Zoning plan for Newhall area approved by Board of Supervisors

Ordinance effective in six weeks to end building freeze here

The County Board of Supervisors placed the final stamp of approval on the Newhall Zoning Ordinance at the regular meeting last Thursday in the Hall of Records.

The plan, as worked out between representatives of the Regional Planning Commission and the Newhall Chamber of Commerce, is substantially that exhibited at two public meetings held recently in Newhall.

The motion to approve was made by Supervisor Dorn, and drew unanimous approval of the other supervisors.

About six more weeks will be required to place it into actual effect.

STEPS IN ADOPTION

The process of bringing the plan into use involves the following steps, according to word from Supervisor Dorn’s office.

(1) The plan now goes to the office of the County Council, which will draw up the necessary ordinance, enacting it into law. This usually takes about two weeks.

(2) Legal requirements for public advertising must be carried out. This involves the publication, in the Signal, of notices and maps defining the details of the ordinance.

No opposition to the zoning plan as a whole appeared at the session of the Supervisors, according to Chamber of Commerce president Adrian Adams, who, with Judge C.M. MacDougall, represented Newhall at the meeting. Several residents of Railroad Canyon were also present.

FOUR DETAILS PENDING

The plan was approved subject to further study and clarification of four details. These were the Happy Hollow Boys Camp and the Happy Jack Ranch in Placerita Canyon, the proposed new plant of the Telephone Company, and the zoning status of Lyons Avenue.

Residents of West Newhall are most anxious to have Lyons Avenue zoned for commerce, at least through Atwood Addition. They had an attorney to represent them at the Supervisor meeting.

The action Tuesday marked a historic point in the development of Newhall, and its transition from the essential status of a village to that of town. It also took the 19 square miles covered out from under the building “freeze” ordinance in the Fifth Supervisorial District, and will make it possible for normal residential and commercial construction activity to resume within its limits.

EXCEPTION PERMITS

In the meantime, special exception permits continued to filter through the Regional Planning Commission. The latest was that for a house trailer camp on the Bill Wertz ranch in Bouquet Canyon. The zone exception notice specified space for 82 trailers, utility buildings, store and lodge structures and “attendant facilities.” A date for possible protestors against this permit will be set and May 10 was designated as deadline for filing notices of appeal with the Board of Supervisors.

Another exception case notice appears in this issue or the Signal, and involves the non-garbage hog ranch in Agua Dulce Canyon. A new public hearing date on this application was set for May 13, in the Regional Planning Commission hall. Opposition to the revival of this ranch has been vigorous in Agua Dulce Canyon, and a substantial delegation of A.D. residents is expected to be present for the hearing.

Still another exception case is being heard today (Thursday). This is the application of the Caldwell Wright Division of North Holywood for a permit to establish and operate an airplane engine testing facility in a side canyon off Soledad Canyon, in the Lang Station neighborhood. Local resident opposition to this enterprise flared furiously when it was belatedly discovered. However, the Caldwell Wright Company has made a vigorous effort to explain its proposed project, and to allay local fears and suspicions. Pending a final decision by the R.P. Commission, work on the testing site has been suspended, and a gate thrown across the access road.

PUBLIC INTEREST KEEN

Since the Dorn ordinance practically freezing construction in Soledad Township went into effect early in February, these special exception cases have formed the basis for all the major construction able to get permits. A good many small permits for residential extensions and additions have been Issued, but the net effect of the freeze ordinance was to halt most residential, commercial and industrial activity.

For this reason there was intense public interest In the zoning hearing Thursday, and the Signal phones were busy for 24 hours thereafter answering inquiries by anxious residents.