The southeast side of Plum Canyon Road is currently being graded by the Shappell-Monteverde Development Company to make room for approximately 750 single-family homes. Approved by LA County in 1984 (TR 46018) and under construction since the early 1990's, when completed, this project will have added 2000 homes and 1202 condominiums to the Plum Canyon area. The county-approved plan also includes a new fire station, a new school, two public parks as well as several other infrastructure improvements.
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As a condition of approval, the developer was required to construct the bridge that connects White’s Canyon to Via Princessa which was completed in 1994, and to complete Plum Canyon Road to White’s Canyon Road, which was completed in May of 1997. Plum Canyon Elementary School was opened in time for classes in the fall of 1998. One of the two parks was completed in May of 2002. David March Park is located on Via Joyce Drive, and is named in honor of David March, a Plum Canyon resident and sheriff’s deputy who was killed in the line of duty during a routine traffic stop in Irwindale.
The new fire station is expected to be built at the top of Plum Canyon Road in 2 to 5 years. Since Plum Canyon Elementary School is filled to capacity, a second school site is being considered; however, no plans have yet been finalized. In addition to the lots currently being graded, approved but yet to be built is another park, more homes and more condominiums.
West of Plum Canyon Road is the SunCal/KB Homes Project, approved by the county in 2000 (TR 31803), which is adding 445 single-family homes and 54 condos to the Plum Canyon area, 132 of which will be added to the top of Dorothy Street between the existing neighborhood and Golden Valley Road. KB Homes has attached a Mello-Roos to the homes within this new development to pay for upgrades to Sky Blue Mesa Elementary School to accommodate the additional students who cannot be accommodated at Plum Canyon Elementary School. The developer is also required to complete Golden Valley Road from Plum Canyon Road to Dorothy Street.
The final link of Golden Valley Road from Dorothy Street to the fly-over bridge at Soledad Canyon will be completed by the Keystone Project. The Keystone Project (TR 60258) is slated for the undeveloped land west of the Riverpark project and to the east of White’s Canyon and the Sky Blue Mesa neighborhood. Approved by the city council in March of 2006, The Keystone Project will add 402 condominiums & townhomes, and 96 single-family homes within the city’s borders. The developer will also connect Ermine Street to Golden Valley Road. In addition to completion of the cross-connector, the developer will add a 6-acre public park with a dog park, a new middle school, a new YMCA facility, linkage to the city’s bike trail system, as well as a donation to the Hart School District dedicated to Performing Arts programs.
Currently in the planning stages with the LA County Department of Regional Planning is the Skyline Ranch Project (TR 60922). This project is slated for the undeveloped land to the east of White’s Canyon, extending from the back from Plum Canyon and the Canyon Crest neighborhood south to Sierra Highway.
The current plan, subject to revision, is for 1325 single-family homes, a 10-acre school, and a public park. The developer would also extend White’s Canyon Road for access into the new development and would ultimately connect to Sierra Highway to the southeast. The development also plans to connect to the Canyon Crest neighborhood.
This project has not yet been approved by the county. The developer has requested and been granted a one-year extension to April 2007.
Author’s Opinion: With approximately 2000 more homes yet to be built in Plum Canyon, we are going to need Golden Valley Ranch Road desperately by the time it is completed, which is at least two to three years in the future. It is hard for me to imagine what traffic is going to be like until then if all of these homes become built and occupied before that time.
The cross connector has had its’ critics and those that have said it is not needed. Some have made reference to how it is not used much and how the road stops at the end of the bridge after you cross Soledad Canyon. However, once Golden Valley Road is completed out of Plum Canyon, Golden Valley Road will be the most direct access from Plum Canyon to get to SR-14, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart. The connection of Newhall Ranch Road to meet up with Golden Valley Road will also mean easy access to Valencia. This road will be a vital connection for the northeast portion of the city, and when completed, will significantly relieve congestion on Bouquet Canyon Road and White’s Canyon Road.
It is also important to point out that Plum Canyon, from Rodgers to the top where it joins with White’s Canyon Road, is located in the unincorporated Los Angeles county, and will need to annex to the city to receive the same benefits as city residents.
The majority of the development going on around the city has been approved by the county, and in most cases, many years ago. The city has only approved and built a small number within city limits in comparison to what the county has approved. Development is occurring all around us. Check it out for yourself by clicking here. It may take some time to load, but it’s worth the wait!
A traffic disaster was narrowly averted on my very own street because one person, who didn’t even live on my street, took the time to come around, door to door, and inform of us of the potential impact of one particular development to our neighborhood. (Rick Steinbrecker, you have my deepest gratitude!) A few weeks after that situation was resolved, some residents living nearby the elementary school got a rude awakening when a two-story classroom building was assembled with a view of their backyard.
These experiences in my very own neighborhood pointed out one very important fact: We all have to know what is going on in our backyard. A hill out here in Santa Clarita may look unmovable, but you’d be surprised what the bulldozers can do. Sure, when it happens, we can all cry that we didn’t know, but that won’t change the situation once it has been built. Everyone needs to be aware of the development that is occurring in the Santa Clarita Valley, and be alert to potential impacts to our own neighborhoods as well as the environment around us. The information is out there, but it isn’t always easy to find. It is my hope that through SCVTalk, I can provide that information to you.
Here are some other interesting links regarding development in our area:
Link to City's Growth Map (1.87 MB PDF file)
City’s Website – Mapping Services – I highly recommend checking out the Annexation map!
Also, check out the interactive mapping services available from the city's website.
Los Angeles Dept. of Regional Planning - Case & Hearing Information
Also, check out Los Angeles Dept. of Regional Planning GIS services.
Pictures
Below are photographs of the site
Development Update: Plum Canyon & Golden Valley Road
Development Update: Plum Canyon & Golden Valley Road
Attributed to Jeff Wilson (editor-supplied)
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