11/15 NEWS: County nears decision on vast Newhall Ranch project.
By Patricia Farrell Aidem, Daily News Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- The city and The Newhall Land and Farming Company are hammering out a compromise on the massive Newhall Ranch development as county officials move toward approving the 23,000-home project. "It's getting close," said Dave Vannatta, planning deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, whose district includes the Newhall Ranch property. "There's a good chance it will be ready for a complete review on Nov. 24. It's come a long, long way." Spurring Antonovich's likely recommendation for a conditional approval of Newhall Ranch are a number of compromises reached between Santa Clarita officials and Newhall Land. Newhall Ranch is planned on 12,000 acres west of the Golden State Freeway and south of state Highway 126. The land abuts the Los Angeles-Ventura county border.

While the Santa Clarita City Council remains opposed to Newhall Ranch, members would consider adopting a neutral stance if Newhall Land agrees to a list of 14 demands that includes concerns about the development's water supply, funding and facilities for youth sport programs. One of the city's most significant points is virtually settled, said Jeff Lambert, Santa Clarita's director of planning and building services. Newhall Land has agreed to turn over open land in the Santa Susana range for a sprawling public park that would be governed by an agency composed of city, county and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy representatives. "Conceptually, we've reached compromises on all 14 points, but a lot of the detail needs to be worked out," Lambert said. "I'm comfortable that we've made a lot of progress on most of the issues. Others, we'll wait and see the results of Mike Antonovich's work on solutions." Last week, the City Council appointed a subcommittee that includes Councilwomen Jill Klajic and Laurene Weste to continue negotiating the fine points with Newhall Land.

Meanwhile, Newhall Land is looking forward to a tentative approval when the county Board of Supervisors plans to review the plan Nov. 24. "We've been told we're on the agenda, and we're certainly hoping that the board indicates their approval," company spokeswoman Carol Maglione said. "We've been working extensively since July when the board asked us to work with the staff and resolve some of these issues. We're working with the county and the city to address the issues that the board directed us to. We're reaching resolutions."

The stakes are high for the city because local officials hope that eventually all outlying developments in the Santa Clarita Valley be annexed. Newhall Land could become part of Santa Clarita. "We've had a strong goal of one valley, one city," Lambert said. "We look at planning outside the city with the general goal that it will be inside the city. That largely has happened and there's every reason to believe it will continue to happen. "

11/15/98 8:23 AM