By The Signal Editorial Board
A week ago, we asked Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste to do the right thing, and recuse herself from the City Council’s discussion of a proposed mixed-use development in Old Town Newhall.
The developer seeks the council’s approval of a 78-unit, five-story condo development along with 5,200 square feet of commercial space. As part of the project, the former Newhall courthouse building — which is on the city of Santa Clarita’s list of historic buildings — would be bulldozed, in exchange for a $750,000 fee to be paid to the city to go toward historical preservation efforts.
Weste, who is also a board member of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society and owns property in close proximity to the Old Town Newhall project site, had privately negotiated the $750,000 deal with the developer’s representative, Jason Tolleson.
Considering all of that, we felt that it was an ethical conflict of interest for Weste to participate in the council’s deliberations and any vote on the project.
While she may not have been obligated to recuse herself under California conflict of interest law — it appears as if her property is not within the radius that would compel her to do so — we felt that, considering the way the deal was negotiated, and the proximity of her property, and her role with the Historical Society, it all added up to what amounted to a moral conflict of interest.
And, when it came time to do so, on Tuesday night she did do the right thing: Weste recused herself from the council’s discussion of the proposed Serrano Development Group project, which has been named The Hartwell.
And for that, we congratulate and commend Weste.
It was assuredly not an easy decision: Whatever critiques we have leveled at Weste over the project and her role in it, there’s no doubting her level of passion for Old Town Newhall and local history.
So, when the time came for the council to take up the proposed deal for The Hartwell, we know Weste did not take it lightly when she in fact did do the right thing, and recused herself, leaving the matter to her four colleagues on the City Council.
After a lengthy discussion about the details of the project, including issues such as the amount of parking, the potential destruction of the old courthouse building, the impact of construction noise on The Hartwell’s next door neighbor, radio station KHTS, and more, the other four council members voted 4-0 to delay a final decision on the project while those issues continue to be hashed out with the developer.
We’re reserving further comment, for now, on that continuing process and its eventual outcome. Much remains to be seen and it would be premature to either endorse or oppose the project until those outstanding details are known.
At the moment, though, we believe we owe credit where it’s due:
Laurene Weste did the right thing.
