Parks’ 2nd Planning Nominee OKd

THOUSAND OAKS — With little of the infighting that has marked other recent political appointments, Councilwoman Linda Parks’ second nominee to the Planning Commission has easily obtained the City Council’s approval.

Council members voted unanimously late Tuesday to appoint Dave Anderson, a 37-year-old manager of a Thousand Oaks auto parts store, after a brief debate over his ability to be objective.

“It was a very good feeling to be confirmed by the entire council,” said Anderson, who did not attend the meeting for fear he would have to endure harsh attacks against his character, in an interview Wednesday. “I think it says that slow-growth people have a place on the commission.”

Anderson was the campaign manager for Dan Del Campo, Parks’ slow-growth running mate in the November elections and her first choice for the Planning Commission. The nomination of Del Campo, who placed third in November’s nine-candidate field, was rejected two weeks ago by Mayor Judy Lazar, Councilman Andy Fox and Councilman Mike Markey, who said his campaign rhetoric showed he was hopelessly prejudiced against builders.

Markey said he still had concerns about what he sees as Anderson’s combative personality, but voted for his appointment nonetheless. “I’m going to support it because I want to move forward,” Markey said. “I think he’s going to prove me wrong. I hope he proves me wrong.”

Like Del Campo, Anderson is an outspoken slow-growth advocate who often criticizes Thousand Oaks government. Anderson is also one of the principal opponents of the drive to recall Councilwoman Elois Zeanah, often standing beside paid signature gatherers at supermarkets to rebut their arguments.

That concerned Markey, who said he did not want planning commissioners to take part in such confrontations.

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Because of those political confrontations, and his association with Del Campo, some critics told the City Council that Anderson was not fit to be a planning commissioner.

“He’s the same person harassing innocent signers at Vons supermarkets along with Dan Del Campo,” said Brian Collier, an outspoken Zeanah opponent who is active in the recall effort against her.

Although Anderson was not present to defend himself, Parks--who has argued that objectivity was never a factor in choosing planning commissioners until she came along--strongly backed her nominee.

After Markey said he would not like to see Anderson confronting signature gatherers now that he will be a commissioner, Parks replied that she would not like to see Commissioner Ronald Polanski, who signed the initial recall papers against Zeanah, continue to take part in the effort.

Before the argument could deteriorate into one of the council’s notorious bickering sessions, however, Lazar intervened, saying she was tired of “each remark having to contain some dig” against the opposing side, and asked for a modicum of civility in the rare moment of harmony. She succeeded.

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A position on the Planning Commission, a nuts-and-bolts panel that reviews the details of development proposals before they reach the City Council, has traditionally been a steppingstone to a council seat. Three current council members--Lazar, Fox, and most recently, Parks--have served on the Planning Commission.

Anderson said he has no plans to run for City Council.

“He [Del Campo] should have been the commissioner,” Anderson said. “But I intend to do my best, and I can be objective. I in no way intend to use this as a springboard to the City Council. This is enough of a responsibility, and I don’t want to cheapen the position by doing that.”