CASTAIC LEADERS FIGHT FOR LAND\Project could shrink district.

Byline: James J. Rodriguez Daily News Staff Writer

Once an old Indian settlement, then a stage coach stop, the town of Castaic has undergone tremendous transformation over the years. One thing has remained the same: a sense of community.

Up until about 10 years ago, the area was known as a tiny town off the Golden State Freeway that catered to truckers and motorists using the major north-south corridor.

But over the years, the town has grown from that old dusty image to a bedroom community with strong resident support. Along with the growth has come attractive tract homes, a shopping center and good schools, all situated near Castaic Lake.

Now as the growth continues, the community has suddenly found itself in a bitter battle with a major developer, fighting to retain its school district's boundaries. The community, through its Town Council, vows to stand together to retain the borders that also define Castaic's unofficial bounds.

"Castaic is probably the oldest community out here," said Gregory C. Ferrier, president of the Castaic Area Town Council, an advisory body to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. "We used to have the image of a dusty old truck stop, the last stop before going over the Grapevine."

Jack Johnson has lived in the community for 40 years, 24 years of which he served on the board of the century-old Castaic Union School District.

"It was a small town where you knew everybody," Johnson said. "Now, you don't know anybody. All the older ones have gone, died or moved."

According to the 1990 Census, 19,502 people live in the Castaic area. And according to analysts, that figure could jump to 21,699 by next year.

Younger families are moving into the area. A major supermarket recently opened its doors. Late last year, the community got its first bank. And two new schools are expected to open next year.

"We are becoming a self-contained community, and a lot of people like it," Ferrier said.

But things are changing, and some members of the community feel threatened. Newhall Land and Farming Co., which built neighboring Valencia, wants to pull vacant land from the Castaic school district and annex it to the larger Newhall School District.

Nobody lives on the property - yet - but it does comprise a small portion of Newhall Land's massive proposed 25,000-unit Newhall Ranch development. Newhall Land wants to transfer the 2,400 acres of Newhall Ranch that lie within Castaic to Newhall so the entire project will be in one elementary school district.

Castaic school officials said the loss of land for commercial and industrial development and about 4,272 planned homes will mean a significant loss of money from business and sales taxes and state money for pupil attendance.

Furthermore, school and community leaders said the loss could kill any chances of the district expanding or unifying to include a high school and for the area to incorporate as a city.

"We are Castaic," Ferrier said. "We have our own chamber of commerce, our own school district. All of a sudden, a developer wants to take away a chunk."

The school district has already hired an attorney to look into ways of preventing the annexation, which school board member Tom Caesar labeled a "hostile takeover." He called the battle a "David and Goliath situation."

"I think you'll find a very strong show of support for the continuation of the existing boundaries," Caesar said. "I don't think people want to give that up. This community is very involved in the schools. I think people will realize it's not in the best interest to change the boundaries."

Superintendent Allen Nishino said the land battle is taking its toll on the district.

"It has taken away valuable time and resources from what we really want to do, and that is educating the kids," he said.

Meanwhile, Newhall Land officials said they want to annex the land to the Newhall district to give home buyers a sense of community. Company officials said they want to avoid dividing the 12,000-acre project between two elementary school districts.

Newhall Land also said it owns the property and claims to have the right to transfer it between school districts.

Newhall school officials said they are staying out of the fracas.

While Newhall Land's proposal is being considered by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Castaic school officials and community leaders balk at the developer's talk about forming a sense of community.

"What about Castaic's sense of community?" Nishino said.

Community activists have promised to rally in fighting the proposed land transfer.

If school backers feel anything like they did when they passed a $20 million school construction bond in 1993, Johnson said, garnering enough community support to oppose annexation shouldn't be a problem.

"It showed that people were listening," he said.

Already, the schools have the backing of the Town Council. Last week, members voted to write a letter opposing the project to local elected officials, in hopes of getting their support.

Town Council member Phil Mazzeo called the battle monumental and one of the biggest issues to face Castaic.