We signed the petition gladly because we are concerned about the traffic flow at the Hampshire off-ramp and congestion in an already stressed location. Early-morning noise would be a factor, devaluing nearby apartments and ultimately causing the neighborhood to deteriorate. It's too close for comfort.

I understand this property is zoned for neighborhood business. With offices and high-density housing surrounding this property, I don't feel a home-improvement center serves the needs of those most affected. Many of us in the adjacent neighborhood miss the convenience of Kmart. A Target store would be a far better choice to serve our community. It would still allow room in the mall for other neighborhood-friendly businesses, perhaps even a restaurant.

Nobody wants a big box store in his neighborhood. With the city's plan to beautify Thousand Oaks Boulevard, building a Home Depot next to the Civic Arts Plaza or across from it would have been inconceivable, and rightly so. But also justifiable is the view that the property in question should improve the value of our homes and our lives. I don't feel a Home Depot does either.

I ask the city to go back to the drawing board and attend to outlining another mall with as much care as it put into The Lakes or The Gardens of the World. Make that property a showplace that enhances our community.

— Mary Silvestri, Westlake Village