By Otis Calef, President, SB Trails Council
We often hear a clarion cry to save this or save that. It is so frequent that, in many situations, we have grown numb to the message and the messenger. The idea of "saving a trail" sounds as silly as a call to save a road—why? Because trails are decades, if not centuries, old and part of a well-established community infrastructure.
Simply put, trails are essential for public health, fitness, and recreation.
Hot Springs Trail in Montecito is not just any trail. It's a unique journey that people from all over the country embark on to visit a local natural wonder and vital cultural resource. Nestled in the Santa Ynez Mountain foothills, this trail offers a serene walk under a riparian canopy of oaks and sycamores that have bravely withstood the test of fire and floods. It's a place of solace and beauty, a part of our community's heritage.
But now, it faces a new, formidable threat.
Envision a proposal to develop a forty-acre parcel west of the hot springs. If this proposal is not met with immediate action, some existing portions of the trail, as we know it, will be irreversibly transformed. A broad layer of asphalt will replace the familiar dirt track, and the majestic trees that have stood tall for so long will be reduced to firewood in the wake of chainsaws and bulldozers.
This is not just a long-term severe change to the trail; it's an imminent loss of an environmentally sensitive natural habitat that we must urgently act to prevent.
We expect the planning professionals working for government agencies to protect taxpayers' interests by balancing progress (e.g., a new residence) with the protection of the environment and access to nature. The long-standing California Environmental Quality Act backs this presumption. Should we take it for granted that the agencies will relentlessly keep a riparian habitat green, preserve the character of the public's right to walk in nature, and protect daily access to a trail punctuated with the natural wonder of hot springs?
If we believed that to be the current situation, we would take for granted that civil servants recognize the immense importance of trails as public recreational infrastructure for physical and mental health.
Unfortunately, this rarely happens, and it is far from the case with the Goerner Project and the required environmental documents made available to the public on May 7th. The report claims the disruption of recreational trail access for tens of thousands of trail users for over three years, permanently removing the riparian canopy and paving over the natural surface pathway on a scenic segment of the trail, as insignificant and easily mitigated.
The encouraging news is that numerous community organizations are uniting to demand the County and developer provide a focused Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that addresses community concerns, provides adequate notice to trail users, and a public hearing in the evening to allow open public input. However, we cannot succeed alone.
We need everyone who reads this message to sign the Save Hot Springs Trail petition (below). Do not hesitate. The comment period is closes on June 19.
Let's be clear: the issues we face as supporters of rustic trails and sensitive resources, such as long-term trail closure, barriers to secure new trails, and protecting our environmentally sensitive habitats, are complex and far-reaching.
Yet, the most significant danger stems from the fragmented nature of multi-layered government entities that prioritize self-interest over recognizing the importance of trails and collaborating in an open well-noticed public process.
However, by signing the petition and joining our collective voice, we can change this narrative. Learn more and/or sign here: