Santa Clarita Agrees to Pay $7 Million for City Hall Site

After a yearlong search for a site for a city hall, Santa Clarita has agreed to pay $7 million for 238 acres of vacant land in the center of the city, officials said Monday.

Assistant City Manager Ken Pulskamp said the owner of the property, Wes Lind, accepted the city’s latest offer last week. The city bid $5.1 million in September, but Lind rejected the offer.

The city paid Lind a $50,000 deposit. The hilly property, of which about 145 acres are usable, is southeast of Bouquet Canyon and Soledad Canyon roads.

The city has 75 days to conduct a study to determine whether the site is suitable for a city hall, Pulskamp said.

If the study uncovers any problems--and Pulskamp said he is doubtful it will--the city can pull out and recover its deposit with interest. Among other things, the city will study whether a maintenance yard can be built on the site.

City offices are now on the third floor of the Valencia National Bank building. The city hopes to open the new city hall before that lease expires in 1992, Pulskamp said.

City officials inspected 18 sites before bidding on Lind’s property, Pulskamp said. The first choice had been the defunct Saugus Rehabilitation Center, a 520-acre parcel owned by the city of Los Angeles. The center, vacant except for dilapidated military-style barracks, has been closed since 1974.

City Council members said that site was a prime spot for a city hall, public park and possibly an arts center and are still trying to acquire the property, Pulskamp said.

The Castaic Lake Water Agency also is trying to obtain 60 to 80 acres of that property for a water treatment plant and agreed to work with Santa Clarita officials in pursuing the site. In September the agency offered $15.8 million, but Los Angeles officials said the offer was too low for all 520 acres. Officials agreed to negotiate with the water agency on the acreage needed for the treatment plant.