On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Bouquet Canyon Road shut down, beginning a projected 11-month closure. Overnight, residents and commuters were forced onto detours through residential neighborhoods or alternate routes that added approximately 4.5 to 5 miles to their daily commute.
Research shows that the realignment of Bouquet Canyon Road has long been identified in the city’s Circulation Element — Santa Clarita’s long-range transportation plan outlining future roads, intersections and infrastructure improvements. However, the actual construction of the roadway, along with the public outreach and notification requirements, became conditions of the residential development approved by the city.
That development was approved on Nov. 10, 2020. Yet, from the time of approval until the road closure more than five years later, business owners in Bouquet Plaza and Plum Commerce Center say they were never informed that Bouquet Canyon Road would be closed for nearly a year. The first notice many experienced came only when the closure became imminent.
Santa Clarita has earned a strong reputation for supporting economic development, receiving recognition in 2008, 2016 and 2022, and was named a 2024 Most Business-Friendly City finalist.
For the small businesses located along Bouquet Canyon Road, however, that recognition stands in sharp contrast to their experience. Reduced traffic has significantly affected customer access, and many business owners report losing thousands of dollars each week while drawing from personal savings simply to keep their doors open.
Since February, business owners and community advocates have appeared before the Santa Clarita City Council on multiple occasions seeking meaningful assistance. They have also appealed to the developer, Lennar Homes, for help — only to experience silence.
Pop-up events and promotional efforts, while appreciated, have not offset the sustained financial losses these businesses are experiencing.
Bouquet Canyon business owners are asking both the city of Santa Clarita and Lennar Homes to work with them toward a fair solution. They are prepared to document and verify their financial losses. The question now is whether the city and the developer are equally prepared to acknowledge the impact their actions have had and work collaboratively to help make these businesses whole.
Leadership is not simply about approving projects. It is about being transparent, communicating openly up front, anticipating impacts and accepting responsibility when unintended consequences arise. Identifying fair and workable solutions is important because our community wants leaders who recognize problems and offer real solutions — leaders who stand with the residents and businesses who are the reason our community thrives.
Valerie Bradford
Santa Clarita
