“Forcing a Large Industrial Park to Confront an Inadequate Water Supply”

The proposed Gate-King Industrial Park was planned to develop 584 untouched natural acres (containing more than 10,000 oak trees) in the southern reaches of Santa Clarita and replace them with 4.45 million square feet of industrial and commercial development. When a local group challenged the proposed development under CEQA, the court agreed with the residents’ assessment: There was not substantial evidence that sufficient water supplies existed to support the project. The industrial park project was required by the courts to return to the drawing board and reconsider the water use consequences of their proposal, preserving the land and water resources of the community.