A plan to bring a war memorial to Santa Clarita honoring military veterans will advance to the Santa Clarita City Council after a unanimous vote by the city’s Parks Commission Thursday.

The proposed memorial would honor approximately 50 Santa Clarita service members who were killed in battle since World War II, said Veterans Memorial Committee President Bill Reynolds, who is spearheading the project.

“In this city, 17 percent of our population are veterans– that’s a huge amount,” said Friendly Valley Veterans Club President Chuck Morris, who is assisting in the project. “So we felt that this is something that needs to be done, and it should be done.”

The proposed granite memorial would be eight inches thick, six feet tall and the base would be approximately eight feet long.

Reynolds recommends the memorial be placed in the Veterans Historical Plaza in Newhall, adjacent to the existing war story boards, however city staff proposes the memorial be placed in another location because it “would be inconsistent with the original design intent of the plaza.”

“The base of this memorial would be constructed to perfectly match the existing waterfalls,” said Reynolds. “It wouldn’t look out of place.”

The placement of the monument in the Veterans Historical Plaza would require the relocation of a decorative urn planter, according to city documents, which has caused opposition from some residents.

The project will move on to the Santa Clarita City Council at an undetermined date to decide the location of the memorial. Reynolds believes the plan will be approved, but the proposed location in the Veterans Historical Plaza will not.

Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar could not be immediately reached for comment.

Reynolds said “there are other locations in the plaza that would not impede the open feel that (city councilmembers) want to maintain,” if they do not like the proposed location.

In August 2015, Reynolds and Morris proposed the project at a Santa Clarita City Council meeting, and said that city officials gave their approval for the process to move forward the same night.

“When I reviewed the plan with Terri Crain, (president of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce), her immediate reaction was that this is a no brainer,” said Reynolds. “This is really important.”

Santa Clarita residents who have served in the military are currently recognized through hundreds of engraved bricks at the Veterans Historical Plaza.

“Bricks for veterans are fine,” Reynolds said, “but I feel like they do not do proper justice (for those who have) given the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our freedom.”

The estimated cost for the memorial is $45,115, which includes manufacturing, materials, crating, shipping, delivery and installation.

While the project’s price tag does not include the cost of a crane and crane operator or concrete work for the base of the memorial, Reynolds said a local Vietnam veteran and contractor has offered to donate his services.

“He will absorb that (cost) because that’s how strongly he feels that this should be done,” Reynolds said. “He’s a true patriot.”