Santa Barbara Enviros and Glamp-Ground Reach Kumbaya Compromise

Gaviota Coast Conservancy and El Capitan Canyon Resort Owners Bury the Hatchet over New Campsites on Coastline

El Capitan Canyon Resort | Credit: Courtesy

It is not every day that developers and environmentalists reach a compromise.

Back in February, hundreds of public comments were submitted to the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission opposing a new campground development at the El Capitan Canyon Resort on the Gaviota Coast. Many of these letters were written on behalf of the nonprofit environmental group Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC), which was appealing the project’s design approval based on its perceived inconsistency with viewshed protections in the Gaviota Coast Plan.

The GCC was afraid that the proposed development — including 47 campsites, support buildings and facilities, and swimming pools east of the canyon — would disrupt scenic views of the coastline from Highway 101 and stain the coast’s “natural beauty” and “rural character.”

However, the developers argued, with support from county staff, that they had vested rights and valid permits to complete the project, which was already 10 years in the making but got delayed due to wildfire, debris flows, and the pandemic.

Now, it’s all water under the bridge.

After a “productive” meeting in April where “both parties explored potential solutions” and further “extensive negotiations,” according to the GCC, the nonprofit group has agreed to withdraw its appeal of the resort’s “Area F” project that is pending at the County Planning Commission and “work collaboratively” with the resort’s owner, Sun Communities Inc., “as they move forward with their in-canyon projects.”

Adam Shiffman, a Sun Communities Inc. representative, said the resort is “grateful for the time and effort” the GCC invested in discussions over the last several months.

“These discussions have resulted in a path forward that allows us to integrate the concerns of the community into plans for the future at the campground,” Shiffman said. “We are fully committed to working closely with the Gaviota Coast Conservancy and other project stakeholders as the Area F project progresses to completion and as we look to future plans for the campground and continued preservation of the natural resources surrounding it.”

That involves repositioning cabins to minimize their visibility from Highway 101 and enhancing landscaping and parking plans; ensuring long-term protection of the campground area by prohibiting any future developments in Area F, which is situated above the canyon’s llama farm; adding environmental protections by committing to extinguish entitlements for 55 additional campsites within the El Capitan Creek riparian corridor and residential development rights for two hillside residences; and offering community benefits, including public parking and trail easements to improve access to the Bill Wallace Trail and State Park lands.

“We understand that some may have reservations about this compromise,” said GCC Director Doug Kern. “However, we believe these outcomes represent a significant step forward in preserving the Gaviota Coast’s natural beauty while allowing for responsible visitor serving development.”