Condo Plan OKd After Addition of Play Areas : Housing: The developer makes last-minute provisions for children to win county planners’ approval for the 634-unit Newhall project.

Plans to build a large condominium project in Newhall were approved Thursday by the Los Angeles County Planning Commission, but only after the developer agreed to include play areas for children.

The project still must be approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

The public hearing on the 634-unit condominium development, proposed by American Beauty Investment Co., brought complaints from two residents of a nearby American Beauty project.

“There are no provisions made for children,” Canyon Park resident Lauri Maines said. “Where they can play is in the public street” outside the project, she said.

Children cannot be left unattended in pool areas inside Canyon Park, Maines said, and the project’s landscaped areas, streets and driveways are off limits to children.

Developer Jack Shine said the testimony was the first he had heard of the problem. “No one from the homeowners association has ever contacted me about this,” he said. “I’m very sensitive to this.”

Initially, planning commissioners said the issue of who may use recreational or landscaped areas within a project is a concern of the condominium association, not of county government.

But they changed their minds after Maines and Canyon Park resident David Thompson pointed out that the condominiums are aimed at attracting first-time home buyers, many of whom have or will soon have young children. The homeowners also said that the four recreation areas in the proposed complex were all planned as pool-and-hot tub facilities where children must be accompanied by adults.

Commission Chairman Paul Robinson called a 10-minute recess, telling Shine that if he did not alter the plan to provide child play areas during that break, the commission would postpone consideration of his project.

“I think it’s something that needs to be determined right now,” Robinson said.

Shine feverishly consulted with members of his staff and returned with a plan to add playgrounds to three of the four pool areas in the new development. The project then received unanimous commission approval.

After the hearing, Robin Shine Ackerman--a public relations executive who is Shine’s daughter and spokeswoman--said Shine also would consider adding children’s play areas to the two existing sections of Canyon Park.

“The homeowners were absolutely right,” Ackerman said.

The 634 condominiums approved Thursday will be built on 43 acres just east of Sierra Highway in Newhall. Shine had received previous county approval to build 494 larger condominiums on the land, but he said the recession has sparked more demand for the smaller units, which sell for between $100,000 and $150,000.

Shine said he plans to begin construction in early 1993 and to complete the project within four years.