Decision Due on Santa Clarita Influence Zone

Santa Clarita will decide tonight whether to give up an attempt to extend its influence over communities in the northern Santa Clarita Valley because poll results showed that residents of that area are overwhelmingly against the idea.

The city has asked the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission to approve a 160-square-mile sphere of influence that includes Castaic, Val Verde, Hasley Canyon and the Backer Road area.

If the council votes to exclude the northern Santa Clarita Valley communities, the city’s proposed sphere of influence--a designation of land that is eligible for annexation--would be reduced to 100 square miles.

When Santa Clarita submitted its request to LAFCO last month, officials promised to delete any community where residents are overwhelmingly opposed.

In a survey mailed to about 4,000 residents--but answered by less than 700--393 people opposed the city’s bid to extend its influence. Only 236 supported it, many of whom live in the Backer Road area near a huge industrial center under construction north of Magic Mountain.

Despite the poll results, the council is expected to debate the issue tonight.

City Councilwoman Jill Klajic said Monday that the city should continue to include the unincorporated county communities in the proposed sphere because decisions made there greatly affect the city.

Although the designation does not give a municipality control over unincorporated county land, it does give the city political standing to present its views to county authorities in debates over development and other activities in the area.

“We’re the ones who are going to be suffering because of how the rest of the valley is developed, so we need to have a voice,” Klajic said. “The promise I felt I made was not to force residents in those communities to be part of the city.”

But council members Jo Anne Darcy and Howard (Buck) McKeon said they will vote to delete the communities from the proposed sphere.

“To me, it’s hypocritical to blast the county for dictating to residents all these years and then to turn around and say we know what’s best for people in Castaic and Val Verde,” McKeon said. “Let them see what the city does and maybe they’ll decide to be in our sphere later.”

Mayor Carl Boyer III said he is “leaning toward” voting to exclude the communities. But he said residents there were swayed by developers, who waged a campaign against the city’s attempt to expand its influence.

Councilwoman Jan Heidt could not be reached for comment.

The only community where a majority of those polled favored inclusion in the sphere was the Backer Road area, near the site of the Valencia Commerce Center, an industrial park being built by the Newhall Land & Farming Co.

Mary Aurit, an activist in the area, said 73 residents supported the city’s bid--contrasted with 39 who opposed it--because “we’ve seen firsthand how much more impact developers have with the county than homeowners do.”

Aurit and others in the area tried unsuccessfully to get the county to provide better protection from truck traffic from the Valencia Commerce Center.

LAFCO is scheduled to hold a public hearing Nov. 13 on the city’s proposal. Regardless of the council’s decision tonight, the LAFCO hearing is expected to be contentious.

Other areas of the valley, including the Stevenson Ranch housing tract, are divided over whether to be included in the city’s sphere.