CITIES MAY PLACE SOAR INITIATIVES ON BALLOTS.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

Sidestepping a lawsuit that could disqualify local SOAR initiatives from the November election, the Thousand Oaks City Council might go ahead and place the issue on the ballot.

Mayor Pro Tem Linda Parks will push the City Council to take action at its next meeting and with Council members Andy Fox and Elois Zeanah expressing their support of the initiative, Thousand Oaks residents likely will see the measure on the November ballot.

``I think this is the council's chance to make sure the SOAR initiative gets on the ballot and to forego a technicality that could keep it from going on the ballot,'' said Parks, a leading proponent of the SOAR campaign in Thousand Oaks.

The threat of a suit arose last week after attorney Robert Chatenever, who has declined to name his clients, said he believed the citywide petitions are illegal because they asked signers to list their addresses ``as registered'' - a technicality that may, in effect, nullify the more than 7,000 signatures from Thousand Oaks residents certified by the county.

Fox, who usually votes against Parks' proposals, said he also believes the SOAR initiative should appear on the November ballot.

``I signed the SOAR petition because I think it is a responsible approach to slow growth in the county. And as member of the council, I believe putting it on the ballot is responsible,'' he said.

``We are in a representative democracy, and clearly the initiative got the signatures it needs to go on the ballot. So the only responsible action the council could take would be to put it on the ballot,'' Fox said.

Cities across eastern Ventura County are grappling over what to do with their local SOAR initiatives. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted to place the countywide measure on the ballot - but that only affects voters in the unincorporated areas of the county.

The Simi Valley City Council will consider whether to place the SOAR initiative on the ballot or to go a step further and adopt the initiative as an ordinance.

``Because the petition has been certified by the county, the City Council has to take some action. But what that action will be is up to the council members,'' said Laura Herron, assistant city manager in Simi Valley.

The Moorpark City Council will also consider whether to place the SOAR initiative on the ballot in addition to an alternative measure preferred by an ad-hoc committee appointed by the council to study the issue.

That measure calls for a greenbelt preservation and urban growth boundary. Nelson Miller, Moorpark's community development director, said Moorpark voters could potentially see both measures.

SOAR organizer Steve Bennett said the city's version is much scaled down.

``Even if Moorpark puts its own measure on the ballot, we will continue to push to get the SOAR initiative on the ballot too, and let the voters choose which they prefer,'' he said.