Santa Clarita City Councilwoman Laurene Weste named a former council candidate to an open Planning Commission seat Tuesday, calling her appointee, local family law attorney Denise Lite, “a very distinguished lady,” who’s “uniquely qualified as a lawyer to benefit our Planning Commission decisions.”
Lite ran for a seat on the council during the city’s last at-large election in 2022, prior to the shift to districts that will take place in November.
Lite led the pack in fundraising but fell fourth in votes (25,552), behind Weste (32,886), Bill Miranda (32,306) and Marsha McLean (28,352).
Weste also thanked Lite for her service to the nonprofit community.
“This is a community leader who is dedicated to quality of life here in Santa Clarita,” Weste said Tuesday on the dais.
The Santa Clarita Planning Commission advises the City Council on matters related to development projects, property acquisition, specific plans, zoning and other planning matters.
In her application, Lite wrote that she liked the way things were run in Santa Clarita over the past 35-plus years, and she would plan to do more of the same, if given the opportunity.
“Long-term planning, fiscal responsibility, embracing the environment and creating a business-friendly environment has made SCV what it is today. We are so very fortunate to have vast open space, extensive parks and trails and cohesive development, all due to the forward thinkers that have built this city since its incorporation in 1987,” she wrote. “I don’t want to see that changed in any way.”
Lite was one of four applicants: Julie Cooper is a Valencia resident and principal at a planning firm; Bob Werthe is a Sand Canyon resident and engineering manager for Southern California Edison; and Lulu You is a Canyon Country resident and former design and project manager for a real estate developer.
The Planning Commission vacancy was announced by the city Aug. 30, after longtime commissioner Dennis Ostrom resigned in an Aug. 18 letter.
Members of the commission referred to Ostrom as the “seismic guru,” on the board, which was part of his professional expertise at SoCal Edison.
The other current commission members include: Lisa Eichman, a business owner and tax specialist; Rene Berlin, a retired executive officer with countywide planning for Metro; Tim Burkhart, a retired longtime executive of Six Flags corporate office; and Patsy Ayala, a former field representative for a pair of Santa Clarita Valley legislators.
