The Santa Clarita City Council approved a $2.1 million adjustment to its $4.8 million design contract for Dockweiler Drive, despite concerns from a council member who didn’t see a need to rush the plan due to lingering doubts about Placerita Canyon’s future.
The extension of the road — a four-lane east-west arterial from Sierra Highway near Highway 14 through Placerita Canyon — is intended as a partnership between the city and The Master’s University, which is in Placerita Canyon and also would benefit from the project.
The City Council approved the staff recommendation for the design change with a 3-1 vote. Councilwoman Marsha McLean was the lone opposition.
Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste recused herself Tuesday but was accused by a neighborhood group of improperly discussing the area plans in the community. She also would be a beneficiary of the Dockweiler Drive extension because she owns land nearby.
The discussion disclosed the road’s total construction cost for the first time, which was estimated to be upward of $60 million — more than $50 million from the city, with an estimated cost of $8 million to $12 million in grading from TMU, which had not previously been mentioned.
The project would support TMU’s pending plans for growth. But the driver behind the design change was a potentially billion-dollar investment, Shadowbox Studios, which is no longer, according to a staff report and an update given Tuesday by City Manager Ken Striplin.
“Due to the Shadowbox Studios entitlement, Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is requiring the city to update the Dockweiler Drive Extension project plans to accommodate the potential use of the lot; even if there is no indication that Shadowbox Studios will be constructed,” according to a staff report explaining the cost. “The westerly section of the roadway extension must be completely redesigned, including modifications to several intersections and the railroad crossing.”
Jeff Weber, who represented Shadowbox Studios on the project, declined to comment on any plans when reached by phone Thursday.
McLean said at the dais that, in light of the uncertainty about the once-planned Shadowbox site, including Striplin’s reference to a possible sale of the property, it would make sense to hold off approving the changes until the new owner, and its new uses, are known.
During the discussion of Shadowbox, it was said many times a developer could put as many as 1,800 homes on the more than 90-acre property due to state laws that encourage development, and if the proposal included low-income housing, there would be little the city could do to stop it.
Striplin said any further changes to the road would need to be paid for by the next developer, ultimately, whoever that may be. He described the capacity fees as being based on zoning, and that anything that would require more capacity than Shadowbox would have to be very significant but also require further costs for the developer.
In response to a question from Councilman Jason Gibbs, who asked what not approving the project now could potentially cost the project, Striplin estimated a 16% increase. He said that was based on a construction-inflation rate of roughly 5% a year of the city’s portion, and the likelihood of an approval-process delay taking up to three years to get them to where they are.
The Dockweiler Drive project was estimated by city staff to take at least two years to complete.
Striplin said the extension of the road, which the city was able to do thanks to a multiparty land swap involving Weste the council approved in November, was factored into the city’s traffic circulation element for the area. It ultimately would be necessary to alleviate traffic on the neighboring Newhall and Railroad avenues, he said.
The move also is expected to allow a significant amount of development through the rural canyon, including property for TMU and Weste, who owns a nearly 8-acre lot that prompted her recusal.
The project has upset neighborhood residents on a number of fronts.
TMU has remained quiet about its new master plan. City officials have said they’re waiting to hear from TMU on what it wants.
“We appreciate the City Council’s long history of thoughtful and effective leadership and support its desire to improve emergency access and traffic flow by adding another access point to Placerita Canyon,” Mason Nesbitt, spokesman for TMU, wrote in a statement Thursday, regarding the city’s decision. “As we work closely with the city through the master plan revision process, we remain committed to thoughtful growth that preserves the character of the Placerita Canyon neighborhood while ensuring we can continue serving our students effectively.”
Despite Weste’s absence from the discussion Tuesday, during public comment she managed to receive an admonition from the area’s largest neighborhood group, the Placerita Canyon Property Owners Association.
Teresa Todd, president of the association, shared a comment on behalf of the group stating she’s heard Weste “has repeatedly claimed that PCPOA is responsible for Shadowbox Studios’ project being abandoned. Let me be very clear: Nothing could be further from the truth.”
The group raised many concerns with the project over several hearings, which Todd called a “responsible and transparent review process.” She said multiple reports were submitted to the city based on their studies, but she’s not aware of any significant changes to the approved project based on them. And there was no formal position taken for or against, she added.
“Tonight, we respectfully ask that all council members, in public and private forums, refrain from stating, implying or repeating false claims about PCPOA’s role in the current status of the Shadowbox project,” Todd said on behalf of the group, which represents more than 400 area properties.
Todd declined to identify the source Thursday, but confirmed she was speaking on behalf of the PCPOA.
Weste did not respond to an email requesting comment and her voicemail was full Thursday and unable to accept additional messages.
