The Santa Clarita City Council tore through a packed agenda at its Jan. 27 meeting, tackling everything from a possible Old Town Newhall makeover to fresh cash for local arts and new rides for the transit fleet. In one evening, councilmembers backed affordable housing efforts, signed off on fixes and equipment for the Transit Maintenance Facility, refreshed committee assignments and paused long enough to spotlight some championship-level marching bands.
Main Street Negotiations Move Forward
The council voted to enter an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Serrano Development Group to explore redevelopment of city-owned parcels near Main Street and Railroad Avenue. The concept sketched out at the meeting calls for roughly 300 public parking stalls, about 65 residential units with a small affordable set-aside, and around 20,750 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, according to KHTS.
Transit And A Push Toward Zero-Emission Vehicles
Councilmembers signed off on the purchase of three zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell transit buses and approved a contract to repair solar inverters at the city's Transit Maintenance Facility. According to the City of Santa Clarita, the three buses were authorized under a not-to-exceed purchase amount of $5,724,856, and Nuon Energy, LLC (doing business as McKay Roofing and Solar) received the inverter repair contract in an amount not to exceed $90,822.
Housing Dollars And County Partnership
The council approved the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget for the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, allocating $3,502,293 across production, preservation, ownership, technical assistance, renter protections, and homelessness-prevention categories, according to SCVNews. The allocation will be submitted to LACAHSA as part of the county Measure A expenditure plan for the coming year.
Grants, Recognitions, and Committee Updates
The city approved the 2026 Community Services and Arts Grants, setting a not-to-exceed amount of $100,000 for Community Services Grants and $110,952 for Arts Grants, and it updated the City Council committee appointments list for 2026. The council also recognized the Hart Regiment and Wildcat marching band and color guard for medal placements at the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association championship, and adjourned the meeting in memory of Cameron Gott and Lola Williams, according to the city's Facebook.
What Comes Next
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., as noted by SCVNews. Agendas and staff reports will be posted through the city's listings and local outlets ahead of that session, and any negotiated proposals would return to the council for a future vote.
