Heschel, Agoura Village worlds apart
So Heschel was approved by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors? No surprise there, and no surprise that they essentially ignored the city's concerns and shoved the project down our throats to literally choke on the traffic impacts.

This letter, however, is not about Heschel.

Agoura Village is being criticized based upon comparisons with Heschel, but these two projects couldn't be more different. Heschel is a project within L.A. County that will benefit a select few, on land that was slated for about a dozen single-family homes. Agoura Village is a plan that will benefit all and is going to give Agoura Hills something it is sorely lacking- a place to go within our own fine city.

In addition, the projects within the plan area will be cohesive and have collectively less of an impact than the development possible under the previously zoned condition. Of course there will be impacts, but compared to Heschel, there are a couple of key differences that should be noted.

Unlike L.A. County, if development in our city negatively impacts public infrastructure, the city conditions the developer to improve the infrastructure without a fair share option like the county gave Heschel. As a matter of fact, developers are required to pay a significant Traffic Impact Fee in addition to improving the public roadways to accommodate the new traffic.

Each project and the conditions city staff recommends are reviewed and approved by the planning commission and City Council if appealed. Our representatives make sure the burden of financing and constructing the necessary public improvements are placed squarely on the developer's shoulders, not ours.

The Agoura Village Specific Plan final approval is right around the corner and the projects are under development. Take advantage of your right to review the projects and base your opinions on the facts. Unlike the county board of supervisors, our city officials truly care what the people who live and work in Agoura Hills think and will ensure developers mitigate project impacts to the fullest extent possible. Ken Berkman Agoura Hills