SANTA CLARITA RELENTS ON HOMES; CITY DROPS WESTRIDGE CHALLENGE, WILL PURSUE IMPROVEMENTS.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

The City Council has dropped its opposition to Westridge, a 1,712-home golf course community proposed west of the Golden State Freeway, but will work with Los Angeles County planners to improve the project.

``We don't need an appeal. We can work with the regular process,'' Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy said. ``We didn't want to file an appeal in the city's name. We felt it would be more amiable to work with the county.''

Westridge, tentatively approved last month by the county Regional Planning Commission, has been controversial since it was originally proposed by The Newhall Land and Farming Company in the early 1990s because it is located in the rolling hills and oak tree savannah visible from the freeway.

Much of the acreage has been designated by the county as a significant ecological area, but the Westridge plan includes the extension of The Old Road through the land dotted with centuries-old oaks.

The proposal by Mayor Jan Heidt and Councilwoman Jill Klajic to appeal the Regional Planning Commission's decision failed. But negotiations surrounding the project got a second chance Wednesday without city action.

The county commissioners Wednesday morning were scheduled to give Westridge their final approval, which would then move the endorsed project on to the Board of Supervisors. But they surprised the audience by pulling the item from their agenda to make some changes.

Those alterations may include extending public use of the Professional Golfers' Association Tournament Players Club course from the 10 years offered by Newhall Land to 15. The changes may also include designating 154 acres of open space to a public agency rather than to an unnamed entity.

The commissioners are scheduled to consider Westridge again Wednesday.

``Here's our chance,'' Klajic said. ``Let's see Jo Anne go in there and negotiate and get us a better deal.''

But the two groups of council members disagree on what to demand in the negotiations. Klajic and Heidt have said they do not want The Old Road to go through the savannah, though they understand the need for the road.

Darcy, on the other hand, said the majority of the council does not want to fight The Old Road alignment that has been tentatively approved.

``The Old Road is a consideration by some, but not by the majority of the council,'' Darcy said.

And Councilwoman Laurene Weste said Newhall Land already has improved much of the plan considerably. In 1992, supervisors approved a Westridge plan with more homes and more commercial acreage, she pointed out.

Though the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment delayed the project by filing a lawsuit, the judge who ruled in the organization's favor stated that only three improvements were needed: more money for schools, environmental improvements and more money for libraries.

Since then, Newhall Land has offered better mitigation for schools and libraries, and has made efforts to cut down as few oak trees as possible.

``We have come a long way. This was litigated before and the only thing the judge could find for were schools and library fees,'' Weste said. But she added that the city could work for more improvements. ``We will move ahead with strong testimony at the Board of Supervisors and continue working with county staff. . . . I don't think we've quit on this at all.''

Still, the careful approach to negotiating Westridge may have more to do with other deals in the works.

The city has begun working with a consultant and the county to perhaps get a share of sales tax revenue generated by the Valencia Marketplace, which is in county jurisdiction, Darcy said.

In exchange, the city would offer parks and library services to Santa Clarita Valley residents who live in county territory, Darcy said.

``We didn't want to upset the apple cart, so to speak,'' Darcy said. ``It's only an idea. It is a concept we've been looking at.''