Initiative to Restrict Growth Qualifies for Santa Clarita Ballot

A slow-growth measure that would allow only 475 new housing units a year in Santa Clarita has qualified for the April ballot, city officials announced Thursday.

If approved, the growth restrictions in the initiative written by members of Citizens Assn. for a Responsible Residential Initiative on Growth, or CARRING, would be in place for the next 10 years.

Santa Clarita City Clerk Donna Grindey said that CARRING collected 6,644 valid signatures in support of the measure, about 15% more than the 5,757 necessary to qualify for the ballot.

CARRING members predicted Thursday that voters will overwhelmingly support the initiative.

“All polls to date have indicated that there is 80% approval,” said Bob Lathrop, CARRING’s spokesman, referring to city polls that measured residents’ opinions about growth.

John Drew, a local political science professor and a co-author of the initiative, said in an interview earlier this week that the group plans to run a “grass-roots campaign,” including door-to-door canvassing.

The measure is expected to draw fierce opposition from local business owners, real estate agents and developers, among others. Local developers have already contributed about $33,000 to a rival citizens group, Santa Clarita Residents for Responsible Planning, that unsuccessfully lobbied the City Council to establish a task force on growth earlier this year.

“There’s a strong possibility we will get involved in it,” said Richard Wirth, executive director of the governmental affairs council of the Building Industry Assn., a developers trade group.

Wirth said members of CARRING have not given the city’s recently adopted blueprint for future development, known as a General Plan, a chance to work.

But CARRING members have said that unlike their measure, the plan does not address the rate of growth.

The terms of council members Jan Heidt and Howard (Buck) McKeon expire next year. Heidt is running for reelection, but McKeon has not declared his candidacy. Both oppose the measure. Councilwoman Jill Klajic is the sole council member supporting the measure.