SIMI VALLEY : Council to Consider Pay Raises, Housing

Before departing on its midsummer break, the Simi Valley City Council will hold a special meeting today to consider raising salaries for city employees, approving a large housing project, and filing a formal objection to the proposed merger of two electric companies.

At the meeting, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers, the council will consider a two-year salary package for the city’s 246 clerical, maintenance and engineering employees. Although the salary package proposes a raise for city employees, Laura Wylie, the city’s personnel and budget director, declined to discuss the details until the council reviews the proposal.

Another issue the council will address is whether to approve a 237-unit housing project proposed by the Milner Development Corp. of Beverly Hills.

The development, which would be built on a 63-acre site near Tierra Rejada and Madera roads, would include 59 housing units for low-income residents.

The Planning Commission in March urged approval of the project on the condition that the developer include a park in the development plan.

But John Williamson, a Simi Valley attorney representing the developer, has argued that Milner cannot afford to provide a park in addition to the low-cost housing units it has agreed to build.

Williamson said the developer is already forfeiting about $7 million in potential profits by including the 59 low-cost units in the development. Williamson said the units will sell for about $138,000, about half of their market value.

Finally, the council will discuss the proposed merger of Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric and its potential effect on the city and on the county’s air quality.

If the merger is approved by the Public Utilities Commission, Edison officials have said they would increase electricity production at its two power plants in Oxnard to make up for a decrease at plants in San Diego.

City officials said Simi Valley, which has the worst air quality in the county, already collects most of the air pollution expelled by the Oxnard power plants.