Soledad Village to be Piazza Metro

The Santa Clarita City Council held the public hearing for the new development Soledad Village yesterday evening. The development is going to have a name change to reflect the "commuter friendly" community that it is proposed to be. A heard from a friend who knows a friend that said the new name is going to be Piazza Metro.

The community, which the City Council approved the motion to continue the approval process at a future May 2006 meeting, is going to have several access points to a newly designed and built trail that skirts the Santa Clara river much to the dismay as some local enviornmentalist such as Lynne Plambeck who unsuccessfully ran for the recent April 11th City Council seats up for grabs. In addition to the trail access, this commuter friendly community, will also come with a new pedestrian bridge that will span across Soledad Canyon Rd to reach the Santa Clarita rail station to promote public transportation to residents and make it easier to access instead of using the cross walk down the road just west of the subject property.

This community will feature 407 units, in which 22 will be live/work units where the owner's will have the ability to transform the bottom floor of three, into their own business commercial space, lease it out to another business, and or incorporate into their own personal residence.

This new type of community that incorporates business, transportation, and personal residences all in one "village" is something the Planning Commission and City Council are looking closer at and wanting to do more of. For instance there is the proposed Monteverde Development Co project at the entrance to our city at the site of Smiser Mule Ranch, as well as a mixed-use plan for the Down Town Newhall area potentially.

Things-are-a-changing here in the Santa Clarita Valley. It will start to look more and more like a bedroom community meets 3rd street in Santa Monica, but with out the ocean, however we do have the "Bridgeport waterways" and the fierce Santa Clara River right?

Piazza Metro is welcome in my opinion. New and innovative communities are needed for the growth and diversity of our community. We don't want to be just another bedroom community, in which anyone can imitate. These developments will help to not only home buyers interested in Santa Clarita (demand), but they will enable businesses to keep finding reasons to relocate here from elsewhere in order to have a nice place for their employees live. Bottom line, if you are going to live in Los Angeles county, despite increased traffic, Santa Clarita is the place to be.

Top 10 Santa Clarita Schools Honored

Ten elementary schools in the Santa Clarita Valley made the 2006 California Distinguished Schools list released April 25, 2006.
The schools are named below are grouped by District:

Newhall School District

1) Old Orchard
2) Peachland
3) Pico Canyon
4) Valencia Valley
5) Wiley Canyon

Sulphur Springs District

6) Fair Oaks Ranch
7) Mint Canyon
8) Mitchell
9) Sulphur Springs

Saugus District

10) Rosedell

Congratulations to these distinct schools, and those who are striving to do better. Of the states 5,000 public elementary schools, approx. 5% are selected for the award each year. Out of the 2,043 elementary schools statewide eligible to apply this year, only 377 earned the honor.

For detailed School reports, scores, and info visit http://www.greatschools.net/

Smiser Mule Ranch to become Residential and Business Oasis

Upon entering the Santa Clarita Valley heading north on the I-5 freeway, you will notice to your right a 37 acre parcel of land where mules used to roam. I fondly remember, being in my Grandpa and Grandma's house on Wabuska St (right next to the Ranch in the Kelton Estates) hearing the reigns of these mules jingling heading on their way to the local Thrifty's shopping center (now Rite Aid) with Santa steering them from behind. They even made appearances at the Tournament of Roses parade. However those days are gone, and you don't see roaming mules, grazing cows, or onion fields in Santa Clarita anymore.

Jay and Joyce Rodgers, co-owners of Monteverde Development Co. Plan on changing things up on that piece land, quite a bit actually. You may one day see a 10 story high hotel glaring into the sky, with residential condos, shopping, restaurants, and a fitness center below. It is a new community they are tentatively calling The Commons. The Commons is set to be one of the new mixed-use developments that the City of Santa Clarita is starting to look keenly at. Another such development nearing approval is the Soledad Village community located off of Soledad Canyon Rd across and just east of the Saugus Speedway.

While nothing has been set in stone, and no leases have been signed as far as I am aware, this potential 600,000-square-foot business and retail center featuring a hotel; upscale shops, including a two-story anchor store; restaurants, a fitness center and 1,000 condos is sure to make for an attractive stop for those passing by north and south on the I-5. Something like this will probably be welcomed by those at City Hall mainly because it will make the best use out of the land and additionaly will be sure to divert local money away from the Stevenson Ranch shopping center located off of The Old Road which sends it's sales tax dollars directly to the Los Angeles County cougher. When centers like the one in Stevenson Ranch JUST oustide of city limits lure Santa Clarita residents to spend their money, it hurts the city in that it doesn't get a dime off of the sales tax generated.

To be noted, there is talk that the fitness center built at this new development would be that of the Santa Clarita Athletic Clubs. They would demolish their current facility located off of Calgrove and Wiley Canyon Road in order to establish the new fitness center.

All of this would have to be ran by the Planning Commission and then the City Council. Both the commission and the council have been pro-growth, so long as it fits within their vision of what Santa Clarita should look like. There are some concerns with the proposed development, such as it lying within a flood zone of sorts. There is also a Mobile Home Park sitting to the north of the Mule Ranch, I wonder if that will present a problem?

I look forward to seeing conceptual plans and more details in the future as things become more clear!

Santa Clarita Incumbents Sweep!

On Tuesday April 11, 2006 the Santa Clarita City Council incumbents had a great night. Frank Ferry, Marsha McLean, and Laurene Weste swept the race. The incumbents now get another four year term at the helm of city affairs. According to unofficial ballot accounts, McLean came in first, Ferry in second, and Weste in third. Mark Hershey, sergeant at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept., came in a close 4th place behind Weste, unofficially only 736 votes behind.

The voter turnout was possibly the lowest ever in the city's history. Is that surprising? Not really. In 2004 there was a meager 13.7 % of that years 74,723 voters showed up to the polls to cast their vote. This year it is estimated that as little as 13.2% of the 79,164 voters turned out. Its possible that residents of the city are simply satisfied with the direction Santa Clarita is going and think the current leadership is doing a good job. Lets face it, local elections aren't as glitzy, and never get the attention that state and federal elections get. People these days have the attention span of a gnat, if its not on their television, or AM radio dial, they very well may not know about it. Channel 20 SCVTV? Most resident don't know their local representatives names no less understand that they can watch the Tuesday proceedings of the City council or Planning commission on local cable.

I feel the city is headed in the right direction, and that the current leadership should have been re-elected. They were the most educated of the candidates about the affairs of our city, and honestly care about the direction our city is headed. Except for the minor possibility of Frank Ferry, not one of the incumbent winners (from what I can tell) have any higher political motivations for running in this election except to better our community. It sure isn't the measly Council member salary that keeps them there.

While a few challengers were running on single issues, such as the local environment, or street congestion, the victorious incumbents share a wider vision for the Santa Clarita Valley that is three dimensional and fair to all sides of the growth issue in one way or another.

Some advice if you don't like the results, get out and vote next time and bring your neighbors with you!



Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/

Santa Clarita Planning Commission Hits Pavement

On Tuesday April 4th 2006, the Santa Clarita Planning Commission will hit the road and see first hand in a group setting to explore what type of improvements can be made to the Sierra Highway corridor starting from San Fernando road up to and as far as Sand Canyon road.

The commission and city council have received complaints at some of their meetings that western parts of the city have received more attention than the east side. In effort to clean up Sierra Highway, the planning commission is hoping to pin-point problem areas and make them a focus. Dennis Ostrom, planning commissioner for Santa Clarita was quoted as saying efforts along Sierra Highway need to "refocus and revitalize without (establishing) a revitalization zone."

There is a revitalization project under way for the "Downtown" Newhall area. Many Santa Clarita residents would like to see the same thing done with many areas of Canyon Country. The zone so to speak for the Newhall area is much smaller in size than that which would have to be created for Canyon Country. So it will just have to take a concerted effort on our city's part to stay on top of business owners, industrial companies, and HOA's to do their part in helping beautify the area in focus. Attracting new businesses and amenities to this area to better serve the "east side" is also important.

Watching a town hall meeting recently on Public Access TV, one where all of the candidates of the April 11 2006 election were in attendance pitching their objectives "if" elected, it was pointed out that residents in Canyon Country (east side) don't even have a place to go buy books, unless they want to go to Cosco, or get a "romance novel" at the local grocery store. Valencia enjoys 3 book stores, Barnes and Noble, Boarders, and a B. Dalton located at the Valencia Town Center.

It may very well be that Canyon Country has seen a lack of "newer" development in recent years proportionate with other parts of Santa Clarita, but I feel that is changing. Part of the change will come with developments in coming years that include the completion of the Cross Valley Connector. This will bring more commerce to Canyon Country area businesses, which will mean more money in local business owners and retail centers pocket books, which then in turn allows them to expand their business and make improvements, some that we may be able to see in the form of better curb appeal at what are now slightly blighted strip malls, graffiti, broken signs, and all.

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/

Valencia Senior Community Offering Affordable Housing

FountainGlen Properties, LP., headquartered in Irvine has agreed to offer 8 affordable apartment rental units at their new development called FoutainGlen at Valencia which is located near the corner of Decoro and McBean. This agreement, now puts the City of Santa Clarita ahead of schedule of its June 2007 deadline, putting them in compliance with state affordable housing regulations.

Whenever market-rate housing is developed within Santa Clarita Redevelopment Agency areas, a certain number of affordable housing units must also be built. Additionally the same developer also included two affordable units to be offered at a Newhall 14 unit building that was built in 2002.

The senior citizen community of FoutianGlen at Valencia will include 226 apartment homes that will feature 1 bedroom 1 baths, 2 bedroom 1 baths, and 2 bedroom 2 baths. Tenants must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to qualify for these units. There will be 3 different categories of affordable housing offered: "very low income ($16,650/yr income)", "low income ($27,700/yr income)", and "moderate income ($44,350 yr/income or less)."

It is difficult no matter where you go to find affordable housing for those with limited incomes. Assuming there is one, the waiting list for this type of housing program is likely to be pages and pages long. With prospective tenants likely to frequent the leasing office asking where their name is on the list. Developers this day in age, are certainly not going above and beyond to offer this type of housing with the bottom line always being an issue. If this type of housing is what city residents want to see more of, then you will need to lobby the planning commission and city council who quite possibly may have it in themselves to go above and beyond the status quo.

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/