header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
February 21
1923 - Newhall Chamber of Commerce organized; Albert Swall elected president [story]
Albert Swall


Courtesy of The Signal, signalscv.com
| Monday, Aug 30, 2021
Pico Canyon Proposed Expansion
A proposed 37-home project would extend Magnolia Lane in the Southern Oaks of Stevenson Ranch to provide access to the single-family home residential development. Kev Kurdoghlian/The Signal.

 

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hear an appeal Tuesday for a 37-home development proposed for a 94.38-acre parcel of undeveloped land located southwest of Pico Canyon Road near Interstate 5, just east of Magnolia Lane.

The county Regional Planning Commission approved the project, known as Canyon View Estates, and the project’s mitigated negative declaration in May.

The negative declaration is an environmental document that identified potentially significant environmental effects of the project and mitigation measures that would avoid their effects or reduce the effects to less than significant, according to a county staff report prepared for Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

Paul Edelman with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which manages open space land adjacent to the proposed project, and Dean Wallraff, an attorney representing residents in the Southern Oaks community next door, appealed the commission’s approval shortly after.

Alyssa Banko lives in Southern Oaks in one of the homes near the end of Magnolia Lane, which would be extended into adjacent canyons to provide access for the proposed 37 single-family homes.

Banko said she’s primarily concerned about what adding 37 new homes dependent on Pico Canyon Road will mean for evacuations in the event of a fire.

“We’ve been evacuated in the past and we’ve had fires around the development. It’s chaotic,” she said, noting a 102-home project, west of Southern Oaks, known as Aidlin Hills, is also planned. “You’re just adding more people, you know, to the craziness of trying to evacuate in the event of an emergency, and we don’t want to become another Malibu or Paradise.”

Lynne Plambeck, president of Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment, said the project should be denied by the Board of Supervisors.

Her organization has fought the project as it’s made its way through the county approval process.

“We’re asking for an environmental impact report that will address the fire danger,” she said, adding the negative declaration did not sufficiently address fire risk.

Banko said she’s concerned about the lack of protections for existing homeowners in the Southern Oaks community, too.

“They’re going to be pounding and grading over 800,000 cubic yards in this canyon and this road is 40 feet off the edge of my house,” she said. “There’s no mitigation measures in place to protect us as homeowners.”

Banko also worked with a wildlife photographer to try to observe the wildlife that currently inhabits the space.

“Mountain lions is one aspect that they…didn’t even take in consideration whether they’re there or not,” she said, noting that the a recently installed wildlife camera captured a mountain lion on Aug. 9 in the proposed development area.

Nearly 79 acres, or 83.4%, of the development area is proposed as open space and lots are designed to range from 8,692 square feet to 31,868 square feet, according to the county’s staff report.

The Regional Planning Commission acknowledged the possible fire risks associated with the proposed siting of the 37 homes.

“A fuel modification plan for the perimeter of the proposed development envelope would be required and has been conceptually approved by the county Fire Department,” according to the commission’s finding, which indicate the project site is a “very high fire hazard severity zone.”

Jon Friedman, of Thousand Oaks, is the developer of the project. Friedman declined to comment for this story, directing The Signal to Williams Homes, a Santa Clarita-based homebuilder, which will manage the project if the Board of Supervisors denies the appeal.

Nathan Keith, the director of entitlements at Williams Homes, oversees the proposed project and will present the developer’s case to supervisors on Tuesday.

“Though we are disappointed that a project consistent with the L.A. County General Plan and Santa Clarita’s One Valley, One Vision, has resulted in an appeal, we look forward to the Board of Supervisors affirming the project’s approval that the Regional Planning Commission already considered and voted on,” he said in a prepared statement.

The 37-home project was first considered by the county Regional Planning Commission in 2018.

“For over four years, we’ve worked closely with L.A. County Regional Planning to ensure this project is consistent with the goals and policies of the county and that it will be a benefit to the local community and the Santa Clarita Valley,” Keith said. “This project is the final phase of Southern Oaks, which was always planned for, and will bring access to trails and preserve open space for residents.”

To learn more about Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, visit bos.lacounty.gov.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration Time 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
Stream TypeLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Feb 21, 2025
Feb. 25: City Council to Review Agreements, Sand Canyon Trail
The Santa Clarita City Council will meet in a special, closed session and open session on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at City Hall to consider a number of issues including litigation, agreements and the Sand Canyon Trail.
Friday, Feb 21, 2025
Purchase Sponsorships, Tickets  to 2025 Silver Spur Honoring Marlee Lauffer
The College of the Canyons Foundation will honor Marlee Lauffer with the 2025 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of her longtime support of the college and philanthropic contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley.
Friday, Feb 21, 2025
Residents Urged to Sign Petition to Keep Convicted Murderer in Prison
Santa Clarita Valley residents are urged to sign a petition demanding the California State Parole Board keep convicted murderer Robert Alan Grigsby in prison.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Santa Clarita City Council will meet in a special, closed session and open session on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at City Hall to consider a number of issues including litigation, agreements and the Sand Canyon Trail.
Feb. 25: City Council to Review Agreements, Sand Canyon Trail
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced the accomplishments of district junior high school students at the regional MATHCOUNTS competition held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at California State University, Northridge.
Hart District Mathletes Secure Honors at MATHCOUNTS Competition
The College of the Canyons Foundation will honor Marlee Lauffer with the 2025 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of her longtime support of the college and philanthropic contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley.
Purchase Sponsorships, Tickets  to 2025 Silver Spur Honoring Marlee Lauffer
Santa Clarita Valley residents are urged to sign a petition demanding the California State Parole Board keep convicted murderer Robert Alan Grigsby in prison.
Residents Urged to Sign Petition to Keep Convicted Murderer in Prison
1923 - Newhall Chamber of Commerce organized; Albert Swall elected president [story]
Albert Swall
College of the Canyons will be hosting Information Nights on Thursday, March 6 at its Canyon Country campus and on Thursday, April 3 on Zoom to better assist high school seniors who are interested in starting their college experience at COC.
COC Information Nights for Prospective Students Announced
Looking for a job? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join its team for the summer.
Apply Now for Summer Jobs at the City of Santa Clarita
The Santa Clarita Veteran Services Collaborative has announced a special Veteran Painting Day, a community event that will take place 8-11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 at Hello Subaru of Valencia, 24000 Creekside Road, Valencia, CA 91355.
Feb. 23: SCVSC, Gianna Martinez Hosts Veteran Painting Day
Join a InfluenceHER mastering soft power panel discussion, 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, March 11 at Egg Plantation.
March 11: InfluenceHER Mastering Soft Power Panel Discussion
The Master's University men's basketball team stayed in a tie for first place at the top of the GSAC standings with an 82-64 win over the Life Pacific Warriors Saturday night, Feb. 15 in San Dimas.
Mustangs Stay Tied at Top with Win over LPU
The Santa Clarita Public Library will host a author event for "One Story One City" author Zoraida Córdova, 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 at The Mitchell River House.
March 1: ‘One Story One City’ Author Zoraida Córdova Book Signing
Braden Van Groningen  took the set from Matthew Hamm and pounded it down for a kill to seal The Master's University's five-set win over Stanford Saturday night, Feb. 15 in Palo Alto.
The Master’s Men’s Volleyball Beats Stanford
A stout fourth-quarter defense stifled a potential Life Pacific comeback as The Master's University women's basketball team defeated the Warriors 79-57 Saturday, Feb. 15 in San Dimas.
Lady Mustangs Defeat Warriors on the Road
The Los Angeles county Board of Supervisors are seeking applicants for its newly formed Governance Reform Task Force.
Supes Seek Applicants for Governance Reform Task Force
College of the Canyons women's basketball did its very best to secure victory in its final game at the Cougar Cage on Tuesday, Feb. 18 but instead emerged from the contest on the wrong side of a 52-51 result vs. Santa Monica College.
Canyons Dealt 52-51 Loss in Home Finale
College of the Canyons battled visiting Cypress College for 10 innings at Whitten Field on Tuesday, Feb. 17 before the Chargers pushed one across to escape with a 2-1 non-conference victory.
Cougars Suffer 2-1 Extra Innings Loss to Cypress
The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board unanimously approved the appointment of Ben Wobrock as the new Principal of Castaic High School.
Ben Wobrock Named Principal of Castaic High School
College of the Canyons men's golf kept its unbeaten streak intact with a two-stroke victory at the Western State Conference tournament played at Alisal Ranch Golf Course on Monday, Feb. 17.
Cougars Keep Streak Intact, Win Fourth Straight
The County of Los Angeles Fire Department  and Women’s Fire League will host the ninth annual Women’s Fire Prep Academy, beginning on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Feb. 22-March 29: Women’s Fire Prep Academy
1906 - L.A. County accepts Mr. H.C. Register's bid to build (Old) Newhall Jail for $2,237 [story]
Old Newhall Jail
Join WEWIL Collaborative as they celebrate their third annual International Women's Day Celebration on March 8. 
March 8: Celebrate the Third Annual International Women’s Day Celebration with WEWIL Collaborative
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies and detectives have successfully taken three suspects into custody, linking multiple felony cases across the Santa Clarita Valley.
SCV Sheriff’s Detectives Secure Three Arrests in Major Retail Theft Cases
 The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation is recruiting lifeguards for the upcoming summer season.
L.A. County Parks is Recruiting Pool Lifeguards For Summer 2025
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger offering a $20,000 reward in exchange for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for the murder of 23-year-old Menghan Zhuang in Santa Clarita.
Supes Approve $20K Reward in Murder of CalArts Student
SCVNews.com