Santa Clarita stands at a crossroads. As our city grows — with new subdivisions, shopping centers, and high-density housing — we risk losing something irreplaceable: the rural character that once defined our community. While 5-acre properties still exist in pockets like Sand Canyon, Castaic and Agua Dulce, their days are numbered. If we don’t act soon, these spacious lots will vanish forever, sacrificed to unchecked development.
Santa Clarita must prioritize policies that preserve large-lot properties, or risk becoming just another sprawling L.A. suburb — a fate many residents never signed up for.
Drive through Sand Canyon today, and you’ll still see horse properties, vineyards and open land. But look closer: “For Sale” signs dot these lots, and developers are circling. According to the 2023 Santa Clarita Valley Economic Outlook, land prices for parcels over 5 acres have surged 22% since 2020, fueled by speculators banking on future rezoning.
The city’s own 2030 General Plan acknowledges this pressure, yet its solutions — like clustering development in “priority growth areas” — often feel like a slow surrender. Once these large lots are subdivided, they’re gone for good.
This isn’t just about aesthetics. Large properties serve critical needs:
• Equestrian Culture: Santa Clarita bills itself as “horse country,” but without land, that identity fades.
• Wildlife Corridors: The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy warns that fragmentation harms local ecosystems.
• Quality of Life: Not everyone wants a tract home. Many moved here precisely to escape that.
We don’t have to choose between growth and preservation. Solutions exist:
• Transfer of Development Rights: Let landowners sell density credits to developers, preserving acreage while allowing growth elsewhere.
• Agricultural Zoning: Incentivize keeping land in ranching or viticulture, as Ventura County has done successfully.
• Community Land Trusts: Pool resources to buy and protect key parcels, as the Trust for Public Land has done nationally.
The time for vague promises is over. At current rates, the SCV Housing Element predicts 1,200 new units annually. Where will they go? Without safeguards, 5-acre lots will be the first casualties.
Attend City Council meetings. Demand that officials:
• Update zoning codes to protect large lots from piecemeal development.
• Partner with conservancies to secure conservation easements.
• Reject developer giveaways that trade open space for short-term tax gains.
Santa Clarita’s soul is still up for grabs. Will we fight for it — or pave it over?
Jimmy Silva
Saugus
