Meanwhile, San Fernando Road name change, lobbyist registration still in question

[view:node_ad=5]Tuesday evening’s Santa Clarita City Council meeting saw several sizable issues come before the Council dais.

 

One of which was the approval that allows City staff to execute and deliver up to $17.2 million in financing for the purchase of open space by way of  Santa Clarita Certificates of Participation (COPs). The COPs are a form of bond that allow the City to use the Santa Clarita Sports Complex to facilitate financing for purchasing open space land. This is one of two anticipated financing moves the City will probably make.

 

City Manager Ken Pulskamp said that the process is standard practice in California, and offers the highest rate of return. The monies brought in by this move may only be used for purchasing passive parkland and open space. No buildings or “active parkland” structures can be built using these funds. Active Parkland refers to sports fields, gymnasiums and the like. Passive Parkland can consist of trails and open space.     

 

But other issues, like the idea of requiring lobbyist registration in the City did not meet immediate success. A proposed ordinance would require that all lobbyists register with the City if they are actively working to influence municipal legislation in exchange for compensation from an employer.

 

Two locally known lobbyists came out in favor of the ordinance. There was, however language that exempted lawyers from registering. This was called into question because there have been instances where lawyers also serve as lobbyists.

 

One such case is local attorney/lobbyist Hunt Braly. He was one of the lobbyists who came out in favor of the ordinance, and he too asked that the language be corrected to include lawyers acting as lobbyists.

 

You see, Lawyers often interact with public officials and staff on behalf of clients in legal matters, which may not be considered lobbying.

 

So this particular ordinance was not moved into its next step in the approval process because the City Attorney will attempt to re-write the language to exempt lawyers from registering only when they are working in a legal capacity. However, if they are working in an advocacy position, then they would be required to register. This will come back to the City Council once the language is corrected to the Council’s satisfaction.

 

Another hot issue is that of San Fernando Road. As parts of the Newhall area are being redeveloped, some street name changes have been proposed. The section of San Fernando Road between Lyons Avenue and Newhall Avenue has already been renamed Main Street, however now City staff has recommended that another section of San Fernando Road between Magic Mountain Parkway and 11th street, as well as all of Railroad Avenue be renamed Bouquet Canyon Road.

 

One resident, Leon Worden, spoke before the Council urging them not to change the whole section to Bouquet, but instead split the road into two names based on what part of town they are in. Worden said that BouquetCanyon should be extended to the areas considered part of Saugus, from Via Princessa/ Wiley Canyon north. Then, he said, give the section of road south of that point a street name used in Newhall, like Railroad avenue.

 

The City Council agreed, and took the resolution off the drawing board indefinitely.

 

So it seems that at least for now, San Fernando Road will keep its name.