Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : City Votes to Amend General Plan to Include Parks, Trails

Parks, playgrounds and hiking trails are now officially among the priorities for the future of this high desert city.

On Wednesday, the City Council voted unanimously to amend the city’s General Plan to include the parks, recreation and trails element, which serves as a long-term blueprint for the city’s recreational needs.

Besides providing for playgrounds and other recreation areas, the element includes a vast network of walking and biking trails that will eventually link with other trails throughout northern Los Angeles County.

Mayor Jim Ledford said passing the amendment was an important step.

“This is one of those foundation blocks--that once you’ve got it, you’ve got something very special.”

Implementation of the various projects will be in step with the planned 50-year implementation of the overall General Plan, said principal planner Laurie Lile.

“It’s not like we’re going to go out and start building next week--parks are built as they’re needed,” Lile said. “But we are trying to ensure that the community has these things for a better quality of life.”

She said the element, which was nearly a year in the making, improves the city’s chances of getting funding for some of the projects.

“It’s easier to get grants when you’ve got a plan,” she said. “And now we’ve got it in black and white.”

Linda Pluss, who served on the citizens panel that helped draft the element, said there is a very basic need for some of the projects contained in it.

“There is no safe place to walk and ride now,” the self-proclaimed “middle-age bicyclist” told the council during a plea to pass the amendment. “There will be if this is activated.”