Lower San Francisquito Renamed "Seco Canyon Road," 1968.

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Petitions are being circulated in the area of Bonelli tract to select a name for a portion of San Francisquito Canyon Road which is to be named Pettinger Canyon Road by the county.

The county master road plan calls for the section of San Francisquito Canyon Road from Bouquet Canyon Road to the Corral Drive-in to be renamed Pettinger Canyon Road when a new San Francisquito Canyon Road in San Francisquito Canyon is opened.

Jeanne Stidham, of 27324 San Francisquito Canyon Rd., who is circulating one of the petitions, points out that Pettinger Canyon is beyond Haskell Canyon, and the canyon where the road now lies is actually Dry Canyon. Residents will not be able to retain the name San Francisquito since it will be used in San Francisquito Canyon.

"The name Arroyo Seco is already being used in Los Angeles County, but the Regional Planning Commission will accept either Arroyo Real or Seco Canyon Road if 50 percent of the residents on this road in Bonelli tract petition the change," Mrs. Stidham said.

A street name has to be one not already used in Los Angeles County at the present time.

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Local residents who within the next few weeks find themselves living on an entirely different street than they ever have before can simply sit back and recall that "names are often changed to protect the innocent."

The innocent ones in this case are the residents of "San Francisquito Canyon Road" who will, within the next few weeks, find themselves suddenly living on "Seco Canyon Road." The people will not be moved, but the street name will be changed.

The change, according to county road man Frank Sessor, is due to the fact that his office will soon be building a new San Francisquito Canyon Read which will run west of the existing roadway.

"When the new road goes in, it will take over the old name. Thus, it was essential that a new name be chosen." And, adds Sessor, the new road is entitled to the old name since it will run through the real San Francisquito Canyon.

It was not until a number of local citizens met with the road naming committee and the road building people that the name "Seco Canyon" was chosen. Sessor estimates that actual name changes on the signs in the area may occur in the next three weeks.