CITY MANEUVERS TO BUY PARKLAND.Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - City officials are close to finalizing a deal that could add 38 acres of parkland to the Santa Clarita Sports Complex, despite concerns that the prime open space is simply too expensive for the city's cash-strapped budget. In a closed-door meeting Tuesday night, the City Council directed City Manager George Caravalho to bring back an offer from the owners of the land adjacent to the Aquatics Center planned at the complex, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. City Attorney Carl Newton. Larry Rasmussen, who lent four of his employees the money to buy the land, said he expects a deal, subject to council approval, to be completed within the next two weeks. ``It is getting close to the end and, hopefully, we'll get it done,'' Rasmussen said. The City Council is not scheduled to meet again until Aug. 28. Bob Allen
Bob Allen (born 1958) is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2000, representing Florida's 32nd district. , one of the owners of the hilly Canyon Country land, said the asking price for the land is $6.5 million, as is, or $8.5 million with improvements. If purchased by the city at either of those prices, it would become the most expensive parkland in the city, records show. The council members want to use the 24 usable acres for practice fields and parking lots. Caravalho declined to discuss the purchase of the land, citing state law that allows elected bodies to conduct property negotiations behind closed doors. Councilman Cameron Smyth Cameron Smyth is a Republican who has represented Califoria's 38th Assembly district since December of 2006. He succeeded Keith Richman who was term limited. Prior to being elected to the state legislature, Assemblyman Smyth served on the Santa Clarita City Council, where he said several funding options for the purchase were presented during the closed-door meeting. Councilman Bob Kellar declined to discuss what happened during the meeting, while Councilman Frank Ferry could not be reached for comment. ``We have to find out exactly what the cost of this land is and what financing is available,'' Smyth said. ``It would be a great addition to the city, but there are budgetary constraints.'' In the recently approved 2001-02 budget, the City Council set aside $1.5 million in an open space reserve. Members also indicated a willingness to use $1.4 million slated for traffic improvements along Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce. Road near Ruether Avenue along with $1.1 million earmarked for the construction of Golden Valley Road from the Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. to Sierra Highway Sierra Highway is a road in Southern California, United States. It runs from Tunnel Station near the north limit of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road and Foothill Boulevard, as well as Interstate 5, and continues north to Mojave, mostly paralleling to purchase the parkland. The council members are considering borrowing money from the state and depleting reserves to fund those projects while purchasing the parkland. At the closed-door meeting, the council members were presented with a study of the ramifications ramifications npl → Auswirkungen pl that the purchase could have on the city budget. Officials have predicted the next couple of years will be tougher financially for the city than in recent years. This year, development-related fees are expected to drop $1 million, draining reserves Draining reserves Federal Reserve System's course of action to tighten the money supply by (1) raising a bank's minimum reserve requirements, (2) selling bonds in the open market, (3) raising the rate at which banks borrow from the Fed, or (4) through draw-downs. and pinching spending plans. Next year, revenues are expected to be flat once again, said Steve Stark, director of administrative services. |
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