Protect the Gaviota Coast, Summer Camp Opportunity for Middle School Students & More

Help protect the Gaviota Coast and urge the Zoning Administrator to stop the development of Naples!

Join Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN), the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), the Surfrider Foundation, and the Gaviota Coast Conservancy and oppose development of any housing at Naples on the Gaviota Coast.

We oppose the "DMF Fund LLC Seaside Residence Project and Habitat Restoration" project because:

Restoration must happen first and restoration plans must not be linked to the project.
Developing on this coastline would set a precedent for additional development.
Naples holds sacred and ecological importance.

Read the SB Independent article about the project here.

Find the DMF project here.

To read SBCAN's letter opposing the project, click here.

We need your voice to make sure the County protects the Gaviota Coast.

1) Email your written comments to Zoning Administrator, Jonathan Martin, [email protected] and Senior Planner, Christopher Schmuckal, [email protected] by Friday, May 17 at Noon.

2) Attend the Zoning Administrator's Public Hearing and provide public comment on May 20 at 9:00 am* at the Planning Commission Hearing Room at 123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara. Find the agenda here. More info is here.

* Call 805-568-2000 for updated time.

Do you know any middle school students in Santa Maria or Guadalupe who would like to attend a FREE five-day outdoor adventure program in June?

Central Coast
Youth Environmental Stewardship Program
(CC YES)

Creek Lands Conservation (CLC) has developed a free summer day camp for underserved students that reside in Guadalupe and Santa Maria. The five camp days will take place at various locations within San Luis Obispo County starting on June 10. There will be three one-week sessions serving 10 sixth- to eighth-grade students each week.

The Central Coast Youth Environmental Stewardship Program is five-day outdoor adventure-based, environmental and climate literacy program prioritizing students from under-resourced communities.

Students will visit locations throughout San Luis Obispo County including:

Downtown San Luis Obispo (Terrace Hill Trail and Cerro San Luis Trail)
SLO City Farm and Prefumo Creek Trail
Los Osos Creek Wetlands Preserve
Montana de Oro
Morro Bay (estuary, Black Hill, kayaking in the bay)
Avila Beach and Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences Pier

Transportation will be provided. We are looking for a total of 30 students to participate in the program from Guadalupe Union School District and Santa Maria-Bonita School District.

The main objective of CC YES is to help students develop functional ecological stewardship skills, provide environmental and climate education, and create an equitable and sustainable framework for students throughout the Central Coast region. This is a great opportunity to expose middle school students to Career Technical Education pathways before they are in high school.

Click here to learn more

For more information, please contact Nancy Avoce at [email protected] or Danielle Narzisi at [email protected].

Please help us spread the word by forwarding this email to organizations you are involved with, your members, and your friends.

You can still speak up for affordable and workforce housing on county-owned land!

While the rezone process is over for the Housing Element, you can still encourage the County of Santa Barbara to help alleviate our housing crisis.

Sign this petition to urge the Board of Supervisors to use county-owned land to develop deed-restricted affordable and workforce housing and to maximize low-income and moderate housing units, rather than developing any additional market-rate units.

Developing housing on underutilized county-owned land can help guarantee that housing units will be affordable and will go directly to local employees rather than out-of-town investors. This can help disrupt additional gentrification and can promote stability for our hard-working residents.

County-owned land is funded by Santa Barbara County taxpayers and data shows that our greatest need is affordable housing units so that we can work, live, and play in the county. A third of the county’s employees (more than 1,000 employees) cannot afford to live within the county.

We encourage you to voice your support for developing deed-restricted affordable and workforce housing units on underutilized county-owned land.

Sign this Petition to the Board of Supervisors, which SBCAN will submit to the County of Santa Barbara.

Thanks to those of you who have already signed!

And don't forget about our upcoming...

Santa Barbara County Action Network

North County “Looking Forward” Awards Dinner & Fundraiser

June 23, 2024 from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Radisson Hotel, 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria

Santa Barbara County Action Network recognizes individuals, businesses and organizations that work selflessly to protect our environment and the rights of our county’s residents. These awards bring attention to this good work and help raise funds we need to keep doing our part.

Click here to sponsor or for more information

This year we are recognizing:

The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County
Environmental Award

Lucy Thoms-Harrington & Lompoc-Vandenberg Chapter of AAUW
Giving Back Award

Steve Molina
Social Justice Award

Noemi Velasquez
Working Families Award

Cliff Lambert
“Looking Forward” Award

Daniel Segura
Youth Activist Award

Will you join with our Early Sponsors to recognize the outstanding work of these individuals and organizations?

Early Sponsors

California Condor
Dick & Marilyn Mazess
UFCW Local 770

Red-tailed Hawk
Allan Hancock College
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Fund for Santa Barbara
Gerry DeWitt
CAUSE
Dick Flacks

California Quail
Coasthills Credit Union
Cliff Solomon & Pam Gates
McCune Foundation

Anna's Hummingbird
Marc Chytilo & Nancy Weiss
Virginia Perry Souza
County Supervisor Das Williams
Mary Rose & Associates
Janet Blevins & Gary Smith
Assemblymember Gregg Hart