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Tesoro del Valle (Phases A, B, C)
Draft Supplemental EIR

SECTION 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (California Public Resources Code,
Sections 21000 et seq.) requires that lead agencies consider the potential environmental
consequences of projects over which they have discretionary approval authority prior to taking
approval action on such projects. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is a public document
designed to provide the lead, responsible and interested agencies; special districts; local and
State governmental agency decision makers; and the public with an analysis of potential
environmental consequences to support informed decision making.

1.2 PROJECT LOCATION AND SETTING

The Tesoro del Valle Phases A, B, and C project site is located in the eastern portion of the Santa
Clarita Valley, adjacent to the City of Santa Clarita within the unincorporated County of Los
Angeles (County). The project site is adjacent to, and northwesterly of, the mostly constructed
Phase A of the Tesoro del Valle development, just north of Avenida Rancho Tesoro and west of
Casa Luna Place. The Angeles National Forest is approximately 3,000 feet north of the
northernmost project boundary, and Castaic Lake is approximately two miles to the northwest.

The Project site consists of undeveloped land with several dirt roads and fire breaks and four
existing water tanks (on two graded pads) located within the Phase B area. The Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California (MWD) aqueduct tunnel easement is located several
hundred feet below the ground surface and transects the westernmost extension of the Tesoro
development in Phase B.

The project site consists of moderately steep to steep terrain in the central, western, and northern
portions of the property, leveling off toward the east along the broad alluvial bottom of San
Francisquito Creek. Elevations across the project site range from 1,932 feet above mean sea
level (msl) along the central ridgeline to 1,200 feet above msl near the southern portion of San
Francisquito Creek, for a total relief of 732 feet. The most prominent topographic feature is the
northeast-trending western ridgeline of San Francisquito Canyon that roughly transects
the central portion of the project site. Portions of Wayside and Tapia Canyons, as well as several
unnamed canyons and ridgelines, comprise the western portion of the site.

Vegetation types present on the project site include, but are not limited to, alluvial scrub, chamise
chaparral–sage scrub, coast live oak woodland, coast live oak woodland/blue elderberry scrub,
coast live oak woodland–holly-leaf cherry woodland, Fremont cottonwood woodland, holly-leaf
cherry woodland, mixed chaparral–alluvial scrub/annual grassland, sage scrub, sage
scrub/annual grassland, and southern riparian scrub. Disturbed/developed areas (primarily fire
roads) and unvegetated wash areas are also present on the project site.

1.3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposed Project is detailed in Section 4.0, Project Description, of this Draft SEIR. The
proposed Project involves the construction of 820 residential units, including 455 conventional
single-family units and 365 age-qualified dwelling units; 19.1 acres of parks and other recreational
amenities, including trails; a 2.1-acre helispot; an internal circulation system; and associated
infrastructure and utility systems. Project site grading would require approximately 9.1 million
cubic yards (mcy) of cut and 9.1 mcy of fill as shown on Exhibit 4-8, Cut and Fill Plan, which also
includes minor grading associated with off-site improvements. These figures are inclusive of

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