SCC 10/2019

Coastal Board to fund purchase of Santa Barbara creek park connector

FULL MEETING AGENDA:
https://scc.ca.gov/2019/10/04/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-arcata-october-17/

The grant is for $300,000 to the City of Santa Barbara to acquire the 5.3-acre Palermo parcel in lower Arroyo Burro watershed, Santa Barbara County, California.

FROM THE STAFF REPORT: the approximately 5.3-acre Arroyo Burro Palermo Property is a degraded but highly scenic and natural resource-rich property located within the lower Arroyo Burro watershed. Once acquired, the City will own and manage the property. The property is one of the last undeveloped properties abutting a creek within the Santa Barbara city limits. In addition, the site, which is zoned for residential development, is one of the last remaining developable open spaces in the Las Positas Valley. Acquisition will permanently protect riparian, wetland, and upland habitat associated with Arroyo Burro Creek, which runs through the property,and it will eliminate the threat of future residential development in this important portion of the floodplain. The project is part of a larger ongoing effort by the City and County of Santa Barbara to protect the Las Positas Valley and the Arroyo Burro Creek watershed. This local effort has resulted in the protection of 338-acres of open space land for habitat and passive recreation located northwest and southeast of the Palermo property