Santa Clarita City Council voted 5-0 at their Tuesday night meeting to purchase 302 acres of land as open space. The land, in the Newhall Pass/I-5 corridor, was once slated for dense development, but now helps maintain a "green belt" around Santa Clarita.

It’s not often that I disagree with the City Council.  But I did last night, when they described their vote to aquire Gateway Ranch as a “victory for the entire valley.”  I think they underestimated the acquisition of 302 acres of open space – it’s a victory for the entire region, for the entire state, and for Mexico as well! ...

Topics on the agenda for the City Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday night include council salary and purchasing more than 302 acres of open space. A closed session to discuss the recent civil rights lawsuit against the city will be held at 4 p.m.

The Santa Clarita City Council approved more than $13 million for capital improvements on Tuesday night for three major projects to improve community aesthetics, ease traffic congestion and increase local property values.

The Santa Clarita City council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to raise their salary six percent by July 1, 2014. The raise averages three percent per year, below the state maximum of five percent and in keeping with city staff's three percent raise.

At at public meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District board of directors will decide whether or not to grant a 30-day extension for the public comment period on their chloride Environmental Impact Report.

The City Council will conduct the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2013-2014 Annual Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program, and schedule the budget for adoption at the June 25 meeting.

A commissioner for the open slot on the Santa Clarita Arts Commission will be selected on Tuesday to finish the unexpired term of office that ends on July 31, 2014, according to Santa Clarita city officials. The council will vote to appoint a commissioner, then the newly elected Arts Commissioner will be expected to assume the position at the following Arts Commission meeting on Thursday.

At a special meeting Tuesday night, the Santa Clarita City Council voted unanimously to ask the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District to extend their deadline for public comment on the chloride issue to July 24.

Trash service rates will increase by 4.31 percent on July 1 if approved by the Santa Clarita City Council at their Tuesday meeting. The new rates would affect both Waste Management and Burrtec customers.