••• A nice improvement at Butterfly Beach: The curvy dirt sidewalk along the south side of Channel Drive has been extended a fair bit, and it dumps out onto the cliffside, where you can walk even farther (versus having to brave the oncoming traffic in the street).
••• The Montecito Trails Foundation’s annual barbecue is this Saturday. Tickets available here.
••• Another item of note—besides the Santa Claus Lane improvements—on the agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting of the County Planning Commission:
Helistop – Carpinteria Valley Farms
Hearing on the request of Patrick M. Nesbitt, owner, to […] allow a helistop with two landing zones for personal use and for emergency services, within a 19.78-acre property zoned AG-I-20, in compliance with Section 35-172 of Article II, the Coastal Zoning Ordinance; and to adopt the Negative Declaration (19NGD-00000-00004) pursuant to the State Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act. [….] (Estimated Time: 1 hr.)
••• From a press release from the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department:
The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department (Public Works) is moving forward with multiple projects to improve flood control in Montecito. The projects include improving three debris basins, facilitating debris control net installation, and constructing a new debris basin near Randall Road.
On August 27, 2019, the Board of Supervisors authorized Public Works to contract with WRECO to provide analysis and design for the Cold Springs, San Ysidro, and Romero Creek Debris Basin Improvement Project. Public Works proposes installing outlet control structures similar to the one installed at Gobernador Basin in 2008. These outlet control structures will be designed to withstand large debris loads, to help move sediment downstream, and to restore steelhead trout habitat.
The Board of Supervisors also approved an item that authorizes Public Works to help the Partnership for Resilient Communities to free up funding to finish the installation of debris nets. […] Debris nets have been installed in San Ysidro, Cold Springs, and Buena Vista creeks. The remaining two nets will be installed in San Ysidro and Buena Vista Creeks.
A new debris basin [the Randall Road Debris Basin] that could help protect property in Montecito also recently took a huge step forward in the planning process. […] On July 16, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract with Padre Associates, Inc. for $170,000 to prepare the Environmental Impact Report for the basin. Padre Associates, Inc. will conduct the environmental analysis in concurrence with the design process. The basin would be constructed on 10 acres of property severely impacted by the 1/9 Debris Flow. The basin would be located immediately upstream of State Highway 192 and east of Randall Road in San Ysidro Creek. This area is three-quarters of a mile downstream from the San Ysidro Basin and would enhance the existing flood protection on the San Ysidro Creek system.
On August 28, 2019, the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Oakland, Ca. […] approved a request for advanced funding to purchase parcels for the proposed Randall Road Debris Basin. The basin would be able to withstand the forces of large debris loads, facilitate sediment recovery downstream, and enable fish passage. The location is ideal because the property is available for acquisition, the watershed in the area levels out naturally, and it is located high enough to protect any property downstream. Current plans proposed by Partners in Community Renewal and supported by the County include a walking trail, an enhanced wildlife habitat with native vegetation, and an open space area.
Comment: