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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Westlake Residents Voice Objections to Lowe’s Project

Westlake Village officials last week presented the results of an environmental impact report for a proposed retail center anchored by Lowe’s to a standing-room only crowd that had largely come to express their opposition to the project. The first of two Town Hall meetings to discuss the controversial project drew about 150 residents most of whom had donned “No Lowe’s” buttons provided at the entrance to the meeting room. A panel of seven officials told the group that the study revealed the project would pose no significant impact to the community with regard to aesthetics, land use planning, noise or public services. The EIR found that traffic would be impacted, but those effects could be mitigated to acceptable levels, city officials said. It also found that air quality would be impacted significantly, “even with the application of mitigation.” The meeting was held to give the community an opportunity to ask questions about a proposal, which includes a 169,000-square-foot Lowe’s store, an additional 40,000-square-feet of retail shops and restaurants and a 20,000-square-foot luxury auto showroom. Constructing the center, located north of the Ventura (101) Freeway at Russell Ranch Road, would require a change to the city’s specific plan, which allows for an office development of 376,000 square feet. The city of Westlake Village has already received numerous comments from the public regarding the project and expects to prepare a response prior to a public hearing scheduled for January 18. The Town Hall meetings were set to present the EIR to residents and to answer questions about it. But residents gathered at the meeting lost no time voicing their opposition to the center as well. The crowd broke into applause eight times as residents, one-by-one confronted city officials with concerns about traffic, air pollution and quality of life issues they said would result from the center. “I live at Renaissance and I wonder what the market value impact is going to be on my home with Lowe’s next door,” said Roger Ellis, whose home is immediately adjacent to the project area. “I called a real estate agent and he said you better sell it now. I’m a retired engineer. I love working on my home but I don’t want to hear trucks unloading and see the value of my home go down.” The Renaissance Homeowners Association voted to oppose the project. Another resident who also described himself as a retired engineer said he was in favor of the project, but most of the attendees who spoke voiced strong objections, including some of the city’s businesses. “Arden’s position as a real estate company is pro development,” said Lisa Downes, senior property manager for Arden Realty Inc., which owns a neighboring office building. “But we don’t want our tenants looking into the delivery area. We won’t share access to the delivery area. We don’t want additional traffic impeding visitors to our property.” Several residents commented on the growing incidences of asthma in L.A. County that a number of studies have linked to increase air pollution caused by traffic, and said they were concerned that the trucks loading and unloading would add to the pollution problems. Even the local Girl Scout troop weighed in. “I know we’re all 12, but we decided most of our every day lives revolve around the area,” said the spokes-scout for Troop 316. “It’s hard to get to school on time anyway, and I believe with the extra development traffic will be even worse.” The project developer, Chuck Rotkin of Rotkin Real Estate, along with the landowner, Richland Communities, attended the meeting but did not speak publicly. Rotkin said he planned to make his presentation at the public hearing this week.

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