Santa Clarita to Fight L.A. in Attempt to Block Dump

Fresh from a celebration marking the city’s birth the previous night, the Santa Clarita City Council got down to business Wednesday and voted to do battle with the City of Los Angeles over a proposed garbage dump.

Council members unanimously agreed to compete with Los Angeles for “sphere of influence” status over Elsmere Canyon, the site of the proposed dump. The canyon is between the two cities near the interchange of the Golden State and Antelope Valley freeways.

The Los Angeles City Council voted last week to ask the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission to include Elsmere Canyon in that city’s sphere of influence.

Councilman Hal Bernson spearheaded the move because he said he feared Santa Clarita, after it became a city, could block Los Angeles from developing the landfill. He said Los Angeles will run out of places to dump its garbage in 1993.

Conflict of Interest

Mayor Howard P. (Buck) McKeon said Santa Clarita officials are a “little concerned” about a possible conflict of interest on Bernson’s part because he is a voting member of LAFCO.

On a motion by Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy, Santa Clarita council members directed the city manager to write a letter to LAFCO asking that Santa Clarita be given equal influence with Los Angeles in determining the sphere of influence for Elsmere Canyon. They said they are concerned that a dump at that location could threaten Santa Clarita’s ground water.

In another matter, council members took no action on contracts negotiated with the county for services. Instead, they referred the documents to the city attorney for further study.

Council members maintain the services--including law enforcement, fire protection, animal control, health and public works--should be free under state law.

County to Bill City

McKeon said Wednesday that he has received a letter from the county’s chief administrative officer, Richard B. Dixon, saying that the county will continue providing the services, but will bill the city for them. Earlier, the county estimated that its bill would be about $2.7 million through June 30.

Acting City Atty. Carl Newton said Wednesday that the city may take legal action against the county to avoid paying the fees.

By accepting payment for the services, the county would be in violation of a state law that requires counties to provide new cities with the services until the start of the next fiscal year, Santa Clarita officials said.

During the incorporation process, the county Board of Supervisors extracted reluctant promises from cityhood backers that Santa Clarita would pay for the county’s costs in the city through June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

“I think there is a substantial question whether incorporators can bind a city that hasn’t been formed,” Newton said.

Moratorium on Billboards

In other action, four City Council members voted to place an immediate moratorium on billboards. There was one abstention.

The council also voted Wednesday night to place a building moratorium on areas zoned for heavy agricultural use. Land in Placerita Canyon, where Tenneco Oil Co. plans to build a controversial power plant, is among the few parcels that fall into that category.

But that issue is expected to be resolved in court. The Placerita Canyon Homeowners’ Assn. has filed a lawsuit seeing to block the $35-million project. Homeowners claim that the gas-burning co-generation plant at Placerita Canyon Road and Sierra Highway will create environmental and health hazards.

Tenneco has obtained a grading permit from the county, but has not received a building permit. A court hearing on whether an environmental impact report is required is scheduled Jan. 22 in Los Angeles Superior Court.