Myths surround Agoura Village

Even after many public meetings there seems to be some confusion about the Agoura Village Plan. A Calabasas letter writer criticized the Lebowitz couple for being connected to the developer. Not having even met the Lebowitzes, I know that this is not true. My reason is that there is no developer.

The Calabasas writer also says that the City Council is pushing the project. Again, not true because there is no project.

The Agoura Village Plan is simply a plan. The properties around the intersection of Agoura and Kanan roads are the center of the commercial land in this city. Since the individual landowners have not developed much of it, the city thought that it would be good planning to give them some standards to follow.

I, as a planning commissioner, spent a couple years with other residents, council members and business owners to create those guidelines. That is the Agoura Village plan. No, we did not copy Simi Valley or Valencia's project developments. We just wanted the landowners to come forward with a coordinated pedestrian-friendly mixed-use design as they develop their land.

As each of them does, we welcome Agoura area residents, including the Calabasas letter writer, to attend the required hearings and environmental scrutiny before the planning commission. Phil Ramuno Agoura Hills