City should not horse around

Thank you for your excellent article on June 16 that reported on the problems encountered in connection with equestrian rights by Fisher and Toston, owners of an 80-year-old farm property. It truly illuminated the corrupt conniving of developers and the Calabasas Planning Department to regulate and rob us of our property rights. Calabasas was discovered on horseback by the Spanish Anza Expedition of 1776. The children of the colonists were taught to ride before they could walk. As for "doo-doo on the trail," for the past 65 years, I have encountered all sorts of feces on the trail, from coyotes, bobcats, deer, raccoon, rabbit, and owl cough balls as well as horses. It is no biggie. The biggie for our family is the city of Calabasas legalizing a developer to rape our ridgeline at our expense. Mark Handel of MWH Development received permits from Calabasas to build next door on a ridgeline within 50 feet of our property. The fire department requires 200 feet of clearance around any home, and it is the responsibility of the property owner, not the homeowner, to be in compliance.

We are in the county and the city gave him the permits. After a fair amount of expense for legal advice, we were informed that we would have to sue the city of Calabasas as the Planning Department was at fault. Out of respect for the citizens and the city council, we dropped the case. However, due to the fire clearance requirements on Handel's House our brush clearance bill has jumped an extra $1,000 annually. Although we now must pay yearly to have our ridgeline raped, I just hope that the honest citizens of Calabasas support the project of Fisher and Toston to maintain the equestrian heritage of Calabasas. Their dream is to present the opportunity to the youth of the area of riding in the open spaces to experience first hand the history and the heritage of Calabasas. Robin Gensley Mitchell Calabasas