Agoura Village 'myth' debunked

Agoura Village 'myth' debunked
Last week's Acorn editorial infers the Agoura Village Specific Plan down-sizes development the city can approve on the affected acreage. This is contrary to the actual AVSP language.
The AVSP first allows commercial development roughly equal to that previously allowed -approximately 950,000 commercial square feet. It then allows bonus incentives to certain parcels, and allows the City Council to give discretionary increases to any parcel owner, with no squarefootage cap.
In addition to all commercial square footage, the AVSP then allows 293 new residential dwelling units-with no square-footage cap. An alternate plan allows for fewer dwellings, but adds a hotel. Neither the commercial nor residential square footages include anticipated garage structures.
The AVSP also allows buildings to exceed previous height limits, increasing overall size perceptions, making the project more urban, and affecting views of the southern foothills.
Using reasonable projections for residential units, the combined commercial and residential square footage "allowable" on the land could be 50 percent (or more) than what could have been constructed under prior regulation.
The city may be hard-pressed to legally deny any application on the basis of square footage or mass, so long as it complies with the AVSP's design parameters.
The Acorn is our community's source of local information and should present facts as contained in the AVSP. It should not simply parrot the mantra of proponents who paint a portrait of "less dense" development
A city survey of residents (results of which were recently released for public consumption) shows almost unanimous opposition to development of more residential units in Agoura Hills. This survey data was accumulated long before the AVSP was approved, but it was not discussed at AVSP public hearings.

Howard Littman Agoura Hills