In 2006, The Commons project from Monteverde Development was presented to city staff but withdrawn by Monteverde before any formal plans were submitted to the city. In this proposed project the parking was 700 at-grade parking and 4,300 parking places in a one-level subterranean grade. No studies were done on how much land could even be taken out of the flood plain to be built on and in those plans, but in the suggested plans there was an entrance/exit using Calgrove Boulevard and Wiley Canyon Road was to be widened to four lanes.
Today, we know that only 18.8 acres of the 38 acres can be built on — that is to say the Wiley project can only use 18.8 acres from the floodplain property to build on and no access to Calgrove, per the California Department of Transportation.
The current Village at Wiley Canyon development is stated as 669,000 square feet, which is a much denser project being considered on the buildable 18.8 acres. How can the planners and city not consider the residents in the Calgrove corridor and approve a development that is not what was agreed to in the 2011 Mixed Use Neighborhood designation?
The city of Santa Clarita must follow the general plan to widen Wiley Canyon to the four lanes or at least condition the proposed Wiley project for the land required in the General Plan to widen Wiley Canyon at a later date. Saying that this is a 10-year plan so the two-lane Wiley Canyon Road can manage the traffic is not truthful.
The city should not be looking at just the buildout from Wabuska Street to Calgrove.
If you are getting off of the Interstate 5 north at Calgrove, it takes to Wiley to reach Lyons Avenue for other road choices. If you get off at Lyons by going north on the I-5, you enter a lane that turns at Wiley Canyon if you are not familiar with the lanes. This is a dangerous traffic triangle in the city’s traffic pattern and causes much more traffic on Wiley Canyon.
Residents in the Calgrove corridor only have Wiley Canyon, a two-lane road, or directly to the I-5 to go anywhere in Santa Clarita.
Three proposed roundabouts within a mile of Wiley Canyon is dangerous at the very least!
The city needs to look at traffic and new roads designated across the entire valley in their decision on the Wiley project.
What happens in 15, 20 or even 30 years and the traffic must have the four-lane Wiley Canyon?
Let me add, at this point, we are a General Plan city, and our representatives must follow the General Plan or amend it, which is a very long public process.
This project goes against the General Plan, plain and simple.
Either change the General Plan to only needing two lanes on Wiley Canyon for the entire valley or follow the General Plan and condition the Wiley project for the four lanes to be put in later or put the four-lane road in with the proposed Wiley project.
Annette Lucas
Newhall