ELECTIONS SANTA CLARITA COUNCIL : Slow-Growth Measure Remains the Key Issue

Supporters and foes of a Santa Clarita slow-growth initiative are also battling for control of the City Council, and the results could help determine the future growth rate of the city.

The dominant theme in the race among 16 candidates for two seats on the five-member council is Measure A, a slow-growth initiative that would allow the city to approve only 475 housing units each year through 2002.

Ten of the 16 candidates oppose the measure, five support it and one is neutral.

Councilwoman Jan Heidt is running for reelection, but Councilman Howard (Buck) McKeon is not seeking a second term because he is running for Congress.

Whichever side wins the April 14 election could end up controlling the council because of the incumbents who are not up for reelection: One supports strict growth-control policies, another more often supports development and one is a swing vote.

Even if Measure A passes, “it is essential that the council have a slow-growth majority because implementation is everything,” said John Drew, the measure’s co-author.

Opponents of Measure A also see the race as crucial. “The overriding issue is who has the political power in the city, not just Measure A,” said George Pederson, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department captain who is running for one of the council seats.

Pederson, an opponent of Measure A, is the top fund-raiser in the race so far. He has raised $9,544, more than 50% from local business leaders and developers, according to an April 2 campaign finance report filed by all the candidates.

Here, in random order, are the candidates and some of their positions.

JAN HEIDT: Heidt, 53, owns a local bookstore. She opposes Measure A, but has cast more votes against proposed residential and commercial projects than any other council member, according to a city report. She recently voted for a tough hillside and ridgeline ordinance requested by local citizens groups and opposed by developers. A staunch supporter of public transit, Heidt would work toward establishing a citizens transportation advisory committee and for connecting Santa Clarita and Ventura by rail using existing tracks. She also wants the city to recruit certain businesses, such as warehouses, to increase local jobs. Heidt has raised $7,321.

LINDA STORLI: Storli, 43, is a high school teacher and parks commissioner appointed by former Councilman Dennis Koontz. An opponent of Measure A, she says she does not want to stop growth. If elected, Storli would work to quell the growing gang problem by encouraging private companies to open businesses in the city that cater to teen-agers, such as miniature golf courses. Storli also believes the city should help solve traffic problems by paying the cost of completing the White’s Canyon bridge, a Los Angeles County project that has been postponed for lack of funds. She would also limit dial-a-ride service to senior citizens and the handicapped. Storli, who has run unsuccessfully for the council before, has raised $2,600.

WILLIAM H. FRENCH: French, 60, is a representative of a carpenters union. He opposes Measure A. Asked about his platform, French said: “I wish I had more time to study the issues.” But he said he believes the council needs a construction expert, like him. “I can guide them in that, and they can guide me in other things,” he said. French has raised $6,300.

LEE SCHRAMLING: Schramling, 49, is a marketing consultant. Endorsed by Citizens for a Responsible Residential Initiative on Growth, or CARRING--the group that wrote Measure A--Schramling wants to see the measure pass, partly because he believes a similar initiative has benefited Thousand Oaks. If elected, Schramling urges the council to appoint an advisory committee of senior citizens and an economic development task force. Schramling has raised $4,372.

ANDY MARTIN: Martin, 67, is an insurance broker who has run for public office seven times without being elected. A resident of the Santa Clarita Valley for 33 years, he supports Measure A because he believes uncontrolled growth has sullied the beauty of the area. Martin is a veteran of World War II who adamantly opposes the pending closure of a veterans hall and bar in Canyon Country that was a target of neighbors’ complaints. Martin recently ran an ad in a local newspaper that claimed “no council members attended last year’s Veterans Day, however, a few days later they attended a house party for Russians in Sand Canyon.” The Russians he referred to are teen-age exchange students who are taking college business classes so they can go back to their country and help it convert to capitalism. Martin filed a statement indicating he did not raise more than $1,000.

GEORGE PEDERSON: Pederson, 67, opposes Measure A because he believes the city’s General Plan and its recently adopted hillside and ridgeline preservation ordinance will sufficiently limit growth. He would work toward gaining a voice in development matters outside Santa Clarita’s boundaries. The largest fund-raiser in the race so far, Pederson is seen as the front-runner by supporters of Measure A, who have attacked him for switching his party affiliation to Republican shortly before the race began. Of the 56,478 registered voters in Santa Clarita, 55% are Republican and 33% are Democrats. Pederson said he switched his affiliation from Democrat to Republican because he has long supported Republican policies and candidates. He has been endorsed by two Republican groups in the city.

MIKE LYONS: Lyons, 45, is a salesman and parks commissioner appointed by Heidt. He supports Measure A because he believes that allowing construction of at least 4,750 housing units over a 10-year period is not overly restrictive. If elected, Lyons would work to build more senior centers and a regional park in the city. He would also set alignments for future light-rail or trolley corridors, and build commuter bike trails. Lyons supports closing high school campuses at lunchtime to prevent gang fights. He has raised $1,920.

LINDA CALVERT: Calvert, 48, is a real estate agent who opposes Measure A because she believes existing ordinances will sufficiently control growth. If elected, she said her top priority would be obtaining a sphere of influence over unincorporated areas. She also supports developing light industry along the Sierra Highway north of Soledad Canyon Road, and would continue to support ordinances protecting mobile home park residents. To attract key employees, such as bilingual sheriff’s deputies, she wants the city to offer them low-interest home loans. The city should attract businesses by making improvements, such as curbs, that the companies would ordinarily have to provide. Calvert, who has run for the council before, has raised $2,095.

VERA JOHNSON: Johnson, 65, is a retired preschool director and co-founder of a local civic group active in transportation issues. She also has been endorsed by CARRING, the group that wrote Measure A. She believes the city should build roads before spending $35 million to build a proposed civic center. If elected, she would lobby state legislators to give the city a vote on the board of the Castaic Lake Water Agency, which sells imported water to local water companies. Johnson, who has run unsuccessfully for the council before, has raised $4,459.

RANDALL D. PFIESTER: Pfiester, 40, is a research scientist. An opponent of Measure A, he believes it would damage the local economy in a recessionary period. To relieve overcrowding in local schools, he believes developers who build housing tracts should provide private schools and an annuity to help pay for teachers’ salaries and building maintenance. He supports the proposed statewide school-voucher initiative, which would give parents $2,600 annually and allow them to send their children to any school they wanted, public or private. Pfiester filed a statement indicating he did not raise more than $1,000.

GARY JOHNSON: Johnson, 39, no relation to Vera Johnson, owns a computer store and is chairman of the city’s Small Business Development Center. He opposes Measure A because he believes it would hurt the local economy. If elected, Johnson would continue working to retain small businesses in the area, as well as try to attract new companies. He said he wants to build a center for teen-agers and allocate money annually for senior citizens. An issue in the campaign has been a lawsuit filed against Johnson by some software publishers who contend he illegally copied computer programs. Johnson said he believes that two former employees may have invented the charges and reported them to the software publishers in an effort to steal some of Johnson’s customers, according to a statement by Johnson’s attorney. Johnson has raised $5,019.

WAYNE CARTER: Carter, 64, is a retired maintenance supervisor. An opponent of Measure A, he believes the measure would be futile because building would continue in unincorporated areas surrounding the city. If elected, Carter said he would oppose building any more shopping centers or apartments and condominiums in the city. But he wants to see more senior citizen housing. Carter also believes a grand jury should investigate the Local Agency Formation Commission for rejecting the city’s recent request for a sphere of influence over 160 square miles of the Santa Clarita Valley. Carter, who has run for the council before, filed a statement indicating he will not raise more than $1,000.

GREG GOYETTE: Goyette, 34, is a computer programmer. He opposes Measure A, primarily because he believes most of the growth will take place outside the city, so “why control something that doesn’t need to be controlled?” If elected, he would urge the council to re-stripe Sierra Highway between San Fernando Road and Soledad Canyon Road to accommodate more traffic. He also wants the city to stop building brick medians and to use the money instead on road improvements, including the completion of the White’s Canyon bridge. He supports a proposed mobile home relocation ordinance that would require property owners to compensate tenants if parks were converted to other uses. Goyette filed a statement indicating he has not raised more than $1,000.

ED STEVENS: Stevens, 66, is a salesman. A supporter of Measure A, he believes it is necessary to limit growth to prevent more traffic problems and school overcrowding. To raise money for schools, he would lobby state officials and urge local school administrators to put bond issues on the ballot. He believes the city should pass an anti-loitering ordinance to prevent day laborers from soliciting jobs from passing motorists. In an interview, he said the laborers “make San Fernando Road look like Watts.” Stevens, who has run unsuccessfully for the council before, filed a statement indicating he will not raise more than $1,000.

BRUCE BELL: Bell, 46, is a technical editor who opposed the city’s successful annexation of the Pinetree area of Canyon Country. A Libertarian, he opposes Measure A and the city’s restrictive hillside and ridgeline preservation ordinance because he believes in the free market, he said. If the measure passed and he were elected, he said he would not implement it or defend it against any legal challenges. If elected, Bell said he would work toward lifting restrictions on businesses, particularly day-care centers. Bell filed a statement indicating he has not raised more than $1,000.

KEN DEAN: Dean, 52, is an architectural interior designer. Early in the race, he supported Measure A, but now says he is neutral on the issue because the 10-year life of the cap “is a long time and I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” But Dean said he is a firm believer in controlled growth, adding that if he is elected, he “might not approve any development, for that matter.” He also said developers should donate land for schools. Dean, who has run for the council before, has raised $1,640.