At the Carpinteria Bluffs, coastal sage and wildflowers blossom in fields, eucalyptus trees line walking paths, and harbor seals gather and raise their pups on the sands just below.
To help preserve this “sacred space,” as 1st District Supervisor Roy Lee described it, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $800,000 for restoration of the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and neighboring bluff properties.
Improvements include restoring degraded trails, removing invasive species, planting new native vegetation, and expanding ADA-accessible pathways. It will also fund new restrooms and other public amenities.
It’s uncommon for the county to fund big improvement projects like this in cities, noted Mona Miyasato, the county’s chief executive officer. When they do, it’s often in unincorporated areas. “This is very special,” she said. “This was a commitment made years ago.”
Some may wonder where this money is coming from, considering the county’s projected deficit. But supervisors clarified that it is from funds set aside back in 2021.
To improve and preserve the county’s parks, open spaces, and trails, $2 million was allocated to North County and $1.5 million to South County in 2021, including the chunk earmarked for the Carpinteria bluffs.
“All of us have been impacted by these dollars,” noted Board Chair Bob Nelson. “They’re cannabis dollars.”
At that, Lee’s chief of staff, Wade Cowper, suggested that it’s “grass for grass.”
The $800,000 was originally supposed to be a “starter payment” for acquisition of an additional parcel on the bluffs. But that fell through after the price grew.
“It went beyond our ability to fundraise that, so our office felt it was a good use of the funds to do our best with the area that’s already preserved,” Cowper said. Hundreds of acres of coastal bluff land in the area has already been permanently protected through community efforts.
It’s an open space used not only by Carpinteria residents, but by people throughout the South Coast, Cowper said. The lands provide habitat protection for sensitive species, public recreation, coastal access, and are a key part of the California coastal trail.
The City of Carpinteria will coordinate improvements with the Carpinteria Open Space Management Advisory Board and the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County.
“You don’t see this often,” said Lee, whose district includes the City of Carpinteria. “It’s something very positive to preserve a piece of land we fought so hard for. It means a lot to the Carpinteria community.”
Other funds set aside for South County parks, trails, and open spaces went to the Recreation Master Plan and the Isla Vista Bluffs Fencing Project. With Carpinteria’s allocation, the remaining balance stands at $295K.
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