PLANNED-TOWN REVIEW SET UPDATED REPORT FILED ON NEWHALL RANCH.

Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The Newhall Land and Farming Company, responding to a court order, has bolstered its environmental report for the Newhall Ranch project and released it Thursday for public review.

The updated environmental impact report addresses concerns about the proposed 21,600-home Newhall Ranch community, including adequacy of the water supply and a water-reclamation plant, traffic flow into Ventura County, effects on the Santa Clara River and wildlife movement in the Salt Creek wildlife corridors.

Marlee Lauffer, Newhall spokeswoman, said the company commissioned more than 30 new studies and analyses, entered into a new water purchase and contract and obtained thorough documentation of the effects that the new community would have on the surrounding environment.

``As a result, we can very clearly say Newhall Ranch is a community by nature,'' Lauffer said. ``We are protecting the natural resources in an unprecedented manner, and the additional analyses we undertook indicate that there are no major issues left (to address).''

Kern County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Randall, after reviewing two lawsuits filed in Ventura County, approved most of the environmental report in August, but asked the company to conduct supplemental studies in six areas.

In one of the lawsuits, Ventura County officials accused the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors of approving a severely flawed environmental impact report that failed to deal adequately with potential damage to water resources, wildlife, traffic and air quality in Ventura County. The 12,000-acre project is planned for just east of the Ventura County border, near Six Flags California.

Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long said the project could cut off the replenishment of groundwater to all of the Ventura County basins.

Long said Thursday that she hasn't seen the revised report and declined to comment on whether it deals with her concerns.

In the other lawsuit, the Environmental Defense Center, the Sierra Club, the Friends of the Santa Clara River and the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment allege that the project will permanently damage the river, a major source of water for Santa Clarita and Ventura County.

Opponents claim the development will attract about 70,000 residents to the proposed 21,615 homes, and their water use will lead to overdrafting of the river.

Steve Zimmer, vice president of the developer's Newhall Ranch Division, said the company entered into an agreement, which still needs approval from the Kern County and Castaic Lake water agencies, for water entitlements from Kern County landowners.

Zimmer said the company has also purchased rights in the Semitropic Groundwater Storage District, allowing it to store water during normal and wet years for use in dry years.

Mark Subbotin, senior vice president of planning and environmental resources for the division, said research proved that the Santa Clara River won't be affected by the development, where about 17,680 acre-feet of water will be used each year.

He said the company also will take an extra step to protect the river by removing only 28 acres of wildlife habitat along the bank instead of the proposed 103 acres.

``This project is very sensitive and maintains the natural features of the river out there, so there is no significant impact to habitat or species,'' Subbotin said.

After a 60-day public review, the company will bring the report to the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission on June 20. If the commission approves the report, it will go before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and then back to Judge Randall.

The revised environmental report is available for review at public libraries and agencies in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

TRANSCRIPT SUMMARY

Summary of Kern County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Randall's order and Newhall Land's response:

--Water supply and aquifer analysis

Judge Randall asked that Newhall Land conduct additional studies showing sufficient water resources and that water can be supplied according to the California Environmental Quality Act, that the aquifer storage and recovery system is feasible, and develop information to allow assessment of impacts.

Newhall Land bought two new water supplies, reviewed existing data on current and projected future water supply and demand in the Santa Clarita Valley; used expert data on dual reclaimed and potable system operation to ascertain how reclaimed water use affects potable water demand; tested the Saugus Aquifer's feasibility as an aquifer storage and recovery location; and conducted three environmental impact studies.

--River corridor analysis

Randall asked Newhall Land to study the impacts of sensitive habitat, provide analysis justifying the county's removal of 103 acres of highly sensitive habitat, and that bridge crossing and other developments do not conflict with resources, habitat or migratory corridors.

Newhall Land prepared a detailed analysis of sensitive habitat that would be removed and how bridges would conform with Significant Ecological Area guidelines.

--Water reclamation plant analysis

Randall ordered Newhall Land to address the benefits and drawbacks of an alternative siting of the plant, including analysis of the biological impacts of positioning it near the river.

Newhall Land studied and updated the off-river alternative, analyzed and proposed a new on-site alternative, and prepared an alternative comparison matrix to compare the degree of impact of each plant option by environmental category.

--Salt Creek Corridor analysis

Randall asked Newhall Land to determine the project's effect on the portion of the creek's corridor located in Ventura County, assess any feasible mitigation measures that may be required in response to any significant impacts, and that Los Angeles County consider this material and adopt any findings necessary to conform with the California Environmental Quality Act.

Newhall mapped the existing vegetation communities in the Ventura County portion of the Salt Creek watershed; conducted more than 20 field studies to document how wildlife uses the Ventura County portion of the creek; undertook small-mammal trapping, bird counts, mammal sign counts and motion-sensitive photography studies; and compiled and reviewed relevant studies and documentation of wildlife movement corridors in the region.

--Traffic analysis

Randall asked for an extended traffic analysis conducted in Los Angeles County as part of the environmental impact report to arterial roadways off state highways 126 and 23 in Ventura County, assess the project's traffic impacts to those roads, and directed the county of Los Angeles to adopt any new or revised findings.

Newhall Land utilized the new Ventura Countywide Traffic Model, which wasn't available at the time of the original report, to analyze the project's traffic impacts, and prepared a supplemental traffic analysis for Los Angeles County. It found it wouldn't have any impact on Ventura County.

--Floodplain modification analysis

Randall required more studies of the impacts of floodplain modifications on biological resources; the possible biological impacts of channelization; increased flow velocities and bank hardening; and show how the lack of sedimentation or scouring means there will be no adverse impacts.

Newhall Land conducted two new studies using modeling programs developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to predict and pre- and post-development river depth and velocity, and reviewed recent studies of species in the river to evaluate potential impacts.

CAPTION(S):

box, map

Box: (ran in SAC edition only) Transcript Summary (see text)

SOURCE: The Newhall Land and Farming Company

Map: (ran in SAC edition only) Newhall Ranch