COUNCIL OKS BUS SITE CITY OPTS FOR LAND IN INDUSTRIAL PARK.

Byline: Heather MacDonald  Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The City Council voted early Wednesday to build a city bus yard in the Valencia Industrial Center, after residents vehemently opposed a Canyon Country site.

After a marathon meeting that lasted past midnight Tuesday, the council met in closed session and then emerged to vote 4-0 to move forward to purchase 11 acres in the center's Rye Canyon Industrial Park.

``It became clear that it was in the best interests of the community to purchase the Rye Canyon site,'' Councilman Frank Ferry.

Councilman Bob Kellar abstained from the vote because of his involvement in a real estate transaction in the Santa Clarita Business Park, adjacent to the Canyon Country site.

The City Council had faced organized and unrelenting pressure from dozens of homeowners who were dead-set against a city proposal to build the bus yard in the Ruether Avenue Business Park.

``The homeowners brought up several legitimate concerns and points that were borne out by the work done by the city staff,'' said Councilman Cameron Smyth, who met with the residents twice in the last month.

The bus facility would increase noise, pollution and traffic while lowering the value of their properties, residents said.

``I'm surprised that it ended so quickly,'' said Channing Licon, a Shadow Oaks homeowner. ``It was a no-brainer to anyone who compared the two sites.''

The deal to build the maintenance facility in the Ruether Avenue Business Park would have allowed the city to expand the adjacent Sports Complex through the purchase of eight acres and a donation of 16 more acres.

The residents had asked the city to explore striking a deal that would have allowed them to expand the Sports Complex, but relocate the bus yard.

Mayor Laurene Weste, who has pushed hard to expand the Sports Complex, had told the residents that the Rye Canyon parcel was too small. The Ruether Avenue site is almost 15 acres.

However, a city analysis showed the bus yard has room for 150 buses, plenty of room for the 75 additional buses that the city is expected to add to its fleet over the next 20 years. The city also plans to build a 73,000-square-foot building that will house the bus bays and administrative offices.

``We came to the conclusion that this facility would be better suited in a nonresidential area,'' Weste said.

The city has already received $13 million for the purchase, design and construction of the facility, which is expected to cost a total of $25 million.

The cost of the land is expected to be around $6.5 million.

The council also acted to remove an option to buy five acres in the Ruether Avenue Business Park that would have been used to create playing fields and open space at the Sports Complex.