DEVELOPER MIGHT BUILD MORE ROADS; CITY, COUNTY PRESSURE TESORO DEL VALLE FIRM.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Hoping to please Los Angeles County and Santa Clarita city officials, builders of the proposed Tesoro del Valle development are working with administrators to create a plan that meets demands for fewer homes and more roads.

The friendly negotiations are the result of a cooperative effort between county and city officials. Santa Clarita officials have often felt the brunt of intense development approved by the county just outside city borders, but this time the county is listening to the city's concerns.

As a result, the city has had ongoing meetings with developer Evans-Collins Community Builders to resolve concerns about road infrastructure. The City Council on Tuesday will be presented with the results of those discussions.

The Board of Supervisors, which was expected to discuss the development at its Nov. 6 meeting, instead will address the matter on Jan. 27, said Dave Vannatta, an adviser to Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

``On that date, we would like to approve a planning amendment and a tract map and get the whole package approved,'' Vannatta said. ``But we don't know that that will happen. We have to wait for a plan.''

The negotiations will require the developer to add more roads to the project, and build them early in construction, said Jeff Lambert, planning manager for the city.

Lambert on Tuesday will present to the council a proposal to change the original plan. Copper Hill Drive would be reduced from four to two lanes and Newhall Ranch Road would be extended to the Golden State Freeway to filter commuter traffic away from crowded city routes.

``The issue has been: What are they going to do about roads?'' Lambert said. ``The bottom line is, these guys are asking for a General Plan amendment to build more homes than the General Plan allows. They're going to have to do a little more.''

Tesoro del Valle developers originally proposed building 2,502 homes on the 1,795 acres just north of the city limits, a plan that drew protest from city officials. County zoning allows just 1,109 homes on the property.

The city's protests to the county resulted in a scaled down plan, and today, the number of homes proposed has been lowered to 1,896.

``We're waiting for the developer to work with the city,'' Vannatta said. ``We've already told (the developer) that we won't approve anything close to what they're asking for.''

John Evans of Evans-Collins said he is willing to accept those terms. The developer is working with the city to come up with an agreement as soon as possible, he said.

``We looked at how can we solve immediate traffic issues,'' Evans said. ``What is necessary, in their opinion, that is an immediate need? We were told to come up with a compromise plan, and we've been working diligently on the modifications.''

Evans said his company is willing to make the adjustments necessary to get the project, which is slated for the Farmer John property south of the Angeles National Forest, approved. Under the proposal, thousands of people would move to the now-rural San Francisquito Canyon.