Santa Clarita’s Historic Core — Where Older Lots Make ADUs and Garage Conversions Especially Practical
Newhall traces back to 1876, when Henry Mayo Newhall purchased Rancho San Francisco and the Southern Pacific Railroad gave the valley its first real town center. Old Town Newhall’s Main Street still reflects that history — Spanish-style bungalows, early-20th-century houses, and converted commercial buildings on lots that tend to be smaller and older than what you’ll find in Valencia or Saugus.
Landmarks here include William S. Hart Regional Park, the 265-acre former ranch of silent film star William S. Hart, willed to Los Angeles County in 1946. Inside the park, Heritage Junction preserves the original Saugus Train Station (where Theodore Roosevelt stopped in 1903), the Newhall Ranch House, and the Mitchell Adobe School. Newhall is also home to the Pioneer Oil Refinery — the oldest surviving oil refinery in the world.
Why Newhall’s Older Lots Are Good ADU Candidates
Because Old Town Newhall predates modern HOA-planned development, most properties here have no HOA design review at all — one less approval stacked on top of the city’s process. The smaller, older garages and detached structures common in Newhall are frequently strong candidates for conversion ADUs rather than costlier new construction. And because many Newhall lots were platted before today’s larger-home standards, the standard 4-foot side and rear setbacks tend to be easier to meet even on tighter parcels.
Permitting and Parking in Newhall
Newhall is inside city limits, so ADU applications go through the City of Santa Clarita’s Planning Division under SCMC §17.57.040, with ministerial review and a 60-day state-mandated timeline for compliant projects. Old Town Newhall’s walkable, transit-adjacent lots near the Metrolink station are also a good real-world example of the state’s parking exemption: properties within a half-mile of a major transit stop can often skip the ADU parking requirement entirely.
Thinking about a garage conversion or backyard ADU in Newhall? Contact Santa Clarita ADU or call (661) 486-8393 for a free consultation.