Changing landscape
Los Angeles County continues SCV housing plans for development
Editor’s note: The following story is the first in a several-part series looking at housing developments outside of city boundaries expected in the Santa Clarita Valley in the next few years.
Last month’s public hearing, to which Tesoro residents were invited, was, at first, almost procedural, given developers were to announce picking up where they had left off 10 years ago.
Tesoro residents were given a chance to weigh in on the plan to built the 820 homes to their community that were left unbuilt in 2008, when the recession hit and the building industry crashed. And, weigh in they did. What developers learned firsthand, however, and what SCV locals learned in coverage of the hearing was that numerous and vigorous housing projects are of growing and significant concern to residents.
The big concern voiced was over the anticipated increase in traffic the 820 new homes would bring.
And what residents may not realize is that they do have a chance to affect real change on the following projects, which have not been approved by the Los Angeles County Department of
Regional Planning, planning spokesman Mitch Glaser told The Signal on Friday.
Those at the beginning of this list, Centennial and Tesoro, are nearing the end of the regional planning process, while those following them remain in the early stages of that same process.
Centennial Specific Plan
Centennial is a housing development proposed for the upper northwest corner of the unincorporated L.A. County, about a mile east of Interstate 5, along Highway 138.
Although the project is not in the SCV Planning Area it is of significance to SCV due to its size and scope.
Centennial and its developer, Tejon Ranch Companies, would like to build 19,333 new residences, approximately 8.4 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, new schools, parks, fire stations and a sheriff’s station on the 12,323-acre site.
The California Aqueduct runs through grazing lands and crops.
The project, originally proposed to the county in 2002, is still in its preliminary stages, and has not yet received any approvals or entitlements, according to county planners who are still reviewing the developer’s report on the project’s environmental impact.
A public hearing on the plan was postponed this past week. The hearing was rescheduled to happen June 6.
The Highlands
The Highlands housing project calls for 820 homes, nine multi-family lots, 12 water quality basin lots, three water tank lots, one helipad lot, six senior recreation area lots, six linear park lots and nine private park lots, a senior recreation center, 29 lots reserved for open space and 24 private driveways.
The project is north of Avenida Rancho Tesoro and would require moving more than 18 million cubic yards of earth at the hilly site overlooking the San Francisquito Creek.
Eleven oak trees would be cut down, for which the developer would need permission from L.A. County officials.
The opportunity for citizens to comment on a draft report examining the project’s environmental impact ended two weeks ago.
Residents, however, can still try and affect change when a final supplemental environmental impact report is released later this year. A date for that public hearing has not been set.
Entrada South (Newhall Ranch)
One of those subdivisions is Entrada South, which is west of The Old Road, sandwiched between the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park to the north and the community of Westridge to the south
It feeds into Mission Village on its western side, sitting on just over 500 acres of land.
The development calls for 1,574 residential units including 339 homes and 1,235 multi-family units. It comes with 730,000 square feet of commercial development, an elementary school, private drives, public facilities, a park, private recreation centers and natural and manufactured open space areas throughout.
Developers are expected to make road improvements along portions of Magic Mountain Parkway, Media Center Drive, Commerce Center Drive and Westridge Parkway.
Other project-related improvements consist of a water tank and booster station, sewer improvements, a water quality basin, debris basins, storm drain/flood control improvements, access roads and off-site grading (borrow site) to the west of the project.
Entrada North (Newhall Ranch)
Entrada North sits on the north side of Six Flags, inside an irregular-shaped piece of land tucked inside the southwest corner of Interstate 5 and Highway 126.
The mixed-use subdivision takes up at least 457 acres and sits within the designated flood plain.
The Santa Clara River runs through it.
The plan calls for 1,150 multi-family residential units, 2,674,400 square feet of commercial development space, a public facility and a 270-room hotel including office, 270-room hotel. At least 272 acres have been set aside for open space.
Like its counterpart, Entrada South, no public hearing date has yet been scheduled.
Legacy Village (Newhall Ranch)
The Legacy Village subdivision takes up 1,758 acres and calls for 3,457 dwelling units, which breaks down to 1,011 homes and 2,446 condos.
It also includes a 342-bed senior assisted living facility, more than 30 acres devoted to public and private recreation areas, a fire station and commercial space that takes up 839,000 square feet.
It is situated directly south of Mission Village and skirts the northern edge of Stevenson Ranch.
Access to the site will require road extensions built onto Valencia Boulevard beyond West Ranch High School.
Citizens will get a chance to express their views and concerns about the subdivision once the Regional Planning Commission sets a date for a public hearing.
Tapia Canyon Ranch
At least 405 homes are scheduled to built for The Tapia Canyon Ranch project.
It includes eight open space lots, one water tank, one water pump station, a park, nine lots earmarked for the L.A. County Fire Department and one private street.
Building it will mean cutting down 12 oak trees including two heritage oaks, and encroaching on a dozen other oak trees, four of which are also heritage oaks.
Since the environmental papers have not yet been prepared, a public hearing date to allow residents to express themselves is still to be set.
Homestead South (Newhall Ranch)
The Homestead South subdivision is bordered by the first two Newhall Ranch subdivisions approved by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors—Mission Village to the east of it and Landmark Village to the south of it.
About 700 single-family homes and 29 buildings that would accommodate more than 2,900 condos and apartments come with the project.
More than 66,400 square feet has been set aside for commercial space, recreation centers, parks, schools, open spaces and public facilities.
Developers are also expected to build a Spineflower preserve.
Addressing traffic concerns, at least 23 “access lots” have been reserved for streets, including private streets and private driveways.
And while the developer will make sure to keep more than 1,060 oak trees, they have informed regional planners that they will be cutting down 380 oak trees, 23 of which are heritage oaks.
Again, since the required environmental papers have not yet been prepared, the public will get a change to voice concern at a public meeting still to be set.
Potrero (Newhall Ranch)
At the far end of the Newhall Ranch development—about a mile west of the extreme end of Stevenson Ranch—is the “Potrero Village” subdivision.
The project includes 1,164 single-family homes and close to 3,190 condos. The cluster of homes on at least 190 acres, comes with three parks
Potrero also includes five recreation centers, an elementary school, a fire station and a visitor center.
Potrero also expects to have a spineflower reserve that takes up close to 15 acres.
At least 1,463 acres have been set aside for open space.
Homestead North (Newhall Ranch)
At the extreme western edge of Newhall Ranch is a subdivision that doesn’t even have a website devoted to it yet on the regional planning website.
Homestead North is slated to be built on the north side of Highway 126, west of all the other Newhall Ranch projects.
Citizens are expected to have plenty of time to prepare their thoughts and concerns to share with planners.
Overland 1
The Overland project is split into two developments with the first of those projects calling for 75 homes and eight open space lots on 239 acres on the southeast corner of Bouquet Canyon Road and Esguerra Road.
Building it means cutting down nine oak trees and encroaching on the protected zone of another.
Overland 2
The second part of the Overland 234-acre project includes 16 open space lots but requires the construction of 234 homes on northwest and southeast corners of Bouquet Canyon Road and Vasquez Canyon Road,
Construction means cutting down one oak tree and encroaching on another.
Public hearings for both Overland projects are yet to be scheduled.