Let the record show

As a longtime member and three-term chairperson of the Calabasas Planning Commission, I have been disturbed by serious misstatements of fact made in the City Council race. I want to set the record straight.

Toby Keeler criticizes the current City Council for the Shea Homes project on Las Virgenes Road, calling it an "urban blight." Toby urges voters to elect him so such projects will not be approved in the future. The facts, however, contradict Toby's rhetoric. As a former planning commissioner, Toby cast the decisive, tiebreaking vote in favor of the Shea project, the "wall of development" along Las Virgenes Road he now condemns.

Challenger Dale Reicheneder, who complains of an "increasing trend of rubberstamping commercial development" in Calabasas, hasn't done his homework. Over the past three years, the current City Council has not approved a single new commercial development.

Toby Keeler is campaigning as a strong opponent of overdevelopment. However, a review of public records in the city's planning department tells a different story. During his years on the planning commission, Toby voted to approve a total of approximately 1 million square feet of new development in Calabasas.

By contrast, over the past three years the current City Council has only approved entitlements for 11 new residential developments--10 individual single family ones and one senior citizen condominium project.

I have also been disappointed by Toby's smear campaign against Barry Groveman. Barry has a strong record of protecting open space. His integrity is beyond reproach, and he is not beholden to special interests. He deserves to be reelected.
Gary Klein
Planning commissioner c hair, Calabasas General Plan Advisory Committee