CONFLICT SEEN IN CITY VOTE; MOORPARK OFFICIAL'S WIFE IN REAL ESTATE.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

The Moorpark City Council could be whittled to three voting members when deciding the fate of Hidden Creek Ranch if an environmental group can convince state officials Bernardo Perez cannot participate because his wife is a real estate agent.

The Environmental Defense Center asserted in a letter to the city's attorney Wednesday that Perez has a potential conflict of interest because his wife, Vicki Perez, could earn income from the resale of homes in the area as the 3,221 new homes in Hidden Creek are developed. The letter compares Perez's situation to that of Councilwoman Debbie Rodgers Teasley, a real estate agent who abstains from the council's work on the project.

Perez said he has been participating because he doesn't believe there is a conflict of interest.

``On the face of it, I believe my situation is different and there is no conflict,'' he said. ``I think ultimately (their effort) will be futile.''

The letter asks the city to seek advice from the state Fair Political Practices Commission on the potential conflict. The attorney who wrote the letter from the center to the city did not return calls Thursday.

The environmental group contends that Perez could have a financial interest in any decision on Hidden Creek Ranch because his wife's firm, Troop Real Estate Inc., would want to take advantage of subsequent resale opportunities.

``It is therefore reasonably foreseeable that, as a result of Troop's participation in the area's resale market, the development of Hidden Creek will have a financial effect on Troop, a potentially disqualifying source of income to Mr. Perez,'' the letter stated.

The state's conflict-of-interest provisions are intended to ensure public officials perform their duties free from bias caused by their own financial interests.

Last month, Teasley received a written opinion from the FPPC that the council's action on Hidden Creek Ranch would affect her employer and therefore her economic interest. Teasley is an agent and manages the Coldwell Banker Town & Country offices in Moorpark and Simi Valley.

The opinion stated that Teasley's income from Coldwell Banker ``is a potentially disqualifying source'' if Coldwell Banker continues to sell homes in Moorpark. The opinion also stated that ``given the magnitude of the proposed development, it appeared likely that Coldwell Banker would be materially affected by the City Council decision to approve the specific plan.''

The opinion, however, left that decision up to Teasley. And she decided not to participate in any review of Hidden Creek.

``That's the way they called it,'' she said in a recent interview. ``I'm disappointed. I was hoping to be able to be part of the decision making process because there's some important housing issues to be considered.''