A Surprise Hitch for Newhall Ranch Plan

The relatively smooth path toward county approval of the Newhall Ranch project turned rocky Wednesday after a planning commissioner said she might not support the plan unless much of the development was kept away from the Santa Clara River.

Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commissioner Cheryl Vargo’s request could be a significant hurdle for the Newhall Land & Farming Co. because the Newhall Ranch development, with a projected population of 70,000, has used its location along the river as one of its primary selling points.

Environmentalists have maintained at public hearings that the massive development along one of the last wild rivers in Southern California would lead to pollution, flooding downstream and the possible extinction of two endangered species in the river’s ecosystem.

Still, Vargo’s announcement--which came near the end of a Planning Commission meeting Wednesday--shocked fellow commissioners as well as supporters and opponents of the housing project planned for the Santa Clarita Valley near Magic Mountain.

Vargo said she wanted Newhall Land to remove 1,938 planned housing units on 324 acres between the Santa Clara River and California 126 so the river can be observed from the highway and the river valley can maintain its rural feel.

The number of units make up about 8% of the 25,000 houses, apartments and condominiums planned for Newhall Ranch.

“To me, the river is very important,” Vargo told the meeting. “If the river is as important as everybody says it is, this shouldn’t be hard.”

A planned water reclamation facility and a business park would be allowed to remain between the river and the highway.

Representatives from both Newhall Land and the planning department said the company might have to redesign much of the project if a majority of the five planning commissioners support Vargo when a vote is held in June.

“This would require major studies of geology, flood control, river crossings,” said Lee Stark, the county planner in charge of the Newhall Ranch project.

Marlee Lauffer, a Newhall Land spokeswoman, said removing about 2,000 residences in the planned Riverwood Village would disrupt the concept of Newhall Ranch, which is based upon five densely populated villages situated near the river with shops and recreation within walking distance of homes.

“When you plan all the infrastructure, the roads, the bridges, you plan on having a certain number of units,” Lauffer said. “So this affects our village concept. We’re going to have to work with the Planning Commission and planning staff on it.”

In the meantime, opponents were hopeful any significant changes in the plan would lead not only to further protection of the Santa Clara River, but also delay the housing project several more months.

“I really hope this throws a monkey wrench in things,” said Clarence Freeman, an engineer who lives in Fillmore.

Most observers had expected the commission to try to impose only minor changes on the planned development. And most did not expect Vargo--a commission member for less than four months--to be the boat-rocker.

“We thought she was going to be one of the least active,” one environmentalist said.

Vargo, a Manhattan Beach parking commissioner, was appointed to the post in January after newly elected county Supervisor Don Knabe selected the previous 4th District planning commissioner to be his chief deputy.

Vargo’s dramatic move was the only high point in an otherwise unsuccessful day for opponents of the project.

Newhall Ranch President James Harter said the company was within 30 days of reaching financial agreements with two school districts in the area. The districts would be responsible for educating most of the mini-city’s children.

Also, most of the concerns stressed by the public during five previous public hearings--including the threat of earthquakes, the availability of drinking water and the traffic and pollution problems caused by urban sprawl--were discussed only briefly or not at all by the commissioners.

“I’m really disappointed,” said Barbara Wampole, a environmental activist from Saugus. “I thought they were going to come in with a list of concerns and call people up and have them answer questions. But they never addressed the real issues.”

The commission voted to study Vargo’s proposal and to debate the issue at its next hearing on Newhall Ranch, scheduled for June 11. The project is expected to come before the Board of Supervisors later this year.