Parks Initiative Sparks Debate

* This letter is in response to Scott Wolfe’s letter to the editor (April 14) which concerned the legality and the need for the Parks Initiative in Thousand Oaks.

Mr. Wolfe incorrectly states that the initiative deals with “typically only privately owned land” and that it would allow the city to take private property owners’ land. The city attorney’s summary of the initiative--which must be signed by almost 10,000 registered Thousand Oaks voters by May 14--states: “This land use designation freeze would apply to mostly publicly owned land” and the initiative “ . . . would not apply to any property where the Thousand Oaks City Council finds the application of the restriction would be an unconstitutional taking of the private property.” Section 2 (c) of the initiative specifically protects private property rights.

Opposition to this initiative is from those who wish to change open space and parks for development purposes. Mr. Wolfe states rezoning of parks and open space is a difficult decision. I would reply that these are not difficult decisions, that the decisions have already been made to zone the lands open space and parks, and that this zoning is reflected in our adopted General Plan.

Open space and parkland are too critical to be left to the changing whim of politicians and can be better protected by a majority vote of its citizens.

LINDA PARKS

Thousand Oaks