🚀 go-pugleaf

Todd:

I read your "Oak Reforestation" piece posted on ca.environment.  I take it
you're not pleased with Ahmanson's plan.  The issue that you do not seem
to address is the fact that the land is private property.  I live in
Ventura and I have followed the Ahmanson project for the past few years. 
Did you know that, in addition to the mitigation measures that you
attempted to ridicule in your piece, the developer is willing to purchase
10,000 some-odd acres of existing (private) ranchland bordering an
existing park and donate this property as an extension of the park?

 What is it that you want property owners like Ahmanson to do?  Give up
the value in their land?  I'm not wild about the development of open space
but I am adamantly opposed to the confiscation of private property
(without compensation) for public uses.  If you would like to block any
development whatsoever on the Ahmanson property  I'd be interested in
hearing from you how you would propose to compensate Ahmanson for the huge
financial loss that this action would cause.  

If you have no compensation proposal then I would respectfully suggest
that you are simply advocating the confiscation of private property and
that you have lost sight of the basic rights that are outlined in the U.
S. Constitution. 

Sincerely,

John Conlan