Council to Discuss Suit Over Development

The Santa Clarita City Council will hold a special meeting today to discuss and possibly reconsider its recent decision to sue the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to block a 2,555-unit housing tract in the Stevenson Ranch development west of the city.

In an unusual move, Mayor Jo Anne Darcy called the meeting so the council can discuss the potential impact of a lawsuit, particularly on plans by the Newhall School District to build schools near the proposed development. The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.

In return for county approval of its project, Dale Poe Development Corp. has promised to donate a 13-acre school site and $2.4 million to the school district. School officials have said they are concerned that a lawsuit could delay construction of new schools in the fast-growing district.

The council voted to file the lawsuit last week on grounds that the environmental impact report for the project was inadequate.

The lawsuit will be discussed in closed session.

In the public portion of the meeting, the council will review its recent appointments to the Parks and Recreation Commission. The council has come under fire for using a numerical ranking system to make appointments. Critics said the system unfairly led to the ouster of incumbent Laurene Weste, who was the only commissioner not reappointed this month.