Thank you for the story about Fairview Gardens past, present, and future. It is a very special place, and many of us living in proximity to the farm are looking forward to its renaissance. We all owe Michael Ableman a huge debt of gratitude for preserving this land. That said, on his return to Goleta after a long absence, Mr. Ableman should be aware that we neighbors are the “urban” in The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens.
There is much to admire about the current proposal, but not all feel unconditional love for every part of it. In the face of many deep-pocketed supporters and donors — most or all of whom live out of earshot — and $7M already raised, it’s not unreasonable for those most affected to seek legal representation. We’re grateful to the Goleta Planning Commission for fairly considering the proposal and making productive suggestions to the applicant and watching out for their constituents, who otherwise have a mere two minutes to make their case.
Fairview Gardens is a farm forever, a fact we need not be reminded of on every occasion. The roosters were a thing once, a very real thing for those who suddenly had a dozen of them over their fence, but that is resolved. It’s time to move forward, to bring Fairview Gardens into the future, to make it sustainable for the benefit of all, in harmony with its surroundings, and keeping Goleta at least a little bit country.
