SANTA CLARITA : City Hikes Fees Paid by Developers

To cope with needs caused by growth, the Santa Clarita City Council has unanimously approved increases in the fees that the city charges developers for road and bridge construction in two areas.

In the Bouquet Canyon area, the fees paid by developers for each single-family house built were raised last week from $4,000 to $5,300, an increase of nearly 33%.

Similarly, in the area of a proposed extension of California 126 between Golden Valley and Soledad Canyon roads, developers’ fees were increased almost 17% from $4,800 to $5,600.

The revised fees reflect a need to widen some roads from two to four lanes in both areas because of increased traffic in the city and the Santa Clarita Valley, City Engineer Anthony J. Nisich said.

The community’s largest developer, Newhall Land & Farming Co., supports the increases, company spokeswoman Marlee Lauffer said.

“Generally, we’re not supportive of increased fees in this economic climate,” Lauffer said. “But it’s important that these roads get built, and we feel that the costs will be shared fairly and equitably.”