A Canyon Country property that housed Soledad Trailer Lodge for decades until its recent demolition could soon become the site of several new residential and office units, according to city of Santa Clarita officials.
The proposed project on the site, located at 18300 Soledad Canyon Road, includes 136 residential units and 8,000 square feet of office space, said city Senior Planner James Chow.
Burbank-based Chandler Partners submitted a formal application for development review on March 21, and is in the process of addressing design and development review comments from city staff, he added. An environmental initial study will also be required.
This project wouldn’t require Planning Commission approval unless it is appealed, Chow said. Should the proposal be consistent with city code and pass the planning process, grading and building stages would follow, according to the senior planner.
The property was recently gutted following demolition of the mobile home park Soledad Trailer Lodge, which sat abandoned for months and was deemed an “eyesore” by residents and neighboring businesses for becoming a potential haven for illicit activities.
Partial tear-down of the 30-plus mobile homes started in early March by Rick Franklin Construction Inc. but demolition was halted after the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued the company a notice of violation for infractions related to improper inspections and failure to promptly notify the district about the work.
SCAQMD was unable to provide an update Friday on the investigation or the status of the demolition.
Chandler Partners President Corey Leff confirmed his company had no role in the work.
“Chandler Partners did not contract nor were we involved with the demolition,” he said. “The owner handled that.”
As of this story’s publication, property owner Ira Robb of Robbco Properties and business partner Pat Crellin, who managed the mobile home park, have not returned multiple attempts to comment on the situation.
Leff also confirmed that Chandler Partners is currently under contract to purchase the property from the owner.
Debbie Jones was one of several residents who expressed relief to see the abandoned mobile home park gone.
“I’m all for this because, hopefully, the new development will bring in folks that are not homeless and doing drugs and crime in the area,” she said. “Everyone is talking about this and we’re happy because it was such an eyesore.”
Others have taken to social media to express similar sentiments, including one comment that said new housing would be “better (than) drug capital.”
Some of the last residents of Soledad Trailer Lodge recently told The Signal conditions of the mobile home park were inadequate and expressed relief to have relocated, citing issues with the manager.
