Encino-based Larwin Co., prospective developer of Bishop Ranch, has recently finished its series of “Community Working Group” meetings. These meetings were ostensibly to gather input from the community on what a development on Bishop Ranch would look like, but seemed more like an effort to drum up community support for the development.

The sessions were carefully crafted so the developer would get from the community the answers he wanted. For example, the question, “Do you want development on Bishop Ranch?” was never asked. Instead, it was, “What density of development do you want?”

In addition, the input from the public at each meeting was limited to only two minutes of comments on specific topics. General comments from the public were not solicited or allowed. When more extensive written comments were offered by the public for posting on the Bishop Ranch Web site they were refused, with only one exception.

In the interest of full disclosure, certain facts about the proposed project need to be stated. The citizens of Goleta should ensure that, if this project proceeds, it is built in the interest of the citizens, not in the interests of an out-of-town developer.

Fact No. 1: Conversion of Bishop Ranch to housing is not a done deal. The land is currently zoned agricultural. For the land to be developed, the zoning must be changed by the Goleta City Council. The previous council already determined it is not appropriate to change the agricultural zoning of this property.

Fact No. 2: The developer has already influenced the political process in his favor. Larwin Co. head Michael Keston and his family made significant campaign contributions in the last council election to ensure that candidates sympathetic to this development would be elected. Each donation was just below the $1,000 limit that would have required immediate reporting before the election. It was only in January 2007, three months after the election, that the campaign contributions became public. We need to remind the present city council that it is accountable to the citizens of Goleta, not to developers. There will be another election in November for three members of the Goleta Water Board. Citizens should look carefully at the candidates and elect those who will be looking out for our interests, not the interests of developers.

Fact No. 3: The developer stands to make a lot of money here. If 1,200 homes are built at $1 million apiece, that’s over $1 billion in sales. If the developer makes a profit of 10 percent to 20 percent, that’s a profit of $120 million to $240 million. A huge profit!

As the developer continues to try to push this project onto Goleta, we in the community need to keep these large figures in mind. Given the huge profit that this out-of-town developer stands to make, we are justified in asking for a project that benefits the community, including significant infrastructure improvements. We should be wary if the developer claims “that will cost too much.”

— Steve Ferry is a retired engineer and program manager who lives in Goleta.