Approximately 200 residents filled The Centre, all of us there to hear what amendments — if any —were being made following the chaotic Nov. 12 meeting, during which Lennar development representatives appeared wholly unprepared to address homeowners’ concerns related to the Bouquet Canyon project. The project will bring 375 new homes, more than 1,125 new residents to our neighborhood and an anticipated 11-month closure of Bouquet Canyon Road.
Residents came expecting to hear that an alternative solution had been found — one that would avoid closing Bouquet Canyon Road for nearly a year and rerouting both local and commuter traffic through our neighborhoods. That was not what we heard.
Instead, residents voiced numerous concerns, including increased commuter traffic through our neighborhoods; detours of up to 5 miles; ongoing noise and dust issues already presenting; traffic congestion on Copper Hill Drive; lost revenue for local businesses due to the closure of Bouquet Canyon Road; and added traffic on Bouquet as a result of the approximately 280 additional school-aged children.
What became clear is that this meeting — much like the Nov. 12 meeting — was not intended to be a collaborative or problem-solving discussion with residents. It was not a forum to explore what would work best for the community, identify the safest detours for our children, or minimize disruption to our daily lives. Rather, it was a meeting designed solely to disseminate information and present plans that have already been decided.
It appears the true opportunity for residents to voice concerns and have them meaningfully considered occurred years ago, beginning in April 2020, when the city of Santa Clarita released the draft environmental impact report. Unfortunately, that process took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in only 11 comment letters being submitted and responded to.
Now we face the reality of a major detour beginning in approximately three weeks — lasting nearly a year. While the developers have promised continued monitoring of traffic patterns and adjustments as necessary, many of us are left feeling unheard and resigned to impacts that will significantly affect our daily lives for months to come.
Valerie Bradford
Santa Clarita
