RESIDENTS OPPOSING CONDO PROJECT ON HILL.Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - Despite the city's approval to build condos at the base of ``Happy Face Hill'' - Simi's picturesque eastern gateway - some officials still hope money can be raised to buy and preserve the rugged terrain featured in old Western movies. Nearly 100 residents turned out Monday to oppose development of a 66-unit condominium condominium In modern property law, individual ownership of one dwelling unit within a multidwelling building. Unit owners have undivided ownership interest in the land and those portions of the building shared in common. project on the 10-acre property west of Kuehner Drive and north of the Ronald Reagan Freeway. They say the project will replace the natural scenic view that now greets motorists coming over the Santa Susana Pass Santa Susana Pass is a mountain pass connecting Simi Valley to the San Fernando Valley. The road used to be an Indian trail, and later a wagon road (a famous part was called Devil's Slide) before the road was paved. from the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. with an enormous, stucco stucco (stŭk`ō), in architecture, a term loosely applied to various kinds of plasterwork, both exterior and interior. It now commonly refers to a plaster or cement used for the external coating of buildings, most frequently employed in eyesore eye·sore n. Something, such as a distressed building, that is unpleasant or offensive to view. eyesore Noun something very ugly Noun 1. . The City Council voted 4-1 to allow Encino-based Larwin Co. to build the 22-building complex, each containing about 3 units. City Councilman Glen Becerra voted in favor of the development, but said he still hopes to save the open space, possibly through a fund for donations to preserve the area. ``My passion is to preserve this land. This is one of the first areas you drive by in Simi Valley. But as an elected official I have rules under the law to treat applicants fairly. ``I'm hopeful there are people in Simi Valley who would contribute to a fund (to buy the land from the developer). I would be the first person to write that check,'' Becerra said. But land preservationists said the council essentially closed the door on saving the land when it approved the controversial project, which it had rejected two times before. ``If the project had been denied we would have had a better chance of raising the money to buy it. What the City Council did by approving the project was escalate es·ca·late v. es·ca·lat·ed, es·ca·lat·ing, es·ca·lates v.tr. To increase, enlarge, or intensify: escalated the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. v.intr. the value of the land.'' Supporters say the project is well designed and would provide affordable housing for new teachers and law enforcement officers. ``Every council member believes this one of the nicest designed developments we have ever seen,'' said Becerra. Mayor Pro Tem [Latin, For the time being.] An abbreviation used for pro tempore, Latin for "temporary or provisional." A person who acts as a temporary substitute serves pro tem. Barbra Williamson was the only member of the City Council to vote against the project, although she also likes the design. ``I have not seen a better design for condos for a long time. The developer went above and beyond. It will be a wonderful place to live.'' But she said the condos will change the way people see Simi Valley the minute they come over Santa Susana Pass. ``The question is how does it affect the people who use that freeway on a daily basis,'' she said. ``When you are coming off of Rocky Peak Rocky Peak is the name of the 3rd highest point in the Santa Susana Mountains, which overlook both Chatsworth and Simi Valley, in Southern California. The peak, which is 2,714 feet above sea level, sits on the Los Angeles County/Ventura County line. , the vista gives you a feel of contentment Contentment Aglaos poor peasant said by the Delphic oracle to be happier than the king because he was contented. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 15] , a feeling of openness. It's what makes this valley unique. The residents I represent didn't want (the development).'' Officials could not estimate how much the 10 acres of land by the freeway might be worth, but said it would probably be in the millions of dollars even without the condo development. Williamson said the cost made her doubt the land could be purchased by the public for open space. ``Once the City Council made the determination that the development could go forward, it changed the land value,'' she said. ``If there ever was a chance of this property being preserved, I think we've thrown that out.'' Paul Edelman, deputy director of the natural resources and planning for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is an agency of the state of California in the United States founded in 1979 and dedicated to the acquisition of land in the Santa Susana and Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills, north and west of Los Angeles, for preservation as open , said the area near the development is ``incredibly rich ecologically,'' because of a spring and Hummingbird hummingbird, common name for members of the family Trochilidae, small, strictly New World birds, related to the swifts, and found chiefly in the mountains of South America. Hummingbirds vary in size from a 2 1-4-in. Creek to the east. ``The core habitat of the Santa Susana Mountains The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south from Santa Clara River Valley to the north and comes right down to the freeway there,'' he said. He said conservancy officials were unhappy about the size of the condo project because of its impact on views of the area. Edelman said the conservancy owns land to the east and would like to acquire more for the public, but felt the cost of the Happy Face Hill area would now be too high. ``We feel that this is an appropriate case for the city to have gotten a dedication for a third of the land,'' said Edelman, who agreed with Williamson that approval of the condominiums raised the value of the property. Arleigh Kidd, president of the teachers union, was among those supporting the project, saying hundreds of older teachers are nearing retirement and new teachers need affordable housing in Simi Valley. Seven units would be set aside in the development to be sold at less than market value to lower-income households, those earning roughly $58,000 a year for a family of three or $64,500 for a family of four. ``The developer has a commitment to providing some of these homes to police officers, firefighters, nurses and teachers,'' said Becerra. Eric Leach, (805) 583-7602 eric.leach(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) A 66-unit condominium project planned at the base of Happy Face Hill is being protested by Simi Valley residents, who are afraid the local scenery will be compromised. (2) The city-approved condo development would be on 10 acres north of the Ronald Reagan Freeway at Kuehner Drive; many fear a large stucco eyesore. Dean Musgrove/Staff Photographer |
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