Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : 18-Month Battle Over Closure of VFW Post Ends Peacefully

An 18-month battle between Santa Clarita and a veterans group ended peacefully Thursday morning, with both sides ready to cease hostilities over the Sand Canyon post’s court-mandated closure.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert O’Brien found Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6885 in contempt of court, but agreed to suspend a $500 fine and possible jail time against the post’s members at the city’s request.

“The city felt it was necessary to have a final determination in this matter,” Assistant City Atty. Tim McOsker said in explaining why Santa Clarita pursued the charges but did not want a fine imposed. “The action was also based on the VFW’s recent cooperation and the sale of the post.”

The post illegally sold alcohol March 29, two months after it was ordered closed by the Santa Clarita City Council and the court for operating without a conditional-use permit. The 168-member post had also been ordered to stop serving alcohol and surrendered its liquor license at the end of October.

Gary Symonds, attorney for the post, said the veterans are satisfied with the ruling and are seeking a new site. The Sand Canyon site was sold earlier this month for $295,000 and is now used as a private residence.

An important aspect of the ruling is that members will be able to apply for a liquor license for their new facility. Alcohol sales are the post’s primary method of raising funds to pay bills.

“The city agreed that all of this that went on won’t have any bearing on a new application,” Symonds said.