Proposal to Preserve Hillsides Is Set Back : Santa Clarita: After meeting with developers, a city councilman reverses his position on the ordinance to limit construction. Instead, there will be further public discussion.

Intensive lobbying by developers has succeeded in turning back a tough hillside preservation ordinance tentatively approved two weeks ago by the Santa Clarita City Council.

The ordinance, which would strictly limit development on the city’s many hillsides and ridgelines, had been expected to win final approval late Tuesday by the same 3-2 margin on which it squeaked by Feb. 11.

But in a striking reversal, Councilman Carl Boyer, who had voted in favor of the measure two weeks ago, told the council he had changed his mind after talking with developers an hour before the council meeting. He and two other council members voted to reconsider the measure.

“Two weeks ago, I made it very clear I had misgivings about the thing,” Boyer said, explaining why he changed his mind. “I want to protect the hillsides, but I don’t want to cast all the rules in concrete.”

Boyer proposed making some restrictions on the number of structures that could be built on hillsides advisory rather than mandatory. City planners and other proponents of the measure said the change could significantly weaken it because the ordinance specifically states that its advisory sections are “not to be interpreted literally nor considered as absolute.”

“That’s what you had with the county--guidelines that didn’t work,” Councilwoman Jan Heidt complained during the council meeting.

Santa Clarita’s ordinance would replace less stringent Los Angeles County regulations that apply to slopes with grades of 25% or more. Under the proposal, developers would be forced to meet strict criteria before being permitted to build on hillsides with grades of 10% or more.

Boyer temporarily dropped his bid to amend the ordinance after Councilman Howard (Buck) McKeon suggested holding another public hearing on the measure March 5. Boyer then joined McKeon and Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy, who opposed the hillside ordinance two weeks ago because they said it would hurt business, in opting to reopen public discussion of the regulations.

“I could care less if people vote for me in the next election or not,” Boyer said, explaining why he voted for another hearing. “My only concern is we change the public perception to be a little more pro-business.”

Slow-growth activists said the council’s action would backfire.

They said the council’s failure to pass tough hillside regulations will only increase support for Measure A, the slow-growth initiative on the April 14 ballot that would allow only 475 new housing units in the city each year through 2002. And if, at the same time, slow-growth proponents win races for two council seats, the hillside ordinance could be strengthened, they said.

“What you’re doing is giving me $500,000 worth of free commercials” for the initiative, said Mayor Jill Klajic, the sole supporter of the initiative on the council.

But developers, who had organized the Technical Advisory Group to fight the ordinance five months ago, said Wednesday they were pleased at the apparent success of their efforts.

“We definitely see this as a positive step,” said Marlee Lauffer, a spokeswoman for Newhall Land & Farming Co., the largest developer in the Santa Clarita Valley. “We hope that by taking the time to study it a little more, the ordinance will provide for quality hillside development, which is the goal of the council as well as of our company.”

Newhall Land was one of several developers that met with Boyer at his request shortly before the council meeting Tuesday. The press and three city officials also attended the meeting, and Councilwoman Jan Heidt stopped in about 10 minutes into the session.

During the hourlong meeting, developers told Boyer that several popular commercial and residential developments in the city, including the Valencia Summit neighborhood and the Valencia Industrial Center, could not have been built under the proposed hillside ordinance. In addition, the measure would deter businesses from moving to the city, reduce the amount of land available for building and drive up the cost of housing, they said.

The proposed ordinance reduces the number of structures that may be built in hilly areas, depending on the steepness of the terrain. For instance, if a flat area is zoned residential suburban, the city will allow five units per acre to be constructed. That five-unit limit is already lower than county guidelines, which would allow up to 6.6 units on such a site.

But under the proposed hillside ordinance, only 4.38 units would be permitted if the average slope of the land is 15%. If the average slope is 20%, only 3.75 units would be allowed.

However, the ordinance does allow some exceptions to its density restrictions if developers cluster housing units on flatter portions of their property.

Preserving Santa Clarita Hillsides

Two weeks ago the Santa Clarita City Council tentatively appoved tough restrictions on development of the city’s many hillsides and ridgelines. But the council has agreed to reconsider the restrictions after intense lobbying from devlopers. The next public hearing on the issue is set for March 5.

What city planners had proposed:

* The restrictions would apply to hillsiders with an average slope of 10% or greater.

* Establishes formula for limiting the number of structures built on hillsides. It would allow exceptions under certain conditions.

* Creates design guidelines, strictly advisory, for hillside development.

* Sets restrictions on building on ridgelines.

What developers want:

* The restrictions would apply to hillsides with an average slope of 20% or greater.

* Limitations on the number of buildings on hillsides would advisory, not mandatory.

* Restrictions on building on less prominent ridgelines would be advisory, not mandatory.

SOURCE: City of Santa Clarita