SANTA MARIA RIVER LEVEE TRAIL

Santa Barbara County Action Network
Roundtable
Noon, Friday, June 12
via Zoom

Find out what the County of Santa Barbara is proposing for the extension of the Santa Maria River Levee Trail to Guadalupe.

The County has just released its Draft Environmental Impact Report and is taking comments on its adequacy and completeness.

We will discuss the County's preferred plan and what actions to take to support the extension. Since there is strong opposition to the project, we must show the County that the community wants and needs this trail.

Join us for a discussion on Friday, June 12 at noon via Zoom. Register here:       https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/86_CkHJLQEyitn9duLZEeA     

The Draft EIR and all documents related to it may be reviewed on the County’s website at https://www.countyofsb.org/4804/Santa-Maria-Levee-Trail or at the Public Works offices at 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara and 620 W. Foster Rd., Santa Maria; or Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria; or Guadalupe Branch Library, 4719 W. Main St., Guadalupe.

Objections to the proposed extension of the trail can be read here: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/ca-santabarbaracounty/aae5a338-a7e7-48a3-b9a1-67339376d588

Comments can be made to the County on the adequacy and completeness of the Draft EIR during a public hearing on June 30 at 3 p.m. at the Betteravia Government Center, 511 E Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, or they can be submitted by July 14 at 5 p.m. to Project Manager, [email protected] or to 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Candidates for the Fifth District Supervisor's seat have taken positions on the issue. They were quoted in the Santa Barbara News-Press:

"Would the candidates support extending the Santa Maria Levee Trail to connect Guadalupe with Santa Maria?

"[Cory] Bantilan: Yes, although perhaps incrementally, assuming people’s pets are prevented from fouling adjacent agriculture.

"[Ricardo] Valencia: Absolutely, and especially to provide low-income residents with more green space to enjoy.

"[Maribel] Aguilera: No, it would be irresponsible amid layoffs, and it would contaminate food supplies.

“What I would support is expanding the (Highway) 166,” Aguilera said, adding it would make sense to build a trail adjacent to the motorway."

Read the News-Press article here: https://www.newspress.com/2026/05/22/fiscal-priorities-sharpen-as-fifth-district-candidates-face-off-at-round-2-forum/

 

ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

MESSAGE FROM THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

Good afternoon,

As you all know, we’ve been advocating relentlessly to amend the State Housing Bond vehicles to include funding for the Local Housing Trust Fund Program.

Unfortunately, last Thursday, both bond vehicles (AB 736 and SB 417) passed off their respective second house appropriations committee suspense files without amendments, meaning both will now move to the floor. But there is still time to push forward our ask!

This is the time for personal calls and texts to our members (Limón and Hart) to request an amendment to include the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) Grant Program as one of the programs to be funded through the Housing Bond.

Specifically, we suggest the following talking points:

  • California’s proposed housing bonds, AB 736 (Wicks) and SB 417 (Cabaldon), present a critical opportunity to invest in affordable housing, but they must include $500 million for the Local Housing Trust Fund Program to be effective.
  • LHTF funding was included in the 2018 housing bond, and sustaining programs we create is essential to maintaining progress.
  • These funds are often the last dollars into a project, closing critical financing gaps and unlocking additional federal, local, and private investment.
  • Without this investment, the state risks losing one of its most effective, locally driven housing production tools at a time of continued housing need.

If you have any questions or need additional clarification, please let us know.

We appreciate your tireless work!

Barbara

SB_city_logo.png

Barbara Andersen
Senior Assistant to the City Administrator
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, City Administrator’s Office
(805) 564-5302 | [email protected]
SantaBarbaraCA.gov

 
   

Senator Monique Limón
 
Capitol:
(916) 651-4021

Santa Barbara Office:
(805) 965-0862

Santa Maria
(805) 346-2845

Assemblymember Gregg Hart

Capitol:
(916) 319-2037
 
Santa Barbara Office:
(805) 564-1649
 
Santa Maria Office:
(805) 346-1237
 
 

Urge the City of Santa Barbara
to Keep Our Public Parks Open!

SBCAN is proud to support a petition launched by an Eastside Santa Barbara resident calling on the City of Santa Barbara to keep our public parks open and accessible to all.

SBCAN believes open space is essential to community well-being. Our parks are vital shared resources and taking action to protect access reflects our commitment to ensuring all residents their right to live, work, and play locally. 

We, the undersigned residents of Santa Barbara, call on the City to immediately reopen all public parks that remain closed or restricted by temporary fencing—some for nearly a decade. 

We are soccer players, families, neighbors, and employees of this city who depend on these spaces to decompress after long days at work. These parks are not optional—they are essential to our physical and mental health and sense of community.

As residents, we contribute tax dollars that fund these public spaces, and they should be open and accessible to the community they are meant to serve. 

Sign the Petition Here
 

 

As we enter SBCAN's 25th year, we reflect on the impact our community has created together.

Whether you've been a longtime sponsor or are considering partnering with us for the first time, your support makes this work possible—and we'd love to have you with us for this milestone.

We invite you to sponsor SBCAN at 25: Honoring the Work, Empowering the Future on Sunday, June 28 at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez from 1–4 PM.

In just the past year, SBCAN stopped a dangerous proposal to truck 10 million gallons of oil annually through our region, helped establish a local housing trust fund in Santa Barbara, and pushed the County to build affordable workforce housing on County-owned land—with multiple developments now underway.

This event also marks a new chapter: after more than a decade leading SBCAN, we are passing the helm to Nancy Avoce, our Assistant Director of two and a half years, whom the Board has named Executive Director-Designee.

Your sponsorship will help ensure this work continues to grow and impact the community we all care about. 

Please see the sponsorship form below and make a gift at a level that feels meaningful to you, either by mail or online at sbcan.org/fundraiser

Respond by May 30 to be included in our printed invitations and all of our publicity.

Let’s raise a glass together at Sunstone on June 28!

With deep gratitude,

Ken Hough and Jeanne Sparks
SBCAN Co-Executive Directors

Click here for the sponsorship form as a pdf
Sponsor Now!
Purchase Tickets Here

Thank you to our "SBCAN at 25" Sponsors!


All In Sponsors:

Dick and Marilyn Mazess

Ken Hough & Jeanne Sparks

Dick Flacks

 

Keep Families Housed Sponsors:

Sunstone Winery

Mercury Press

 

Lasting Communities Sponsors:

UFCW Local 770

SEIU Local 620

CAUSE

Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation

Pam Gates & Cliff Solomon

 

Voice for Change Sponsors:

SEIU Local 721

McCune Foundation

Allan Hancock College

Lisa Carlos

Gail Osherenko & Oran Young

Lee Heller

Robert Ornstein

Dan Gira & Victoria Greene

Mechanics Bank

McCune Foundation

Das Williams & Spencer Brandt (3CE)

Marc Chytilo & Nancy Weiss

Linda Lee

The Fund for Santa Barbara

Janet Blevins & Gary Smith

David Landecker

Kathy Sharum & David Dennis

 

Love Your Neighbor Sponsors:

Santa Barbara Foundation

Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter of the Sierra Club

The Home Team

George Relles & BL Borovay

Gerry DeWitt

Gail Teton-Landis

Geoff Green

Harvey Molotch & Glenn Wharton

Karen Mayes

Jon Glasoe & Rob Pearson

Santa Maria-Lompoc Branch of the NAACP

Leila Rupp & Verta Taylor

Lompoc Valley Democratic Club

 

Open Hearts Sponsors:

Supervisor Joan Hartmann

Supervisor Laura Capps

Congressman Salud Carbajal

Assemblymember Gregg Hart

Goleta City Councilmember James Kyriaco

Goleta City Councilmember Jennifer Smith

Goleta City Councilmember Stuart Kasdin

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Kristen Sneddon

SBCC Trustee Kyle Richards

Gail Marshall

Joyce Howerton

Vicky Blum & David Lebell

Dr. Ruth Ackerman

Rich Appelbaum & Karen Shapiro

Christiane Schlumberger

Dr. Derek Ng

Barbara Lindemann

Megan Turley

Planned Parenthood California Central Coast

 

In-Kind Sponsors:

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez

Sponsor Now!
 

 

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Donate today!

www.sbcan.org

[email protected]

Jeanne Sparks and Ken Hough, Co-Executive Directors
Santa Barbara County Action Network