— The council was defensive and argued that they are listening, but then say “listening� and “responding� are not necessarily the same. Agreed, but the consensus is that the council is filtering its decisions through a predetermined agenda.

— The real agenda seems to be an attempt to neutralize the November 2006 “81 Acre Initiative� (L-6) by getting maximum development numbers for select development areas and then modifying the general plan so that L-6 becomes relatively ineffective. Parenthetically, a seed was planted that the number for Fagan Canyon currently in the general plan was put in the 90s as an arbitrary number. It was not; rather, the city commissioned a thorough study to be done by Rincon Consultants, and their analysis showed that 450 units, maximum, is the correct number. This number was what the city submitted to LAFCO in 1998.

— There is an undercurrent that Centex is waiting in the wings.

— The city argues that they want balanced housing, but what they really want is an imbalance on the “low/very low� end.

— There is a real concern that this city government will be (should be) the team to determine the future growth of Santa Paula.

— It was highly inappropriate for the council to call up a real estate agent with a known bent toward their position without hearing from an agent with an opposing view.

What is proposed now are “facilitated workshops� as opposed to “charettes.� However, we fear the result might well be the same: more games.

It is certain we should stop the “Charette/Charade� process until after the November election and then really listen to what the people have to say.

— Larry Sagely, Santa Paula