Due diligence?

The Shea Homes project concept approved so long ago was approved because it was a far better alternative to the big box commercial development that was initially proposed. The development that got built, however, is very different from what was initially approved. It's not just what was built though; it's how poorly the construction was supervised by the city.

The grading was far greater than what was approved. It seems that once Shea started its grading, it "discovered" more landslides than it had somehow initially anticipated, so they decided they needed to do massive amounts of additional grading to mitigate the landslides. To make matters worse, the grading was done into the rainy season without any erosion control measures in place. When heavy rains came, we in the homes across the street were flooded with up to three feet of mud.

There were other conditions that Shea didn't follow. Construction was done after hours and at night. There were many sleepless nights. The roads were fouled up for a year; we had to listen to the clanking of those big metal plates that are put over roads under construction.

The landscaping isn't what was proposed. The exterior lighting causes the whole project to glow even from miles away on the freeway. The design and placement of the homes lacks architectural grace of distinction. They are so close together they might as well have been condominiums. They loom up above the road like fortresses and block all the views.

The current City Council failed us by failing to endorse the conditions the developers were to follow until long after the damage was done. Welcome to Calabasas, the gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains.

Vote for Toby Keeler and Dale Reicheneder. We need a change.
Denise Miller
Calabasas