Naples Development on the Santa Barbara Coastline Delayed

Photo: Environmental Defense Center

The Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter has led the 10 year fight to block development of a key Gaviota Coast property, along with its partner organizations the Environmental Defense Center and the Naples Coalition. So last week they were overjoyed at the news of a bank auction/foreclosure sale of a 1,035 acre parcel known as Naples, located on the Gaviota Coast.

First Bank, who initiated the foreclosure proceeding, set a minimum bid of $50 million for the property. No one entered a bid, including the land's former owner, Orange County developer Matt Osgood, thereby making First Bank the new owner of the property. Naples had been slated for a massive development of 71 luxury-style homes averaging 8,000 square feet in size. Following last week's foreclosure sale, Osgood's development plans are uncertain at best.

"Last week's forced foreclosure sale of Naples is a testament to the work of our chapter, our partners, and all those who have never given up on preserving the Gaviota Coast," said Surfrider Santa Barbara chair Sandy Lejeune. "That an overwhelming majority of citizens both in and outside of Santa Barbara oppose development on the Gaviota Coast cannot be overestimated," Lejeune also said.

After 10 long years of struggle this victory has re-energized the Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter! They continue to be on constant alert for any threats to the Gaviota Coast and are vigilant in their strategy of "constant pressure endlessly applied" to preserve the last remaining 20 miles of undeveloped coastline in southern California.

...ANYONE HAVE A SPARE $50 MILLION?

You can help the Santa Barbara Chapter in their efforts to permanently preserve the Gaviota Coast’s rural character and unspoiled nature for future generations to enjoy?

Sign the Petition to Preserve The Gaviota Coast.

Surfrider Foundation Isla Vista Chapter Presents: Concert for the Coast!

Featuring:
-Thy Squid
-Soul Minded
-Sprout
-Return of Charles
-Boombox Orchestra
-Stick Figure

Come and enjoy a day full of free awesome music, great environmental groups tabling, sick raffle, and MORE! (21+ BYOB)

All proceeds from the raffle will go to the Naples Coalition!

Check out our facebook page:
http://www.surfrider.org/islavista/index.php
and our website: http://www.surfrider.org/islavista

Naples Foreclosure Sale - Update

On Thursday, March 13, 2010, the County of Santa Barbara administered a bank auction/foreclosure sale of 1,035 acres of the Santa Barbara Ranch on the Gaviota Coast. First Bank, who initiated the foreclosure proceeding, set a minimum bid of $50,000,000.00 for the property.

No one present entered a bid, including the land’s former owner, Orange County developer Matt Osgood, who attended the foreclosure sale. As the institution foreclosing on the property, First Bank is the new owner, and will receive all the conditional permits and tentative entitlements according to the deed of trust.

The property, commonly referred to as “Naples”, had been slated for a massive development of 71 luxury-style homes averaging 8,000 square feet in size – double the current average Gaviota Coast home size – just two miles west of the urban limit line. Following today's action, the future of Mr. Osgood’s development plans is now, at best, uncertain.

Mr. Osgood has retained ownership of two of the parcels on the Santa Barbara Ranch that were part of a development approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in October, 2008. Interviewed after the foreclosure sale, Mr. Osgood indicated that he will likely attempt to regain control of the foreclosed property in the future.

While the value of the Naples property remains uncertain, it seems clear from today’s action that it is less than $50 million; how much less is still an open question.

Whatever happens, we now have an open door to begin discussions with First Bank. We hope those discussions can lead to an opportunity to purchase all or some portion of the property in fee and/or easement.

We look forward to this challenge as we are confident that the Santa Barbara community can and will rise to this large conservation effort as they did with the Carpinteria Bluffs, the Wilcox property, and Ellwood Mesa.

Recognizing that our efforts to preserve this property will require constant vigilance and resourcefulness, the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will continue to monitor all aspects pertinent to today's action, as well as work toward permanent solutions for preserving both Naples and the entire Gaviota Coast - the last remaining stretch of undeveloped coastline in southern California.

Reception for preserving the Gaviota Coast a success

There is one single, public area in Southern California that is still pristine. It is virtually untouched. It's the Gaviota coast, just north of Santa Barbara. The local Santa Barbara chapter, which is currently being led by the extremely capable and passionate Sandy Lejune, has been fighting to protect this area for over a decade.

Last night in Montecito, at the home of Olaf and Eva Guerrand-Hermes, supporters of preserving the Gaviota Coast came together for a special evening reception benefitting the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Guests in attendance learned about the very real and pressing threats to this stretch of coast, and why it is so important to preserve the Gaviota Coast for future generations to enjoy.

The reception was organized by Steve Blank, Shaun and Carla Tomson and Sandy Lejeune... and special thanks to the Guerrand-Hermes family and Barefoot Wines.

Please sign our Petition to Preserve the Gaviota Coast

THE GAVIOTA COAST, located in southern Santa Barbara County, includes the coastal watersheds between Coal Oil Point in Goleta, to Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, and the remainder of Vandenberg’s coast to Point Sal. Surfrider’s Santa Barbara chapter is working to preserve the 20-mile stretch of the Gaviota Coast between Goleta and Gaviota, which draws more than a million visitors to its beaches, coastal canyons and mountain trails every year.

WHAT'S AT STAKE:
In just over two generations, more than ninety percent of southern California's once-unspoiled coastline has been lost to development forever. Expanding urbanization has displaced agriculture on fertile coastal plains, reduced public beach access, and stressed coastal watersheds and marine ecosystems. Rapid population growth in the region has led to dramatic loss of native biological diversity, and a general decline in the health of ecosystems we depend on. The Gaviota Coast’s intact ecosystems, riparian and wildlife corridors, important coastal farmland, rare and endangered animals, unique tidal wetlands, and Native American cultural sites are all gravely threatened by development.

YOU CAN HELP!
Please sign our petition to permanently preserve the Gaviota Coast for future generations to enjoy! Thanks so much for your support. Spread the word, and please consider joining Surfrider Foundation so we can continue to work on important issues like this.

MONEY, SPACE AND THE NAPLES PROJECT

http://www.santaynezvalleyjournal.com/archive/8/16/6267/

As the city of Goleta continues to grow with new housing tracts and luxury hotels now tucked along its coastline, many wonder will there be any open spaces left up and down this vast state. There is a continuous demand for more housing, businesses and recreation in the region as more people begin to migrate into the area – but at what cost?

The Naples region lies just 2 miles west of Goleta on the Gaviota coast, and is home to a variety of wildlife such as badgers, mountain lions, sea otters and peregrine falcons. It is also home to a farming community that has learned to coexist with nature and its surroundings.

“If you draw the urban limit line to include Naples, where does it stop?” questions Greg Helms, president of the Naples Coalition, an organization formed in 2000 in response to the Naples Project, brought forth by Orange County developer Matt Osgood as a proposal to develop the land into 88 houses north of the 101.

“There is a need on the Gaviota coast for agricultural-support facilities, or we may even need a regional slaughterhouse,” explains Helms of alternative-land developments that will promote the sustainability of agriculture that has existed in the region for many generations.

Osgood’s proposal, which has been reduced to 72 homes and is now referred to as the Santa Barbara Ranch Development, is far from Helms’ vision for the region. The “Naples Town Site” would span some 800 acres and could include houses larger than 13,000 square feet, an equestrian center and coastal access trails. “The mansionization of the Gaviota coast is the quickest way I can think of to destroy the viability of agriculture,” assures Helms. It could also put a strain on the local water supply and lead to water runoff contamination.

He goes on to add that the result of the project would “substitute mansions for rural homes, landscaping for native grasses and orchards, and fences for wide-open spaces, all for the benefit of a private developer and 72 families.”

Helms also believes that there are very few Goletans who are in favor of the project, as he has witnessed standing-room-only crowds at various hearings positioning themselves against the developer in favor of preserving the land. “There’s an economic value in open space,” confirms Helms, indicating that the area often attracts visitors who enjoy activities such as surfing, hiking and bird watching.

The project has also hit a financial roadblock, as it was reported back in February of this year that the bank issued a notice of default to the developer for failing to make a $3.1 million payment on a $63 million loan.

Time is running out on the development that is now 10 years old, this latest setback could lead to foreclosure of the property. It has yet to receive approval from the Coastal Commission, and the adequacy of its Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been challenged in the form of a lawsuit courtesy of the Coalition.

For Helms, it’s a project that just isn’t suitable for the vicinity. “We will take every measure to see that it’s (the development) drastically reduced or eliminated,” and he is certain that his views reflect the best interests of Goleta.

Future of Gaviota Coast Still Shrouded in Discussion

By Ben Preston, Noozhawk Staff Writer

From left, Naples Coalition president Phil McKenna, ranch manager Jose Baer, real estate lawyer Charles Kimball, Paul Van Leer of the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Advisory Board and rancher Guner Tautrim led the latest round of discussion on the future of the Gaviota coast. (Ben Preston / Noozhawk photo)

Latest stakeholders meeting tackles agricultural viability and visual impacts of development

Driving west on Highway 101, it’s easy to let the stress of city life slip away as Santa Barbara’s bustling urban center dissolves into a truly stunning rural coastline. Over the years, developers, agricultural interests and environmentalists alike have eyed the nearly pristine strip of land — stretching from the western end of Goleta all the way to Hollister Ranch near Point Conception — each with their own vision of what its future holds.

In a continuing effort to create a general plan for the Gaviota coast, Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota Planning Advisory Committee met at Brandon School in Goleta last week to bat ideas back and forth and field comments from the public.

Comprised of Gaviota coast stakeholder representatives, the committee — known as GavPAC — held an all-day workshop in March to allow stakeholders and community members to voice ideas and concerns related to the planning process. A major issue touched upon at Wednesday’s meeting was the viability of agriculture, which currently dominates the landscape. As a result of ever-increasing land values, several Gaviota coast ranchers and farmers suggested that unless the regional business model for food distribution changes to one more focused on local food production instead of national commodities, the future of agriculture faces a dubious future in the area.

“If you really want to make money on agriculture, the land prices in Fresno are cheaper and the products have a higher value there,” said GavPAC member Mark Lloyd, a development consultant who has been assisting Santa Barbara Ranch developer Matt Osgood, whose Naples project is currently making its way through the county’s regulatory process.

Gaviota rancher Gunner Tautrin countered that if Santa Barbara area businesses were more supportive of local food production, agriculture would be financially feasible on the Gaviota coast.

“I’m not sure I want the county government designing the local food distribution system,” said GavPAC member Michael Feeney. “I’d rather see the farmers do that.”

Making the transition from agriculture to the often discussed issue of visual impacts of development on the coast, Feeney asserted that developers haven’t properly addressed visual impacts in most project proposals.

“Dealing with visual impacts isn’t as simple as pushing houses back into the canyons where they can’t be seen,” he said, noting that more roads and infrastructure would have to be built to accommodate more remote construction.

GavPAC will continue its discussion, again inviting public participation, at its next meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 21. The meeting will be held at Vista de las Cruces School, 9467 San Julian Road, just north of the Gaviota Pass on Highway 101.

— Noozhawk staff writer Ben Preston can be reached at bpreston@noozhawk.com.

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/041110_gaviota_coast/