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Candidate forums raise the ante in Calabasas election
The Calabasas Chamber of Commerce forum followed two others hosted by the Stone Creek and Greater Mulwood homeowner associations. The need to preserve open space was brought up repeatedly at the forums. Reicheneder relied heavily on his charge that the City Council has become prodevelopment in recent years. "I would at least try to be a voice on City Council," Reicheneder said. "I would be more residential-minded and opposed to the development-minded. There's been too much change too fast. I feel that all the open space is giving way to development." Keeler has based his campaign on protecting open space also, but came under criticism when he blasted a project he approved while serving as a planning commissioner. At the Stone Creek forum, Keeler said he approved a commercial center, not the Shea Homes project on Las Virgenes Road, which he criticizes in his campaign literature. Opponents pointed out that the homes had the same entitlement as the shopping center and that Keeler's vote for one was the same as a vote for the other.
Reicheneder defended Keeler. "The city approved a 35 percent density bonus on the project," Reicheneder said. "That's certainly not something I would do." Groveman supporters have charged that Keeler approved far more development in the city during his tenture as a planning commissioner than Groveman as a City Council member. Questions also were raised about the number of staffers at city hall. Calabasas has double the employees of Agoura Hills, which has roughly the same population, the challengers said. "We've managed to put money into our reserves every year," Washburn said. "We have more than a year of a reserves put away. . . . There's no question that this city can provide the best in employment. We are determined to continue facilitating the needs of the community."
"I do not support the ballooning bureaucracy under the tutelage of Groveman and Washburn in the last four years," Reicheneder said. "I heard a figure of something like 30 or 35 percent that the city employees have ballooned. How do you pay for that? One way is getting new development to get new taxes coming in. But what is the cost?" Groveman defended the city's strong financial track record. "No one can say Calabasas is not one of the most fiscally sound cities in the state," Groveman said. "We are as efficient as it gets, solid as a rock. I'd compare us to any city." Keeler said the city's penchant for development stems from City Manager Tony Coroalles and Community Development Director Maureen Tamuri, whom Keeler called "urban thinkers."
Keeler also criticized the recent Calabasas ban on polystyrene food packaging. "The council just passed a Styrofoam ban," Keeler said. "A lot of businesses are going to have to change their model. Maybe we should have held off on that until other cities adopt these kinds of things." The candidates were asked if they thought there was a division between the east and west sides of the city. "I think the main issue in the west side is overdevelopment and development," Reicheneder said. "I have no idea why anyone on this (west) side of town would want a Trader Joe's when the Albertsons Center is a half mile away. That must have been an east side consensus." Reicheneder was referring to the possibility of another shopping center coming to Lost Hills on the western side of town. Washburn and Groveman defended their involvement in all areas of Calabasas. Traffic also was an issue at the forums, especially in the area around A.C. Stelle Middle School. "None of us are happy with the permits that are issued out of city, but as I started to look at it, there's not much you can do about it," Groveman said. "However, I was able to get the cooperation of the district to agree that the permits are discretionary, they are not entitlements. Therefor we could make everyone using a permit use a carpool and not drive a car in. That was implemented and I'm very proud of it." Another question addressed the $450,000 allocation for Mulholland Highway improvements in the 2006-07 budget, which included only the removal of temporary berms and the installation of curbs. Residents asked if more money would be going toward the highway this year. "We are underway. . . . Staff is out to bid now, doing work," Washburn said. Keller, not satisfied, said, "I would ask this group, 'Has the city made any effort to show you this plan?' I haven't seen the plan, and I've heard that allocations have been made. If there are, it's about time." Washburn said the plan is available to the public. Reicheneder said the Mulholland plan looked "great," but he didn't feel it was being implemented. "What I find City Council short on is actually implementing it and getting it done. A lot of what I hear tonight is that there's things in the works . . . but it seems like nothing's getting done. With me on City Council, this would be done on a much more rapid basis." "This is just something you're not aware of, because it's the exact opposite," Groveman said. "I've spent many hours on this plan. (In early February), Councilmember Mary Sue Maurer and I were at the HOA meeting for Mulwood. We asked a lot of questions, so you all know we've been very active in that." The election is March 6, and polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. | ||||||||||||
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