HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-05-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - NEGDEC SOUTH SC SPHERE AMEND (2)Agenda Item: 2—
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
PUBLIC HEARING City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by: Kai Luoma
DATE: May 10, 2005
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND
TO FILE AN APPLICATION WITH LAFCO FOR THE SOUTH
SANTA CLARITA SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AMENDMENT
(MC05-078), LOCATED OUTSIDE THE SOUTHERN
BOUNDARY OF THE CITY LIMITS GENERALLY EAST OF
INTERSTATE 5 AND WEST OF CITY LIMITS
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Economic Development
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council open the public hearing, receive testimony, close the public hearing and adopt the
resolution adopting the Negative Declaration and authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to
file a Sphere of Influence Amendment application with the Local Agency Formation
Commission (LAFCO).
BACKGROUND
This action would authorize the City Manager, or designee, to file an application to LAFCO for
the South Santa Clarita Sphere of Influence amendment to amend the City's existing sphere of
influence (SOI) to include approximately 595 acres of area. The subject site is generally located
in the area between the southern boundary of the City and Interstate 5 (see Exhibit A of the
Resolution). The SOI amendment would extend the City's SOI to generally match the watershed
ridge which physically separates the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys.
ANALYSIS
Sphere oflnfluence
A sphere of influence is defined by the Cortese -Knox -Hertzberg Local Government
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Reorganization Act of 2000 (Gov. Code 56000) as "...a plan for the probable physical
boundaries and service area of a local agency..." It allows cities to plan in cooperation with
other agencies for public services such as police, fire, parks, roads, and flood control. A sphere
of influence amendment is not an annexation, nor does an amendment to an adopted sphere
initiate annexation proceedings. No changes to jurisdictional boundaries, regulatory authority,
public or private services, tax revenue distribution, land use designations or zoning would ensue
as a result of the proposed amendment.
The proposed amendment would extend the City's sphere to approximately the ridgeline that
physically separates the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys. The City of Los Angeles is also
considering amending its SOI and extending it to the same ridgeline. In 2000, the City Council
of the City of Los Angeles directed staff to prepare an application for a sphere amendment to
submit to LAFCO. Their amended sphere would encompass about 30 square miles north of the
San Fernando Valley, and would abut the City of Santa Clarita's extreme southern boundary as
well as the southern boundary of Santa Clarita's proposed sphere (see attachment A). LA's City
Council is scheduled to take action on the item in May of this year.
Impact of Sphere Amendment
The extension of the City's SOI would formalize a procedure for the County to refer proposed
actions and proposals in the subject area to the City of Santa Clarita for review and comment. It
is important that the City have the opportunity to provide such comments, as development in the
subject area may result in direct physical impacts to the City and to service providers serving the
City and vicinity.
Any development activity on the north side of the ridgeline would directly and indirectly impact
the City of Santa Clarita as well as other service providers serving Santa Clarita and portions of
the Santa Clarita Valley. Development on the south side of the ridgeline would directly impact
the City of Los Angeles. For instance:
• Watershed — The ridgeline separates the watersheds of the Santa Clara and Los Angeles
Rivers. Drainage on the north side of the ridgeline flows directly into the City of Santa
Clarita via Newhall Creek and the South Fork of the Santa Clara River. Any
development on the north side of the ridgeline will directly impact drainage in the City of
Santa Clarita.
• School Districts — The ridgeline in the subject area generally serves as the separation
between the Newhall School District, which services the City of Santa Clarita and
portions of the Santa Clarita Valley, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Students on the north side of the ridgeline attend schools in Santa Clarita while students
on the south side of the ridgeline attend LAUSD schools.
• Sheriff— The site is located within the jurisdiction of the Santa Clarita Valley Substation
of Region 1 of the LA County Sheriff's Department. The substation also services the
City of Santa Clarita, unincorporated areas of the Santa Calrita Valley, and is located in
the City of Santa Clarita.
• Water Agencies — The entire site is located within the Castaic Lake Water Agency's
boundaries, which serves the Santa Clarita Valley. The Newhall County Water District
boundaries include a portion of the site, as well as abut the site to the north and
southwest. The Newhall Water District services significant areas of the City of Santa
Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley.
The above examples do not include other such impacts that can be expected from development in
the subject area, such as increased traffic into the City and its impacts on roads and intersections.
For these reasons, it is important that the City have the formalized commenting procedure and
planning tool that a sphere of influence affords.
Negative Declaration
As mentioned, a sphere amendment is not an annexation nor does it initiate an annexation. No
development project is proposed as part of this project. No change to jurisdictional boundaries or
authority will occur. As a result, the Initial Study prepared for this project, a copy of which is
available in the City Clerk's reading file, determined that there will be no adverse impacts to the
environment. Therefore, a Negative Declaration (Exhibit B of the Resolution) has been prepared
for the project.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
1. Council may choose not to adopt Resolution and not submit application to amend the
City's sphere of influence.
2. Other direction as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the sphere of influence as proposed would have no fiscal impact. The County will
continue to have jurisdiction over the site. It does not give any jurisdiction to the City.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Map of City of LA Proposed Sphere
Initial Study available in the City Clerk's Reading File
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING/
NTENT TO ADOPT A NEGATIVE DECLARATION
APPLICATION: MASTER CASE NUMBER MC05-078
(Sphere of Influence Amendment)
PROTECT APPLICANT: City of Santa City of Santa Clarita
Department of Planning and Economic Development
23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Contact Person: Kai Luoma, AICP, Senior Planner
' r JIL
APR 6 8 2005
LOS ANGELES, COUNTY CLEW.
PROTECT DESCRIPTION: The project is an amendment to the City of Santa Clarita's Sphere of Influence to include
approximately 595 acres of area in order to establish the probable ultimate boundary of the urban
service area of the City of Santa Clarita. A sphere of influence modification is not an annexation,
nor does modification to an adopted sphere initiate annexation proceedings. No changes to
jurisdictional boundaries, regulatory authority, public or private. rvices, tax revenue distribution,
or land use would ensue as a result of adopting the sphere 'of 16# a proposed.
PROJECT LOCATION: The South Santa Clarita Sphere of Influence Amendment Area 0-Jocated in the unincorporated
area of the County of Los Angeles between the southern boundary'of the City and Interstate 5
beginning on the north at the City's boundary and extending south to within approximately V4
mile of the Interstate 5/State Route 14 interchange. Assessor Parcel Numbers 2827-028-005
through 008, 010, 014, 016, 017, 900 and 2827-029-004, 008, 012, 016, 900 and 2827-036-001,
004, 006 through 014.
A DRAFT NEGATIVE DECLARATION has been prepared for this proposed project and is available for a public review period,
during which the City of Santa Clarita Planning & Economic Development Department will receive comments, beginning at 12:00
p.m. on April 8, 2005 and ending at 12:00 p.m. on May 9, 2005. During the public review period a copy of the initial study, negative
declaration and all supporting documents will be located at:
City Hall
Department of Planning & Economic Development
23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 302
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
A copy of the draft negative declaration (without all supporting documents) will be posted at the Los Angeles County Library,
Valencia Branch during the public review period noted above.
The City of Santa Clarita City Council will conduct a public hearing on this matter on the following date:
DATE: May 10, 2005
TIME: 6:00 p.m
LOCATION: Council Chamber, City Hall
23920 Valencia Blvd., First Floor
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
If you wish to challenge the action taken on this matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else
raised at the public hearings described in this notice, or written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clarity at, or prior to, the
public hearings. If you wish to have written comments included in the materials the City Council receives prior to the public hearing,
it must be submitted to the Planning & Economic Development Department by 12:00 P.M. on April 27, 2005.
For further information regarding this proposal, you may contact the City of Santa Clarita, Department of Planning & Economic
Development, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Third Floor, Santa Clarita, CA 91355; Telephone: (661) 255-4330, Kai Looms, AICP, Senior
Planner.
Paul Brotzman
Sharon L. Dawson
Director Planning and Economic Development
City Clerk
Posted: Santa Clarita City Hall
Published: The Newhall Signal
Los Angeles Comity Library, Valencia Branch
April 8, 2005
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CITY OF SANTA CLARrrA
NEGATIVE DECLARATION
[X] Proposed [ ] Final
MASTER CASE NO: MC 05-078 Y
PERMIT/PROJECT NAME: Sphere of Influence Amendment
APPLICANT: City of Santa Clarity
Staff Contact: Kai Luoma, AICP, Senior Planner
23920 Valencia Blvd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
PROJECT LOCATION: The South Santa Clarita Sphere of Influence Amendment Area is located in
the unincorporated area of the County of Los Angeles between the southern
boundary of the City and Interstate 5 beginning on the north at the City's
boundary and extending south to within approximately °/4 mile of the
Interstate 5/State Route 14 interchange. Assessor Parcel Numbers 2827-
028-005 through 008, 010, 014,0)9 , 6Zo, 900 and 2827-029-004, 008,
012, 016, 900 and 2827-036-001, 004,006 through 014.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project is an amendment to the City of Santa Clarita's Sphere of
Influence to include approximately 595 acres of area in order to establish the
probable ultimate boundary of.the urban service area of the City of Santa
Clarita. A sphere of influence modification is not an annexation, nor does
modification to an adopted sphere initiate annexation proceedings. No
changes to jurisdictional boundaries, regulatory authority, public or private
services, tax revenue distribution, or land use would ensue as a result of
adopting the sphere of influence proposed.
Based on the information contained in the Initial Study prepared for this project, and pursuant to the
requirements of Section 15065 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City of Santa Clarity
[X ] City Council [] Planning Commission [ ] Director of Planning and Economic Development
finds that the project as proposed or revised will have no significant effect upon the environment, and that a
Negative Declaration shall be adopted pursuant to Section 15070 of CEQA.
Mitigation measures for this project
[X] Are Not Required [ l Are Attached [ ] Are Not Attached
Prepared
Approved
Kai Lucma, AICP. Senior Planner
(Name/Title)
Public Review Period From April 8 2005 �To May 9.2005. ^
Public Notice Given On April 8. 2005
[X] Legal Advertisement [ ] Posting of Properties [X] Written Notice
CERTIFICATION DATE:
EXHIBIT B