses along the

road.

Ms. Moltke’s letter also does

not address the fact that develop

ers and individuals have the right

under California law to make some

type of reasonable use of their

property. Leaving the property

undeveloped may be desirable, but

is simply not realistic. The re-zon

ing of the property from light com

mercial to residential is a benefit

to the community, not a detriment.

Standard Pacific is making the

best use of the property by build

ing quality single family homes.

Would Ms. Moltke rather have

office buildings, high density con

dominiums, strip centers or some

other worse use of the property?

Rather than simply oppose the

project, I would suggest that Ms.

Moltke and her followers work

with Standard Pacific to ensure

that road access, noise, environ

mental aesthetics and other con

cerns are addressed now, rather

than after the project has started.

If Ms. Moltke wanted to con

serve the scenic nature of the Las

Virgenes corridor, she should

have started 17 years ago when

Stone Creek were the only homes

on the block. It’s a bit late to get

into the game given the numerous communities and businesses that now line Las Virgenes.

Make no mistake, something will eventually be built on the Standard Pacific site and I for one believe that 40 single family houses would be one of the better uses for the property. Donald Grier Calabasas