The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has officially approved plans for the first two of five Newhall Ranch planned developments, the Landmark and Mission villages. The massive 21,500-unit project hopes to eventually include office space, elementary schools, and 5,500 homes and apartments in Santa Clarita.

The $13 billion proposal, led by property developer FivePoint Holdings, has been in the works for over twenty years, sidelined by complaints from both activists and locals. Concerns include environmental effects, increased traffic, air and river pollution, and even the recession. The developers have since updated their plans to address these issues and aim to add infrastructure for electric cars and installing safeguards for endangered fish. However, concerns still remain and are expected to create an ongoing discussion as the project moves forward. 

The two villages are slated for the area between Santa Clara River, Highway 126, and Interstate 5 Freeway. The first phase is expected to create 60,000 permanent jobs, over 620 single-family lots, an elementary school, a fire station, and a park-and-ride lot. It’s also expected to generate over $800 million a year in state and local taxes.

Developers also say that once the enormous project is complete, approximately 2,150 homes (10 percent) will become affordable housing.