2 Nominees OKd for Planning Commission

Randy Hoffman, who lost his bid for a county Board of Supervisors seat two weeks ago, was appointed to the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission along with a Harvard-educated researcher who works in the mayor’s law office.

The City Council ousted two commissioners last month after they sought to delay a vote on a politically tinged land-swap deal.

Janice Osterhaven, who works in Mayor Ed Masry’s legal practice, was nominated to the commission by outgoing Councilwoman Linda Parks. Parks won the 2nd District supervisory seat by defeating Hoffman.

Hoffman, a millionaire businessman nominated by Councilman Dan Del Campo, told the council that he looked forward to serving on the commission, which reviews housing projects and other development proposals.

But Parks and two residents spoke against his appointment, saying that Hoffman may be ineffective because his numerous campaign contributions from developers ought to disqualify him from ruling on many projects that may come before the commission.

Hoffman said he would have “a fierce independence” on the commission and would respect the city’s tradition of carefully managing its growth.

Parks joined Del Campo and Councilmen Dennis Gillette and Andy Fox in approving Hoffman on Tuesday night, and Masry abstained. Osterhaven was approved unanimously.