Stepford lives

At last week's Westlake Village City Council meeting several speakers spoke of "those people" in reference to the impact of Lowe's on the residents of the Renaissance development, stating they deserved little sympathy because they knew when they bought their homes that there was an empty lot and that a big box store could be built.

I simply cannot fathom the speakers' failure to understand the fact that the empty lot was and still is not zoned for commercial development.

Westlake Village has a general and special plan for development for that parcel to be office park, not commercial retail; hence, the residents of Renaissance could have had no clue that along would come a big box developer seeking to change those zoning plans. Nor could they have known that when the council didn't approve those requests, the developer would persist through the initiative process.

I cannot think of a more selfish, heartless view of the plight of those in the Renaissance than the one expressed at the council hearings, nor can I imagine a more dispassionate manner of delivery, even if they had had their facts correct.

I've become very tired of the "corporatization" and "Stepfordization" of our country, our state, and now our very own village. And I cannot help but wonder if Lowe's has any idea just how much ill will it's generating due to this continuing attempt to shove its store down the community's throat.

My family will now never step foot in a Lowe's anywhere, just as there are other chains we don't frequent because of their predatory policies. Barbara Erickson Westlake Village