A final word about Shea Homes

As a former member of the Calabasas Planning Commission, I wish to clarify certain misinformation surrounding the 2001 approval of the Shea Homes development on Las Virgenes Road.

Years ago, in return for support during incorporation, developer Pamela Azar was granted a development agreement for a 200,000-square-foot commercial shopping mall on just over 11.6 acres at the southeast corner of Agoura and Las Virgenes Roads, then called the Pazar project.

When that initial commercial project collapsed, the applicant proposed constructing 12 to 16 apartment units per acre. Instead of approving the higher-density apartments, the planning commission, with a motion seconded by Commissioner Keeler, approved construction of a lower density, 48 singlefamily detached condominium units on the 11.63-acre site, a density reduction of three to four times over what had been permitted by the City Council.

The project was conditioned to be consistent with the Las Virgenes Gateway Plan. Structures were required to have adequate setbacks allowing for landscape screening between Las Virgenes Road and the rear property lines of the individual units. The designed buildings were to terrace up the hills to blend in with the existing slopes, a condition, like others, that was clearly ignored by both the city officials and the developer during construction.

To claim hypocrisy over Mr. Keeler's current criticism of the Shea Homes at Calabasas is disingenuous.

During approval of the project, the planning commission made the best out of a bad situation created by the City Council, and the project that was approved by the planning commission in no way resembles the unsightly project that now towers over Las Virgenes Road. Lee VanHouten Ventura