Lowe's special election to be on November ballot

In a move reminiscent of the Home Depot battle in Agoura Hills, the Westlake Village City Council approved a special election to determine the fate of the proposed Lowe's Town Center in a commercial zone north of the 101 Freeway.

As the result of a citizen's initiative introduced by former Westlake Mayor Kris CarrawayBowman, the issue that has divided the community for more than a year will be decided on the ballot in November.

The motion instructing city staff to prepare a special election was introduced at last week's council meeting by Councilmember Mark Rutherford and approved by a 3-1 vote. The special election will be combined with the Los Angeles County general election Nov. 7.

The council promised to inform residents about the details of the ballot issue prior to the election.

Councilmember Jim Bruno opposed the initiative and Councilmember Bob Slavin abstained due to a conflict of interest.

The election will determine the fate of one of the last remaining parcels of undeveloped land in Westlake Village, now known as Planning Area C.

The parcel, located north of the 101 Freeway and east of Lindero Canyon Road, is designated for commercial office space by the city's General Plan and North Specific Plan. But if the initiative is approved this fall by voters, the land will be rezoned for commercial retail uses. In a 2-2 vote last January, the city council was unable to resolve the future of the Town Center. Members did not approve new zoning or deny the project.

In the upcoming vote, residents will decide if they want the land to be developed into a 376,000square-foot, four-story office complex, or a shopping center that would contain 62,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, a 20,000-squarefoot, high-end car dealership, and a 168,000square-foot Lowe's hardware store.

Grace Johnson, a 37-year resident of Westlake Village, welcomed the idea of a big box home improvement store in her city.

"It will be nice not to have to drive 15 to 20 miles to get the goods we need," Johnson said.

Since the council failed to resolve the issue in January, residents in favor of Lowe's decided to pursue matters by circulating a petition requesting the project brought to a vote. The petition for a referendum was introduced by Carraway-Bowman and other Town Center proponents on April 12, but was withdrawn on April 26. A revised initiative was filed with the city on May 4.

On June 26, the Ventura County clerk's office verified that 1,073 signatures-or 15 percent of the city's voting-age residents-had been collected in support of the petition.

Once the petition was verified, the city council was required to act on one of three options: to adopt the petition to rezone without a vote, to order a special election, or to order a report.

An environmental impact report on the Town Center was prepared by the city in January and the council decided last week not to order a second such report. Councilmembers Philippa Klessig and Mark Rutherford opposed the additional report, galling residents.

"I'm shocked and appalled at the cavalier and dismissive attitudes of two of our council members," said Barbara Erickson, a Westlake Village resident. "This decision is anathema to the desire of all city councils to have an informed citizenry."

Opponents of Lowe's and the Town Center fear additional traffic, noise and pollution.

"The emissions [from the development] will put a toxic dome over the city," said Robert Fox Azzarello, a Westlake Village resident.

Cheryl Tabbi, the treasurer of the Renaissance of Westlake Homeowner's Association, referred to the proposed Town Center as a "Trojan horse." The fate of the development will ultimately rest in the hands of Westlake's residents, but such a weighty decision does not come without its costs. The special election combined with signature verification carries a price tag of $25,500.

Municipalities have been known to use stalling tactics with initiatives, forcing them into court. If initiative proponents aren't able to pay for legal fees, the issue often dies. The proponents of Lowe's, however, indicated they were ready to fight for the project at all costs.

Four years ago, Home Depot lost a bid to build in Agoura Hills when a citizens' vote limited store size in the city to 60,000 square feet.