These are some of the 29 Canary Island Date palms slated for removal in SB County's latest Alignment A in their right of way. 48 trees in total. They want to construct a 14' wide road (Alignment B) between these rows of iconic and historic heritage trees with concrete retaining walls and materials that do not support plant life.
That so-called Plan B is on the protected Modoc Preserve property, which has restrictions on building roads or structures...altering drainage...degrading the soil...altering the topography...etc...and, the ONLY allowed uses as set forth in the Conservation Easement Agreement signed in 1999, are open space, equestrian, pedestrian, and education...which makes it NOT VIABLE!
It would also put equestrians, and their horses, right next to 25mph e-bikes whizzing by!
The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, the manager of the Modoc Preserve, has a legal obligation to abide by the provisions of the signed document. So, it's highly unlikely that an easement will be given to the County.
So, where does that leave us?
With your support, we have already saved ALL of the trees between East Encore Dr. and West Encore Dr., by forcing the County to keep the new bike path up on Modoc Road...out of the Modoc Preserve...and, with your continued support, including using our attorneys, we are asking that the County keep the rest of the bike path up on Modoc Road until it's clear of the Modoc Preserve.
They have already shown that this can be done...and, it should have been done from the beginning, without our public pressure campaign...
It's quite unfortunate that the County didn't try to acquire the necessary easement before getting this far along in the process...the ATP grant was written in May, 2018...at that time, it had the Class I MUP project all being up on Modoc Road...which is what we are asking for...
We have until October 14, 2022 at 5PM to submit public comment to the decision makers. The updated MND will be considered by the County Board of Supervisors in November.
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)...keep the new bike path on Modoc Road north of the trees. Left of the trees in the above image showing the existing bike lanes along Modoc Road.
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
6.) Morgan Jones (SB County Public Works)
mmjones@countyofsb.org
Here is a template with some elements that you can use:
To : Supervisor Name
Re: Project: Modoc Road Bike Path, SCH Number 2022050194
We recommend that the Modoc Road Multi-Use Bike Class I Project be located entirely on Modoc Road.
Additionally, let's implement easy and inexpensive traffic calming solutions on the existing Class II bike lanes.
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 3600 petition supporters, including a large number of cyclists, do not want this $8MM “multi-use path” as proposed by the SB Public Works Department.
SAVE MODOC ROAD TREES PETITION
The true environmental, historic, and aesthetic significance of this nature preserve’s land, including these heritage trees, was not properly assessed by the insufficient FMND.
Instead of adopting the insufficient Final Mitigated Negative Declaration (FMND), please Vote NO on Alignment A and Alignment B. 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 48 trees, and their shade canopy. One example of a significant omission in the MND, is the fact that the MND stated based on a one day field trip March 14, 2022 by the Padre biologist who authored the MND, that no Monarch butterflies were observed and their nearest observations were 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 originally 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 2300 tons of road building material, along with 2000’ of concrete retaining walls to be used for paving a road into a protected nature preserve.
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 3664 of us petition supporters chipped in only $5-10 each...we would have enough money in our Modoc Road Trees Legal Fund to fight this battle through the court system!
Preserve the Preserve!