Santa Clarita Builders Ask for Projects to Be Spared

A long line of builders, faced with the prospect of seeing their developments killed or scaled back, tried to persuade Los Angeles County planners Thursday to ease stringent growth restrictions proposed for the Santa Clarita Valley over the next 20 years.

Officials from the city of Santa Clarita, meanwhile, praised the proposal, saying it makes good sense to limit development until sufficient roads, schools and other services can be built to serve the area.

The proposal would revise the valley’s general plan, which acts as a broad guide for development. The county Regional Planning Commission held the first of several hearings on the document Thursday.

The new general plan would uphold a county policy, being challenged by developers, that allows the valley’s population, now about 150,000, to reach 270,000 by 2010.

The plan would allow developers to build 10,100 new houses, condominiums and apartments.

But sitting in county files are plans to build at least 38,000 dwelling units on unincorporated land surrounding the 2-year-old city of Santa Clarita. In order to stay under the population ceiling, county planners say the county will have to reject plans for close to 28,000 units.

During a 3 1/2-hour hearing, 18 developers asked commissioners to include their projects in the final plan or ease restrictions that would scale back some projects.

For some developers, the stakes are high.

The Dale Poe Development Corp., for example, wants to build 4,632 units on land zoned for 891 units.

The project is located west of the Golden State Freeway and a few miles south of Magic Mountain.

A project that size could not be built under the proposed general plan, which retains the limit of 891 units.

David Breier, an attorney for Dale Poe, asked commissioners to support the project, saying it would benefit the Santa Clarita Valley with new roads, school sites and parks.

Other developers also touted their projects, saying they would bring jobs, roads and affordable housing to the valley.

One developer, David Doremus, said the commissioners should not restrict growth at all. “We have lots and lots of land that should be utilized,” he said. Large-scale growth is feasible, he said, as long as planners make sure there are public services for the surging population.

Santa Clarita officials praised the general plan overall but questioned the proposed distribution of the 10,100 units that would be allowed before 2010.

About 75% of those units would be built in unincorporated areas and the remainder inside Santa Clarita. Assistant City Manager Ken Pulskamp said the ratio should be reversed, with Santa Clarita overseeing the majority of growth in the valley.

Santa Clarita Mayor Jo Anne Darcy said the pace of growth should be tied to the adequacy of public facilities in the valley.

A recent county report estimated the valley will need at least $912 million in capital improvements--from parks to schools to libraries--to serve the region by 2010.

The commission will hear more testimony on the issue Feb. 6.

The final general plan eventually must be approved by the county Board of Supervisors.