Oppose oil trucking. Stop development on Gaviota Coast. Comment on county trails.

NEW ITEMS: 
* OPPOSE oil trucking
* STOP development on the Gaviota Coast
* Comment on trails in the draft County Recreation Master Plan

CONTINUING ITEMS:
  • Stop the Coup! Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.
  • Ocean Protection Council Strategic Plan
  • Combined SBCAN Roundtable on proposed Marine Protected Areas Friday, Feb. 14 at noon via Zoom
  • Public Review of the Santa Maria General Plan Update
  • Renew Membership with SBCAN 


 OPPOSE OIL TRUCKING
Santa Barbara County Action Network asks you to join with community members to sign and share this petition and urge the County Planning Commission to VOTE NOon allowing Sentinel Peak Resources to truck crude oil 165 miles from Lompoc Hills to Coalinga.
 
Please sign now. We will be submitting this petition before noon on Monday, February 10. 
 

Join us when we testify at the County Planning Commission public hearing to OPPOSE OIL TRUCKING on Wednesday, February 12, which begins at 9 a.m. Stay tuned for our next action alert with more talking points.

IN PERSON: Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria.
 
 
Here is the link to the staff report and attachments.

SBCAN, along with community partners, continues to oppose oil projects that are dangerous to our environment and our communities. 



STOP DEVELOPMENT ON THE GAVIOTA COAST

See the message below from our friends at the Environmental Defense Center: 

Right now, Santa Barbara County is poised to approve the first of what could be 71 large, fenced estates at Naples on the Gaviota Coast, just west of Goleta. Approval would set a precedent for development on the Gaviota Coast. Naples is the crown jewel of the Gaviota Coast, Southern California’s largest undeveloped coastline with incredible views, public access, and a haven for birds and wildlife. 

Please join the Environmental Defense Center and Surfrider Foundation to ensure Naples remains untouched by development. Attend the hearing (in person or virtually) on February 10, starting at 9am, to voice your concerns.

The County claims developing a 6,500 square foot estate with a 2,000 square foot barn, guest house, driveway, and three septic leach fields on the Naples bluff will not harm our environment.

However, Naples is home to at least sixteen rare wildlife species, including state-protected white-tailed kites and California bumblebees– a state designated Fully Protected Species. These species are protected by the County’s Gaviota Coast Plan, but the County is recommending approval of development which would displace them.

Please join EDC and Surfrider Foundation to make sure the County protects Naples and the Gaviota Coast! We need your voice.

Attend the public hearing in-person or by Zoom on February 10 at 9:00 am

In Person: Planning Commission Hearing Room, 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara

The agenda with instructions for joining the meeting by Zoom is posted here.  



COUNTY HIKING TRAILS – DRAFT COUNTY RECREATION MASTER PLAN

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Members of the public can learn about and make comments on plans for riding and hiking trails on Monday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. when the County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee receives a presentation on the draft County Recreation Master Plan.

The committee will consider a draft letter to comment on the proposals for new trails, which will include at least some discussion of trails in Santa Maria Valley, such as the Santa Maria river levee trail, Orcutt Creek trail and Pt. Sal trails. Campgrounds and sports parks around the City of Guadalupe and a Guadalupe Dunes campground will also be considered, as well as a bluff top trail and campground expansion at Jalama.

There is much more to the proposed Recreation Master Plan. Find information here.

The meeting will be held at the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Hearing Room, 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara and online.

Agenda and link for the online meeting is here.

The meeting link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81175799845

Draft CRAHTAC comment letter is here.



A message from Indivisible Santa Barbara and Commit to Democracy:

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Stop the Coup!

Emergency Town Hall Meeting
Saturday, February 8 at 1pm
Unitarian Church, 1535 Santa Barbara St. Santa Barbara
and online

Our nation is in crisis and we need to come together as a community to hear from our government leaders about what is being done and what WE can do to stop the illegal takeover of our institutions and federal programs. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on Saturday.

With deep appreciation for your support,

Myra [email protected] and Joan [email protected]
Indivisible Santa Barbara
Commit to Democracy

Sign up here for a link to attend online: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/753991/



A message from California Ocean Protection Council:

California Ocean Protection Council

2026-2030 OPC Strategic Plan

Public Listening Sessions

The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is seeking early public feedback to inform OPC’s forthcoming 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. Building from the current 2020-2025 Strategic Plan to Protect California’s Coast and Ocean, the new Strategic Plan will guide OPC’s work to protect California’s coast and ocean through 2030.

A draft 2026-2030 Strategic Plan will be released in late Spring 2025 for written public comment. Please share your priorities to inform this draft Strategic Plan using the form below by 11:59 p.m. Friday, February 21, 2025 (Extended Deadline).

Public Input Form

Public Listening Sessions

In-person listening sessions will be held across the state to inform the draft 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. Please view the schedule below and register for the listening session(s) you plan to attend. Please note important access and transportation information on the registration form.  

Each listening session will begin with an introductory presentation, although members of the public are welcome to attend at any time during the two-hour listening sessions. 

Register for a Listening Session

Upcoming Sessions:

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

  • Location: Bay Area Metro Center, Yerba Buena Room    
  • Address: 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

  • Location: City of Long Beach, Billie Jean King Main Library  
  • Address: 200 W. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802 
  • Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

Accessibility and Accommodations  

OPC is committed to ensuring that everyone can fully participate and have an inclusive experience. To help us make the necessary arrangements, we kindly ask that you share any accommodation or accessibility needs at least 10 calendar days before the proposed listening session date on the registration form. OPC may reach out to you via email to clarify accommodation needs. 

***

For details and to stay informed, please visit the 2026-2030 Strategic Planning webpage

Questions? Please contact [email protected] with the subject line “OPC Strategic Plan.” 

2026-2030 Strategic Plan

Sign up for OPC Announcements

Follow us on

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California Ocean Protection Council
715 P Street, 20th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.opc.ca.gov

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CENTRAL COAST MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

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SBCAN Combined Roundtable
Friday, February 14, 2025
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

Agenda

  1. Welcome
  2. Representatives of the Natural Resources Defense Council will present their proposals for Marine Protected Areas off Pt. Sal and Carpinteria. They will explain what an MPA is and why they are asking the California Fish and Game Commission to put these protections in place. Attendees will be invited to ask questions and express concerns or support. The SBCAN Board will consider whether to support the proposals.
  3. Other issues or announcements
  4. Closing

Register for the Zoom meeting here: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fdMsMXRXTc6Yi6Zg2B2JMg

Note: We are changing the North County Roundtable to the second Friday each month at noon and making it a Combined Roundtable when topics warrant it. The South County Roundtable will continue to be held the fourth Friday at noon and will also be a Combined Roundtable when topics warrant it.

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Download Fact Sheet on Pt. Sal proposal

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Download Fact Sheet on Mishopshno proposal

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If you haven't renewed your SBCAN membership for 2025, please do so now. We need your support -- through your participation, membership, sponsorship or donations.

We need to keep moving forward together to face the challenges of the new year and accomplish our shared goals of environmental, economic and social justice.

We’re stepping up our game – and we hope you’ll step up with us! We have new initiatives we’ve implemented and more we’ve planned. Please read our 2024 “Highlights” for details.

You are integral to our success. You have helped us build a strong network of progressive activists, save prime farmland, create more affordable housing, work to improve water quality, fight increased trucking of fossil fuels and restarting of the pipeline that burst into the channel, and more.

We are making our annual membership appeal now. If you recently paid your membership, or sponsored one of our events, or made a donation, you are already a member for 2025. We’re not asking you to contribute again – unless you want to! Mostly, we hope you will read our 2024 Highlights and continue to be involved with us.

If you have not made a recent contribution, we hope you will become a member or renew your dues now to help us continue to do our vital work. We rely on grants, sponsors, donors, fundraisers and you to keep doing our educational and advocacy work.

The average amount of dues our members pay is $10/month, however, we welcome higher or lower membership dues – whatever level works for you.

Please make your donation online at sbcan.org/donations, or send a check to P.O. Box 6174, Santa Maria, CA 93456-6174. We especially like monthly contributions!

We’ll send information soon on our 2025 Annual Membership Meeting and Election.

If you are not receiving emails from us, please sign up for our Action Alerts at sbcan.org/sign-up, and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/SBCANorg

Thanks again for your support and doing the good work!

Sincerely,

Jeanne Sparks and Ken Hough
Co-Executive Directors

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