CITY OFFERED ELSMERE DEAL BROWNING FERRIS OFFERS FOREST CANYON IN EXCHANGE FOR TRASH HAULING CONTRACT.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Chances are good there will never be a landfill - or any other development in Elsmere Canyon - land south of Santa Clarita that is being offered to the city in exchange for a lucrative trash hauling contract.

Browning Ferris Industries, which owns Elsmere as well as the Sunshine Canyon Landfill across the Golden State Freeway (5), acknowledges it has no plans to go ahead with building a dump there, even though it has a permit application on file with Los Angeles County.

``Unless something dramatic changes at Sunshine, we're not interested in building a landfill at Elsmere,'' said Keith Hester, the company's head of Los Angeles operations. ``That wouldn't make any sense right now, and it's not part of our conversations.''

Yet the company dangles Elsmere before a city still weary from its battle against plans for a huge landfill there, a dump that would have covered a large part of the canyon within the Angeles National Forest. Federal legislation banned the use of forest land for landfills, but a smaller dump is feasible and the proposal remains on the county's books.

BFI bought Elsmere after the original proposal to use forest land was shot down. It already owned Sunshine Canyon in Granada Hills, a site that will expand by 410 acres and be able to take in as much as 90 million additional tons of trash this summer. And there's no reason to think Sunshine will close and make Elsmere an option, company and county officials said.

``From our perspective we don't foresee any problems . . . that could cause Sunshine to shut down,'' said Michael Mohajer, the assistant deputy director for the Department of Public Works. ``They are in compliance.''

The possibility of other development, such as housing, also is unlikely, city officials and environmentalists said. The canyon is hilly, and development there would require construction of costly freeway ramps.

``It would be very difficult to develop,'' said city Director of Planning and Building Services Jeffrey Lambert. ``There's no flat land there.''

Elsmere also is a treasured open space - a link in the city's efforts to surround itself with wilderness.

``This is a riparian wetland area that rejuvenates the aquifer that this valley relies on for its drinking water and an important wildlife corridor,'' said Marsha McLean, the president of the Santa Clarita Valley Canyons Preservation Committee, Inc. ``Having it privately owned doesn't change what is there and what must be protected.''

On Tuesday, BFI officials will ask the City Council to consider approving a 20-year exclusive trash-hauling contract, offering to give the city Elsmere Canyon in return. Hester said BFI can also offer a 20 percent reduction in rates - a savings of $2 per month per household - and additional senior citizen discounts.

City officials have been unable to reach an agreement with the current haulers that control the trash franchises over a dispute about competition for commercial customers. The City Council could vote to accept bids Tuesday night and begin a five-year process.

BFI officials said Elsmere Canyon is worth $2 million to $5 million, according to their appraisal. Hester said the value will depend on the eventual use of the land. City officials are conducting their own appraisal of the land.

If BFI were to move forward with plans for a dump in Elsmere Canyon, the company would face a daunting series of obstacles, officials said.

``Siting a landfill anywhere is a 20-year process,'' said Don Wolfe, the assistant director of the county's Department of Public Works. ``There would be vast environmental considerations that would need to be mitigated, which would be very expensive. It would be a very difficult project to get approved.''

Sunshine Canyon is expected to have a 20- to 25-year capacity, said Dave Edwards, the general manager of the landfill. While most of the city's trash is currently dumped in Chiquita Canyon landfill - owned by The Newhall Land and Farming Company - if BFI receives the contract, the city's trash would be trucked to Sunshine Canyon landfill.

McLean, the canyons preservation committee president, has called upon BFI to remove its permit application for the landfill. The company has not commented on that request.

The city is prepared to battle if there is no deal with BFI and the company decides to pursue a landfill in Elsmere.

Santa Clarita is one of the only cities in Southern California to meet a state law requiring a reduction in trash by 50 percent through recycling. By 2005, city officials hope to reduce the amount of refuse sent to landfills by 75 percent.

``If a dump were to be proposed, we'd argue very forcefully that we have met our obligations, and that it would be unfair to force this community to deal with another dump,'' said Jill Fosselman, the acting environmental services coordinator.

And Santa Clarita has the support of county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

``We would hope that the probability of a landfill in this area is zero, and we will do everything possible to make sure its zero,'' said Conal McNamara, a deputy for 5th District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. ``This is a bad project in a beautiful, pristine area.''