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Honorable Board_of Supervisors
Page Two
May 23, 1980

This Department has evaluated a proposal from the Santa Clarita Valley
Historical Society to develop, operate and maintain a musetun facility,
for the purposes of displaying historical artifacts of the Santa Clarita
Valley within William S. Hart Park. The Society is proposing to develop
a musetnn facility, which depicts the history of the Santa Clarita
Valley, that will be available to the residents of Los Angeles Cotmty.
The proposal, as submitted by the Society, involves the relocation of
the Saugus Raihvay Station, from its present site on San Fernando Road
to William S. Hart Park~ restoration of the structure, construction of
improvements including landscaping and irrigation, the management and
:operation of the museum facility and the mainte~ance of the demised
premises. All work accomplished under this project will be the responsi-
bility of the Historical Society.

Based upon our evaluation, we have determined that the museum proposal
would be·beneficial to the public, be in the best interests of the
Cotmty, and compliment the present operation of facilities at Hart Park.
The site identified for the proposed museum is presently undeveloped and
is located on that portion of Hart Park known as the "Frew" property.
The proposal as submitted would provide for an orderly development of
the property and the operation and maintenance of the museum facility
involving no expenditure of County ftmds.

Provisions of the Public Resources Code, Sections 5135 to 5138 authorize
the Cotn1ty to enter into an agreement with the Historical Society for
the purposes of providing.a muset.nn _facility to benefit the public.
Specifically, the Cotn1ty may permit the erection of buildings and improve·-
ments on County property and to delegate the management, operation,
maintenance and regulations to the donor upon such tenns and conditions
as prescrihed by the County. The County in granting such a right requires
that the public shall be admitted to the museum at reasonable times and
that no charges or fees· for admission to the musel.Dll shall be levied
except such charges that are necessary to defray the cost of operation
and maintenance of the museum.
The agreement provides for the Santa: Clarita·V:al~ey Hi!s"torica-t Society
_ to undertake the complete restoration:, eonstruct_iori:, 6perat:iofr,: -rnan3:ge-
ment., and maintenance of the musel:lnt facility and, that· all cos1is sha11 be
borne by the Society. in ·addition·, the agtel~ment alscf a11ows the $ociety
to retain title to the Saugus Railway Statiotii durirtg· the fonn of th~:s
agreement (which the Society has the option. ~er renew for an_additibnal
20-year term) and donates all str:uctures-,l buildings, and improv¢mehts to
the Cotmty upon_ termination of this agreement. The agreement further_
contains the standard provisions for the protection of the Cot.mty and
Society, such as hold hannless and indemnification clauses.