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
December 7
1921 - William S. Hart (57) marries actress Winifred Westover (23) [story]
Bill and Winifred Hart


The Santa Clarita City Council members voted 5-0 Tuesday evening to a plan that will bring a bigger Senior Center and a bigger YMCA building to the Five Knolls community now under development in Saugus, along with 154 additional 3- and 4-bedroom age-restricted detached condominiums.

The Planning Commision voted unanimously Jun 2 to recommend the revision to the Five Knolls development plan, which called for 494 homes on 247 acres between Bouquet Canyon Road on the north and Soledad Canyon Road on the south.

Rick Doremus, president of Synergy, presented the proposed revision at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Doremus said the approximately 12,000-square-foot Senior Center in Newhall is too small and inadequate; the new Senior Center at Five Knolls, at 30,000-plus square feet, would replace it. He said the new Senior Center and the YMCA are compatible.

They will separate buildings but will share a parking lot.

“This will be a new social gathering place for seniors and people of all ages for the YMCA in the future,” Doremus said.

City Council committed $3 million to support construction of a new SCV Senior Center on Nov. 25, 2014, according to Tuesday’s agenda. Doremus said his company’s contribution matches that amount.

Council member TimBen Boydston was concerned about enough parking, traffic impacts, and whether there was enough water.

Dan Masnada, general manager of the Castaic Lake Water Agency, confirmed the Santa Clarita Water District will be supplying the water for the project. He said the revised project has lower water demand, and that there will be sufficient water for the long-term project. He said the SCV has a four-year supply of water banked, and that Gov. Jerry Brown’s order for individuals to reduce water consumption by 25 percent is unrelated to that fact.

Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. analyzed the parking demand to ensure the parking will be sufficient.

The analysis found that the YMCA and the SCV Senior Center have peak hours and different times throughout the day, with a maximum parking demand of approximately 374 parking spaces at the peak for both.

Officials said 404 parking spaces will be provided for the YMCA and the SCV Senior Center which will exceed the code requirement of 391 parking spaces, 248 for the YMCA and 143 for the SCV Senior Center, by 13 spaces.

The codd requires single-family detached condominium projects to provide a two-car garage for each unit, as well as guest parking stalls — 1 stall for every 2 units — evenly distributed throughout the development, according to Tuesday’s agenda.

Each proposed residential unit has a two-car garage, and the project site provides 82 guest parking stalls, in excess of the 77 code-required guest parking stalls, distributed throughout the project site, according to Tuesday’s agenda.

Mayor Marsha McLean raised concerns that the drawing of the proposed YMCA “looks like a warehouse. It doesn’t denote Canyon Country at all.” She said her vote on the development project would depend on a revision to the architectural design.

Doremus said his company would take another look at the design and that if McLean’s vote depended on it, “we will absolutely take another look.”

Councilwoman Laurene Weste, who favored the project, raised concerns about handicap accessibility issues for the age-restricted housing, such as hinges and guard rails that would be used in bathrooms.

“It’s past time for a new Senior Center,” said Weste. “I can’t think of anything that’s more deserving than our kids and our elderly, and it has my vote 100 percent.”

Councilman Dante Acosta questioned the size of the proposed age-restricted housing. Acosta wondered if there was a need for 2-story, 2,000-square-foot homes with two or three upstairs bedrooms, but he also supported the project.

Said Councilman Bob Kellar: This will make Santa Clarita great. What an opportunity for the Santa Clarita Valley.”

Most of the speakers during public participation supported the proposed changes to the project and urged the council to approve the new Senior Center.

“The Senior Center is something that a lot of us appreciate,” said Acosta, “and someday we’ll be using it in the near future.”

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.

11 Comments

  1. Dan OConnell says:

    This is the first I’ve heard that “SCV has a four-year supply of water banked.” I just got a robo-call tonight asking to conserve more water. Apparently there is not enough for existing properties but you are on the list for a four-year bank of water if you are developing a property.

    • SCVNews.com says:

      The confusion probably lies in the fact that Jerry Brown’s water conservation edict has nothing to do with how much water we have. The SCV has a lot of water. Our water board members & staff have been doing their jobs to secure more water. Right now we have a rotating 4-year supply. Brown’s water edict has nothing to do with population. Whether 50,000 people move in tomorrow or 50,000 people move out tomorrow or nothing happens tomorrow, under the rule from Sacramento, each INDIVIDUAL must reduce by 25 percent. Whether there are 10 people or 1 million people, whether our valley has 10 years of water stored or zero stored, each individual must reduce usage by 25 percent because Jerry Brown and the Legislature say so.

  2. Sara Jones says:

    Well, thankfully Jerry Brown has now made it legal for us to have brown grass, I mean that is a serious crime having brown grass in the middle of a drought. So stupid that this is the kind of “laws” we need.

  3. Water I would think that is too many toilets flushing we have so many old homes that need to be sold why more houses that want water.

  4. The real story of what the city lost was never even mentioned in this story. All this meeting was about was changing two lots reserved for public benefit by a covenant into three lots to provide the developer with 154 age restricted condominiums lots. The council then removed the public benefit required under the covenant,

    Now only a small portion is left to build the senior center and YMCA. Will they ever be built? Will the public ever receive any public benefit from this project?

    To not report what really was approved by the Santa Clarita Planning commission and city council leaves out the facts and the loss to the public of the promised community public benefit promised by this development.

    We all know that the developers give big campaign contributions in our local elections.

  5. Age restricted usually means seniors and seniors are safer in multi unit housing.

  6. john Pett says:

    The new SCV Senior center, five knolls senior housing and the proposed ymca will create a parking and traffic mess. Soneone got paid off on this deal.

  7. Allie says:

    I’ve been reading about this YMCA being built for close to 22 years. Will this really be happening?

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Dec 5, 2025
West Coast Health Alliance Recommends Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns
The West Coast Health Alliance strongly supports that hepatitis B vaccination continue to be routinely offered to all newborns, with the first dose of the vaccine given within 24 hours of birth for newborns weighing at least 4 pounds, 7 ounces, followed by completion of the vaccine series.
Friday, Dec 5, 2025
Dec. 11: ‘Artmas: After Dark, After Hours’ Popup Art Show in Old Town Newhall
Weird Gallery presents Artmas: After Dark, After Hours, a student‑led art show featuring College of the Canyons and California Institute of the Arts students.
Friday, Dec 5, 2025
Dec. 9: City Council to Install New Mayor in Annual Reorganization
The Santa Clarita City Council will hold a Special Meeting in open session on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 5 p.m. at Santa Clarita City Hall to conduct the annual Council Reorganization event, when the gavel will be passed to a new mayor.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1921 - William S. Hart (57) marries actress Winifred Westover (23) [story]
Bill and Winifred Hart
1864 - Actor William S. Hart born in Newburgh, New York [Hart Index]
Wm. S. Hart
The West Coast Health Alliance strongly supports that hepatitis B vaccination continue to be routinely offered to all newborns, with the first dose of the vaccine given within 24 hours of birth for newborns weighing at least 4 pounds, 7 ounces, followed by completion of the vaccine series.
West Coast Health Alliance Recommends Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has credited the combined efforts of law enforcement, public health leaders, educators and community advocates, along with his office’s sustained campaign to expose the dangers of fentanyl, for driving a historic 22 percent decline in overdose and poisoning deaths across Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County Sees Sharp Decline in Overdose Deaths
Poets, dreamers and storytellers, the deadline for the 2026 Sidewalk Poetry Project is on Sunday, Dec. 14.
Dec. 14: Sidewalk Poetry 2026 Deadline to Submit
Rock Bottom Media and JMV Productions will host free photos with Santa for the whole family including pets, 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at Locale Studios.
Dec. 7: Bring Pets for Free Photos with Santa at Locale Studios
Weird Gallery presents Artmas: After Dark, After Hours, a student‑led art show featuring College of the Canyons and California Institute of the Arts students.
Dec. 11: ‘Artmas: After Dark, After Hours’ Popup Art Show in Old Town Newhall
The city of Santa Clarita invites residents to enjoy a new holiday light show now illuminating the River of Lights at Central Park.
Holiday Magic Lights Up Central Park
Lucky Luke Brewing and Good Vibes Events L.A. presents its Ugly Sweater Holiday Market, 3-8 p.m. Saturday Dec.13 at Lucky Luke Brewing, 25108 Rye Canyon Loop, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Dec. 13: Lucky Luke Brewing, Good Vibes Ugly Sweater Holiday Market
The Santa Clarita City Council will hold a Special Meeting in open session on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 5 p.m. at Santa Clarita City Hall to conduct the annual Council Reorganization event, when the gavel will be passed to a new mayor.
Dec. 9: City Council to Install New Mayor in Annual Reorganization
Sky Zone Trampoline Park will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting 4:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 at 26573 Carl Boyer Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Dec. 18: Sky Zone Trampoline Park Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit are asking for the public’s help locating At-Risk Missing Person John L Brown.
LASD Asks for the Public’s Help in Locating Missing Santa Clarita Man
Last week we kicked off the boys and girls Foothill League soccer seasons, noting that there were a number of league games coming up on Dec. 2 and 4. Now that those have been contested, here is where things stand:
Foothill League Soccer: Hart, Saugus Rolling
1938 - County Supervisors award construction contract for jail at Wayside Farms in Castaic, later called Pitchess Detention Center [story]
Wayside
The city of Santa Clarita will present its latest art exhibition, “Let Go,” by Dani Samson, on view now through Feb. 4, at the Canyon Country Community Center.
Explore ‘Let Go’ Art Exhibit at Canyon Country Community Center
College of the Canyons celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement program on Tuesday, Nov. 25, with an event held in the Aliso Hall courtyard.
MESA Celebrates 25 Years of Student Success at COC
Kaiser Permanente joined the Saugus Union School District recently to honor its outstanding achievement in health education; all 15 SUSD district schools earned America’s Healthiest Schools All-Star Recognition from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Kaiser Presents $10,000 Community Health Grant to SUSD
JCI Santa Clarita is seeking volunteers to support its annual Santa’s Helpers program, a beloved community tradition that brings holiday joy to children and families in need throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.
JCI Santa Clarita Seeks Volunteers for Annual Santa’s Helpers Toy Drive
"Fatherless No More" is a new faith-based documentary that has been officially accepted for an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run at the Laemmle Theater in Old Town Newhall.
Dec. 5-11: ‘Fatherless No More’ Begins Oscar Campaign at Laemmle
The Master's University will present "Alleluia! TMU Come Christmas Sing" on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in The Master’s University Music Recital Hall on the college campus is Placerita Canyon.
Dec. 6: ‘Alleluia! TMU Come Christmas Sing!’
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Water Resources and Watershed Committee will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m.
Dec. 10: Water Resources and Watershed Committee Meeting
College of the Canyons cross country had a combined 10 student-athletes earn All-Western State Conference honors for the 2025 season, with all seven members of the women's team earning recognition.
Canyons Cross Country Teams Combine for 10 All-WSC Selections
College of the Canyons had eight players earn Southern California Football Association (SCFA) All-League awards, with three players recognized as First-Team selections.
Canyons Football Sees Eight Earn SCFA All-League Recognition
College of the Canyons women's volleyball was recognized with six players named to the all-conference team, with freshman Katelyn Nelson and sophomore Morgan Dumlao both taking home All-Western State Conference, South Division First-Team awards.
Canyons Features Six Players on All-Conference Squad
SCVNews.com