CITY WANTS TO GAIN MORE POWER IN VALLEY.

Byline: Jason Takenouchi Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Municipal officials today will begin the third round of an ongoing battle to increase the city's influence over development in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Officials say they will present a formal application for an expanded sphere of influence to the Los Angeles County Local Area Formation Commission today, about eight years after the commission shot down the Santa Clarita's previous attempt.

If the application is approved, the city would have greater influence on planning decisions for land outside its boundaries, where the city now has only informal influence.

In the latest application, Santa Clarita officials are not asking that the Castaic community come under city influence. Castaic area residents have vocally opposed that. But the city likely face other vocal opponents, including representatives of The Newhall Land and Farming Company, the valley's predominant developer, and the Transit Mixed Concrete Co., based in Azusa.

``My guess is the opposition will probably be the same as it was before,'' said city planner Jennifer Adamick.

A company spokeswoman confirmed that Newhall Land will fight greater city influence over its land outside city borders. The company has extensive land holdings, including acreage for the 21,615-home Newhall Ranch project, in territory where city officials want greater influence.

Brian Mastin, spokesman for Transit Mixed, said the company will oppose the city's application. The company has made a highly controversial proposal to mine in Soledad Canyon at a site on the eastern edge of territory where city officials want greater influence.

Adamick said it may be several weeks or months before the city's proposal gets a public hearing at LAFCO. If the petition is denied, some City Council members say they may seek legislation to increase the city's influence on land-planning issues outside municipal borders but likely to affect the city.