Santa Barbara County Presents River Levee Trail Project Environmental Impact Report
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA / GUADALUPE, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara County’s Public Works Department presented a draft Environmental Impact Report (eir) on the proposed River Levee Trail Project in Santa Maria today.
The inception of this project goes back twenty-five years.
In 2022 the board of supervisors directed public works to conduct a study on a set of informal trails along the top of the levee at the edge of the Santa Maria riverbed.
“There was a feasibility study prepared back, dating back to the 1990s that looked at the feasibility of a levee trail that led to the creation of the Tom Urbanske Trail in 2000,” says Mark Friedlander, Santa Barbara County Public Works Mobility Manager.
The River Levee Trail Project seeks to expand and upgrade designs for a trail that would connect the northwest end of Santa Maria at Blosser Road and Atlantic Place with the northeast side of Guadalupe at the end of Peralta street.
“Our young people have been advocating for more green spaces,” says Ricardo Valencia, candidate for District 5 County Supervisor. “We know that in working class communities of color, we’re often not. We don’t have the same access that more affluent communities do to levy trails like this.”
Initial design proposals have included the construction of amenities at certain points along the trail.
“I’m excited that there was so much community support because of the health benefits, right?” says Valencia. “We know that when we have open trails that more people spend more time outdoors.”
Officials say the draft of the EIR presented Tuesday addressed several environmental impact concerns, and any proposed mitigation efforts.
“The EIR identified fencing as a primary strategy as well as limiting hours of operation of the trail,” says Friedlander.
Alternative plans are also being considered, including no project at all, a project with minimal design, and multiple full-design possibilities, along with estimated costs for each.
“This is a right to grow county,” says Friedlander. “And we don’t want to impact growers along the levy. We want them to continue to grow produce that feeds residents in Santa Barbara County and beyond.”
Public review of the draft eir and input is open until July 14th.
You can find where to send your public comment by visiting the project page on the county’s website by clicking here.
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