The job of sizing up the environmental impact that more than 900 new homes will have on the area of Via Princessa and Golden Valley is expected to be given to an engineering firm based in Santa Clarita at Tuesday’s meeting.
City of Santa Clarita councilmembers are expected to OK a recommendation Tuesday to give the task of preparing an Environmental Impact Report for the Princessa Crossroads Project to Psomas, which is located on Turnberry Lane, near The Old Road and Highway 126.
The housing project calls for 925 residential units to be built near the northeast corner of the “future intersection” of Golden Valley Road and Via Princessa.
It comes with 680,000 square feet earmarked for commercial space.
Although Psomas has many offices across California, it’s Valencia office has a front row seat to several emerging housing projects underway in the SCV, the closest being 21,000 homes now being constructed for Newhall Ranch.
The contract to access the environmental impact of the Princessa Crossroads project totals $352,642.
The plans don’t require a review by the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, which otherwise would access the cumulative impact the project would have on SCV in light the other projects around it.
“We don’t have a file on this case because the application was submitted directly to the City and was never processed by our Department,” Regional planning spokesman Mitch Glaser told The Signal prior to Tuesday’s council meeting.
“Unlike many annexation areas, this property has been in the city since it was first incorporated in 1987,” he said.
One aspect of Princessa Crossroads lauded by civic leaders is the fact that it dovetails smoothly with the construction of a one-mile stretch of road linking Via Princessa to Golden Valley
As spelled out in the awarding of the contract, Princessa Crossroads comes with the promise of a “gap closure of Via Princessa between Sheldon Avenue and Golden Valley Road.”
The “gap closing” road would open up a major arterial highway through the SCV.
One of the recurring concerns voiced a recent public meetings on housing projects has been fears of inner-city traffic congestion.
Earlier this month, City Engineer Mike Hennawy updated City Council on the Via Princessa Extension.
The project site is currently undeveloped rural land, but upon completion, would be 1.2 miles in length through Santa Clarita.
The final environmental impact report for the portion of Via Princessa from its current eastern terminus near Isabella Parkway to Golden Valley Road was completed three years ago.
The city’s general plan includes the extensions of Via Princessa, Magic Mountain Parkway, Dockweiler Drive and Santa Clarita Parkway, city officials stated.
“The four roadways are part of the city’s Circulation Element and are all scheduled to be completed by 2035,” City spokeswoman Carrie Lujan told The Signal a couple of months ago.
“Santa Clarita Parkway, Magic Mountain Parkway and Via Princessa, west of Golden Valley Road, are currently only part of the plan and their development is contingent upon the Whittaker Bermite site cleanup,” she said.
Cleanup of the 996 acres of land on at the Whittaker Bermite site is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
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