We need to flood the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors with letters asking them to VOTE NO on both Alignment A (Awful) and Alignment B (Bad) at their meeting on September 13th. Also, we are requesting that a proper Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be done before any additional proposals are offered.

There is a template below that you can copy/paste and personalize...

Here are the SB County BOS email addies:

1.) Das Williams

SupervisorWilliams@countyofsb.org

2.)Gregg Hart

ghart@countyofsb.org

3.)  Joan Hartmann

jhartmann@countyofsb.org

4.)Bob Nelson

bob.nelson@countyofsb.org

5.) Steve Lavagnino

steve.lavagnino@countyofsb.org

To : Supervisor Name

Re: Project: Modoc Road Bike Path, SCH Number 2022050194

We recommend a NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE for the Modoc Road Multi-Use Bike Path Project.

Let's try to implement easy and inexpensive traffic calming solutions first.

Specifically, re-striping the current bike lanes similar to others in Goleta and SB with high visibility paint, and instituting the speed limit at no more than 35 MPH along this entire 1 mile section.  Also, turn on the digital speed monitoring device already in place and consider flexible vertical separators...etc…

The Modoc Preserve is one of the last undeveloped open spaces in the ever creeping urban sprawl around this unincorporated area of Santa Barbara. The neighborhoods adjacent to the proposed project, along with over 2700 petition supporters, including a large number of cyclists,  do not want this $8MM  “multi-use path” as proposed by the SB Public Works Department.

https://www.change.org/savemodocroadtrees

Instead of adopting the insufficient Final Mitigated Negative Declaration (FMND), please Vote NO and request that this project be given a proper EIR. The thresholds of significance for CEQA compliance that were noted in the MND, deserve more scrutiny and review.

This project will have a significant effect on the environment by seriously impacting wildlife, bird, and Monarch butterfly habitat with removal of up to 63 trees, and their shade canopy. One example of a significant omission in the MND, is the fact that the MND stated that no Monarch butterflies were observed and their closest habitat is 1 mile away, however we see them on a daily basis. Here is video proof of their existence:

Monarch Butterflies in the Modoc Preserve

As managers of the nature preserve, the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County has done annual surveys that were never asked for, or included, in the MND. Additionally, they were not even notified by SB County Public Works of the proposed project.

The proposed multi-use trail is required by Federal law to be ADA compliant, yet the MND has no mention of accessibility, accessible parking, or even standard parking access, which is limited to a few spaces on residential streets on the north side of Modoc Road requiring crossing to the south side.

Instead of adopting the Mitigation Monitoring Plan included in the FMND, please Vote NO and request a formal EIR that considers the reasonable, and viable, alternatives to the project that we have proposed to them.

We have written dozens and dozens of letters, and presented a fair argument to SB County, that this project will have a significant effect on the environment. In addition to violating a number of statutes in the signed 1999 Conservation Easement Agreement between La Cumbre Mutual Water Company and Land Trust of Santa Barbara County, it would allow 2000 tons of asphalt and road base, along with 1100’ of concrete retaining walls to be used for paving a road into a protected nature preserve. 

Instead of approving the project, please Vote NO on Alignments A and B, until the true environmental, historic, and aesthetic significance of this nature preserve’s land, including these heritage trees, can be properly assessed by the more rigorous study and environmental review of an EIR. 

Thanks in advance for your time,

Signed (Name)

Address

Lastly, please ask yourself what these heritage trees along this greenbelt corridor at the edge of urban Santa Barbara / Goleta is worth to you and future generations...

If ALL 2740 of us petition supporters chipped in only $10 each...we would have enough money in our Modoc Road Trees Legal Fund to fight this battle through the court system!

Preserve the Preserve!

*Thanks to our resident birder, Alex Loos, for the gorgeous cover image of a Modoc Preserve sunrise*