The proposed Tapia Ranch project site encompasses approximately 1,167 acres of
undeveloped hillside and canyon land approximately 1.5 miles southeast of the community of
Castaic, and approximately one mile east of Interstate 5 (1-5) in unincorporated Los Angeles
County. The project site is approximately one mile north of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center. Offsite areas that would be improved in
conjunction with the proposed project are located to the west of the project site and include
portions of Castaic Road, Tapia Canyon Road, and the construction of a new bridge spanning
Castaic Creek, as well as a small area for the roadway connection to the adjacent Tesoro del
Valle project located to the east. The Angeles National Forest is approximately 1.5 miles to the
north.
The project proposes to develop 405 detached single-family residential homes within the
1,167-acre site, which would result in a gross project density of 0.35 dwelling units per acre.
Approximately 308.5 acres would be disturbed by grading and development of these homes and
infrastructure. Of this acreage, approximately 195.4 acres would ultimately be covered by
structures or other impervious cover. The remaining 113.1 acres within the grading footprint
would be revegetated manufactured slopes and other landscaped areas. Therefore, a total of
approximately 74 percent (858.5 acres) of the project site would be retained as landscaped or
natural open space. The total open space after re-landscaping the disturbed areas would be
971.6 acres or 83 percent of the project area.
Development of the proposed project is governed by the Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan, which
is a component of the Los Angeles County General Plan. The current General Plan land use
designation for the site is "Non-Urban" on the Land Use Policy Map of the Countywide Land Use
Element, where slopes typically exceed 25 percent. The site is designated as "Hillside
Management" under the Santa Clarita Valley flea Plan. A slope density analysis was
completed, and VTTM 53822 has been designed to conform to the Santa Clarita Valley Area
Plan's maximum density threshold for hillside management areas, which would allow for the
development of up to 405 dwelling units.