Lowe's endorsed by former mayor

As a former mayor of Westlake Village, I choose to support projects selectively and I am careful to disseminate only truthful information to my fellow residents. Opponents of the Town Center are using scare tactics in the hopes that some will settle for another office complex. I hope I can clarify a few issues and help voters understand why the Town Center is the best choice for our city.

The Town Center initiative does not take design control away from the city. In fact, the city retains the power to approve Town Center architectural designs, which means the city decides whether Town Center keeps to Westlake Village's high standards.

As for operating hours, preservation of oak tress, signage and parking-all of these issues, in fact, more than 108 conditions, are incorporated into the initiative.

Who is responsible for ensuring these conditions are met? The city.

The opposition would love to scare you into believing that day laborers will become an issue. If Lowe's and the city do their jobs, this will not happen, and the initiative calls for it. The city has the power to enforce that requirement.

Now, what does "upscale restaurants" mean? Certainly, everyone's definition of "upscale" will differ, but I can tell you what it does not mean. No fast food. That means no McDonald's, no Burger King, etc. Knowing that each restaurant will have valet parking reassures me that my definition of "upscale" matches the Town Center's.

Another favorite from opponents: traffic. Our roads were built to accommodate development on this site; however, an office complex will bring much worse traffic during rush hour periods than the Town Center. The independently-prepared environmental impact report told us that and common sense tells us that as well.

This site will be developed and we have a choice: vote to approve the Town Center on Nov. 7 or watch another office complex be built. Please join me in choosing the Town Center. Kris Carraway-Bowman Westlake Village