Development-Control Bill Dies in Senate
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A bill by state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita) that would have given cities and counties authority to halt growth that would overburden school districts has died in committee.
The bill had been prompted by the debate over growth and classroom crowding in the Santa Clarita Valley. The State Senate Local Government Committee voted 4-2 to kill the measure Wednesday.
The bill, SB 1771, would have codified a controversial court ruling, known as the Mira decision, that says local governments may consider the adequacy of schools when reviewing development proposals.
Committee members said Wednesday that the bill would contradict an existing state law that requires developers to pay $1.56 for each new square foot of residential construction. Building industry representatives said that under the Davis bill developers could be forced to pay extra fees to win the support of school districts for their projects.
Davis introduced the bill in January, one day after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved plans for more than 800 houses and condominiums in Castaic, despite objections from school officials who said the developers were not contributing enough money to build new schools.
The supervisors said that, the Mira decision notwithstanding, state law prevented them from holding back development because of schools.
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