EIR DATES RIVER PARK SITE REPORT FINDS SIGNS OF ANCIENT SETTLEMENT.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Archaeological sites dating to ancient times have been confirmed on portions of the land proposed for the River Park project, and developers plan to preserve part of the area as open space, according to an environmental impact report released Wednesday.

Among the findings on one site just north of the Santa Clara River were tools, bowl fragments and other artifacts that show evidence of a village dating back 3,500 years, the report concluded.

The site ``contains a subsurface archaelogical deposit and intact prehistoric artifacts that can contribute to the scientific reconstruction of prehistoric life ways in the Santa Clara River Valley. ... Where these resources exist, implementation of the proposed project would represent an incremental adverse cumulative impact to cultural resources,'' the report said.

Archaeologists studied the sites in two phases.

The findings confirm what American Indian groups had said when the project was first proposed, that their ancestors once flourished along the river bank.

``It doesn't surprise me that you find cultural sites along the Santa Clara River, because what better place to establish your home where the resources were abundant,'' said Mati Waiya, executive director for the Wishtoyo Foundation, a Ventura County-based environmental and cultural heritage group. ``My understanding is that there are two important sites, but the fact is, there is no careful way to destroy a site. I'd rather see them put a cultural preserve on that site. Our history belongs to everyone now.''

The project's details were outlined Tuesday night at a meeting of the Santa Clarita Planning Commission. Proposed by The Newhall Land and Farming Company, the project spans more than 695.4 acres just east of Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon Road, between Castaic Lake Water Agency property and the Santa Clara River just north of Soledad Canyon Road. About 1,100 homes and apartments, as well as commercial and open space, are proposed.

``The meeting (Tuesday) was the start of our public process regarding Riverpark,'' said Newhall Land spokeswoman Marlee Lauffer. ``We worked with some of the neighbors in advance, but now that the (environmental impact report) is out and we're starting the public process, we'll continue to work with the city and the neighbors on some of the issues identified.''

``We think the plan that we've got for Riverpark makes good planning sense and use of the property in preserving some of the elements of it,'' she said.

A second, smaller site will be excavated before any grading takes place, Lauffer said. In addition to impacts on cultural resources, other issues of concern include flood control, traffic, air pollution and other biological factors.

City planners said the environmental impact report offers alternative solutions to the various concerns, including reducing the number of homes to decrease noise.

And the city is calling for another environmental impact report on a proposed corridor as part of the Cross-Valley Connector road network. Newhall Land's contribution would include a portion from Bouquet Canyon to Soledad Canyon Road, which will connect Newhall Ranch to Golden Valley.

Developers would be funding $13 million, and land worth $9 million toward the project, which needs $45 million to complete. City officials must complete an environmental impact report to qualify for the rest of the state and federal funding.

``Our staff is looking at the concerns very closely,'' said the city's associate planner, Jeff Hogan. ``But some concerns are unavoidable, things that we can't mitigate.''

Local environmentalists who spoke out during the meeting called the project another attempt to deny the existence of a natural habitat along the river banks. They asked that a biologist independent of the city and the developer be hired to analyze the river.

``When the city of Santa Clarita wanted to know what was happening on the (proposed) Cemex Inc. site, it's a biologist we hired who made the conclusions,'' said Teresa Savaiki, referring to the city's battle against a planned sand and gravel mine in Canyon Country. ``That's what we need to do here. We need independent studies, not someone who prepares a document for the developers.''

``It's very frustrating,'' she said. ``It's a repetitive thing. The public has a right to know what's really there, because once a project is approved it's too late.''

The report was prepared by the Agoura Hills-based Impact Services, which also compiled the study on the proposed Newhall Ranch development of about 21,000 homes. Copies of the environmental impact report are available at City Hall and at the Valencia Library.

Meanwhile, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission will discuss the details of the proposed open space, park and trail plans of River Park at 6:00 tonight in City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita.

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com