Santa Clarita delays vote on 5‑story Old Town Newhall project after hours of public comment

The Santa Clarita City Council on Tuesday continued consideration of master case 24134 — the Hartwell, a proposed five‑story, mixed‑use development on Main Street in Old Town Newhall — after more than two hours of public testimony and detailed questioning from council members.

City planning senior planner Bridal Iverson told the council the project would replace three existing buildings on a roughly three‑quarter acre block near the Jan Hyatt Metrolink station with a 52‑foot, five‑story building containing about 5,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and 78 residential units above. The proposal includes one subterranean parking level and 122 on‑site stalls; Iverson said the project was reviewed under the Old Town Newhall specific plan and the EIR’s mitigation measures for the district’s historic resources. "The project is considered a full block development," Iverson said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The proposal would demolish the Masonic lodge/courthouse that appears on the city’s historic list, and it sits beside a long‑standing community recovery group and the locally important KHTS radio station. Neighbors, business owners and civic groups told the council the development’s size, parking plan and construction‑period noise could substantially affect daily life and some local institutions.

Developer Jason Tolleson of Serrano Development Group described the Hartwell as a transit‑oriented investment intended to bring daytime foot traffic and support Main Street businesses. Tolleson said the project team proposes commemorative measures for the courthouse — a plaque, lobby art and two murals — and has offered a monetary contribution to local historic preservation. He also provided a developer estimate that physically relocating the existing courthouse would be expensive: "We estimate between $2.7 million and $4 million to move the building," he said, calling that option prohibitive.

Residents and stakeholders pressed two consistent themes. Owners and supporters of KHTS told the council coring, drilling and soldier‑pile work adjacent to the radio building would generate low‑frequency vibration that could make live broadcasting impossible. Carl, a KHTS owner, asked the council to postpone action while the station and developer finalize mitigation: "We're still requesting the city council postpone a decision on this project until your next meeting to see if we can finalize an agreement," he said. KHTS and engineering letters in the record asked the council to restrict drilling and coring before 8 a.m. on weekdays and to require the developer to fund relocation or sound‑attenuation if necessary.

Representatives of the Rafters recovery group — tenants of the building’s second floor for more than 50 years — urged the council to ensure a stable relocation in Old Town rather than losing the program’s central meeting place. "With over 500 plus members, our goal is to continue to serve the community," Rafters chair David Doyle said, asking the city to help secure a long‑term lease or a replacement facility.

Council debate focused on three points: whether the building still qualifies as a historic resource for relocation under the city’s historic‑preservation ordinance, whether AB 2097 (the state law limiting local parking requirements near transit unless a substantial negative impact is demonstrated) allows the city to require more than the applicant’s proposed 122 stalls, and what enforceable construction‑period limits or mitigation the council can require without making the project economically unviable. Councilmember Ayala and others pressed for a robust parking‑management plan, construction‑hour restrictions for the most disruptive activities and written commitments to help the Rafters and KHTS.

What changed: In response to public comment, Tolleson said Serrano has been negotiating with KHTS and the Rafters. He offered a construction‑hours restriction targeted at the soldier‑pile drilling activity and said his team is prepared to contribute funds in support of sound mitigation and Rafters relocation. Tolleson said that, absent the developer contribution, the project faces economic limits: "If we're asked to provide more parking or fewer units, that's the end," he told council. Tolleson also said he would agree to limit soldier‑pile drilling adjacent to KHTS during early morning hours and to provide weekly notice of disruptive work so the station can plan around it.

Council action and next steps: The council voted to continue the hearing with public comment remaining open and to return to the item at the next regular meeting on May 13 so staff, the developer, KHTS and community groups can finalize mitigation terms and provide additional documentation (including any new cost estimates for relocation or preservation and a parking impact analysis). The motion to continue was adopted by roll call (Councilmember Gibbs: aye; Councilmember Ayala: aye; Councilmember McLean: yes; Mayor Miranda: yes).

The takeaway: The Hartwell remains contested. Supporters say the project will bring housing and daytime customers to a struggling commercial corridor; opponents cite parking shortfalls, potential construction noise and the loss of a historic meeting place and long‑running community services. The council left the record open to allow negotiations and more staff analysis before any final action.

Votes at a glance: Council continued consideration of master case 24134 to May 13, 2025; public comment remains open. Vote on the continuation: yes — McLean, Gibbs, Ayala, Mayor Miranda.