Council rejects eminent domain proposal
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

SYLVIE BELMOND/Acorn Newspapers VOICE OF THE PEOPLE- About 400 people came to the City Council meeting Wednesday to oppose an eminent domain amendment that would allow the city to take possession of private property for redevelopment. After hours of testimony, city leaders voted against the amendment.

Downtown residents can now sleep at night, reassured that the city isn't going to take their homes.

City officials voted unanimously to reject a proposed eminent domain amendment. The redevelopment agency will not be using eminent domain to rehabilitate the downtown area.

At a regular council meeting Wednesday, City Hall was packed with concerned citizens who didn't want the city to forcibly take their homes.

"Everybody told me that the city will tear down my house," said Irma Morales, who lives on Sarah Avenue.

She, like most people in attendance at the meeting, has lived in this city for decades. "I love Moorpark too much. It's a small beautiful city with good people," she said.

"Eminent domain gives the city too much power," said Teresa Cortes as she passed out speaker cards to the crowd.

City officials were expected to vote on Amendment No. 2. The amendment would have given the Redevelopment Agency the right to acquire properties for revitalization purposes for a 12-year term.

The change would only have affected commercial and industrial properties within the project area, said officials. The plan never included residential properties.

The 1,200-acre project area encompasses most of the valley floor, and it includes High Street, Walnut Canyon Road and areas south of the Arroyo Simi and extends to Condor Drive.

While officials kept trying to reassure people that eminent domain would not be used to acquire residences, the crowd remained skeptical and distrustful.

A blight report, created to give the city the right to use eniment domain, stirred even more concern. The report states that a third of the downtown area has significant economic, structural and visual blight.

Residents were offended by the blight report's statements. "These so-called blighted homes have been the homes of coaches, teachers, firefighters, Harvard graduates and people who served in the armed forces," said Pamela Castro, who lives on Charles Street.

Eminent domain is fundamentally a government taking. The city already has that power, but only for public facilities and projects that make the community safer, said several speakers.

"We're not horses that can be put into another stall; we're people," said Walnut Canyon resident Roberto Gonzales.

"We need you to protect our future," said a 52-year resident who grew up in a housethe back of the old High Street Theater.

The city shouldn't lose the quaintness of Moorpark for the benefit of large tract development and commercial centers, said a young man. The little corner markets have irreplaceable charm.

Speakers indicated the city should work to fill vacant commercial spaces like the old Kmart building before they use eminent domain to revitalize the area.

Many people waved American flags and signs opposing eminent domain, asserting that "this is the land of opportunity."

Even people who don't live in the project area came to support downtown residents. "Property rights are the cornerstone of American democracy," said Randy Wheeler.

"Eminent domain is by definition stealing. Problems require leadership, not shortcuts. Eminent domain is a shortcut; it's shameful and un-American," said Wheeler.

He vied to campaign against anyone for reelection if they vote to reinstate eminent domain.

Theresa Hagman, a former City Council candidate, also spoke out. Small businesses also have rights that shouldn't be infringed on, she said.

Even resident and commercial properties should not be acquired with eminent domain for the benefit of other private developers, said speakers.

After about three hours of public testimony, council members shared their opinions, and they probed the staff on specific concerns that were mentioned by speakers.

They reassured residents that the blight report doesn't necessarily target individual houses even if their house is defined as being in a blighted area,

Councilmember Mark Van Dam thanked the crowd for coming out. "If you don't like what's going on, you show up to meetings and rally together," he said.

Council members were elected to listen, but residents should also hear what elected officials have to say, he said.

"We want people to stay. We want Moorpark to thrive. We're not going to take people's homes," Van Dam said.

"Downtown has never been a second-class citizen in the eyes of this council," said Mayor Pro Tem Keith Millhouse.

The Redevelopment Agency is working to improve the area for the benefit of all residents, according to Millhouse. "I feel badly that people out there lost sleep thinking the council was going to take their home away and make them move," he said.

Millhouse motioned to reject the eminent domain proposal. The motion was supported by the entire council.