12 to 16 Sports Field Complex is Proposed Along Santa Rosa Road
A 12 to 16 field sports complex is being proposed along Santa Rosa Road about seven tenths of a mile west of Ave of Flags in Buellton. The plan includes snack stands, bathroom facilities and a parking lot large enough to accommodate up to 400 vehicles at a time. The fields will range from soccer, baseball and football fields that would house Valley sports events and tournaments. The Santa Ynez Valley Youth Sports Foundation (SYVYSF) which was founded in 1992 has submitted their pre-application for the project and a March 7th hearing will be held at the Santa Barbara Planning Commission located at: 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA. room 17 at 9:00 AM, to hear community concerns or objections.
The outcome of the hearing will determine whether the project will proceed in that location or whether the Foundation will look for property elsewhere in the Valley. According to Santa Barbara Planning and Development the subject property is Agricultural Commercial and the zoning designation is Agriculture II, 100.
The project summary report states that the land use designation is consistent with the proposed use, with approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The structural development is expected to consist of a maximum of 8,000 square feet of building area that includes restrooms, a ‘snack shack’ and miscellaneous storage and maintenance buildings. The hours of operation could vary based on use, but could be active between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Activities are expected to peak on Saturdays, with a lesser level of use on Sundays and with some weekday events as well. City estimates indicate an increase of 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles per day along Santa Rosa Road with more concentrated traffic on tournament days.
Community Concerns
There is much controversy around this particular property being developed as a recreational area. The argument is not about the project itself, but instead, of where the complex may be located. It is fertile agricultural land and as Arvid Schmalz explains, “Once you put a parking lot there and pave over it, it’s gone, just gone. You’ll never get it back to the way it is now.” The 239 acres is located in a tranquil and scenic setting adjacent to Arvid’s Icelandic horse ranch, near local wineries, a granite company, and numerous rural homes. Neighbors surrounding the current farmland do not have mixed feelings with regard to this particular property becoming a sports complex. They like the scenic tranquility in which they live, and the mere suggestion of 3,000 additional vehicles per day driving on their street is one thought they would much rather do without. Each neighbor expressed their views saying, “We are for more sports fields, just not on this property”.
Impact on Nearby Neighbors
The tunnel wind that visits every afternoon along Santa Rosa Rd. blows from west to east, across the property directly towards Arvid Schmalz’s Icelandic Ranch next door. “Imagine all the litter and wrappers that will make their way over here to the horses’ pastures”. Upkeep is the least of Arvid’s worries. “If a plastic food wrapper were to make its way into the pastures, and one of the horses were to eat it. It would kill the horse. It would ball up inside him and kill it”. He says that even if they were to put an eight foot fence along his property, it would not halt wrappers and debris from making its way over, and would not adjust the volume of the noisy athletes and their fans.
Arvid, whose house sits within a few yards of the proposed sport center’s entrance, worries he would have to sell his property and give up the ranch that he so obviously adores. The noise from the sports complex would not only change the quiet they are used to in their home, but would be an extreme stress on the horses as well. Local horse trainer, Tammy Golden, who trains on Arvid’s ranch, agrees that training the horses would not only be difficult, but “When training young horses, that kind of noise would cause the horse to be distracted, stressed and startled, and it would put the trainer’s life at risk.”
The entrance road to the proposed sports facility runs along rows of horse pastures separated only by a shared, thin metal gate, and wooden horse fencing. Arvid and I approached the pasture where Tammy was training Diamante, a beautiful stallion. He is early in his training and as we walked closer, I startled him simply with my unfamiliar presence. With Tammy standing next to Diamante, one hand on his shoulder, he sharply and unpredictably jumped in fear as I approached them. Tammy skillfully and calmly stepped out of danger and gave him a moment to calm down. Arvid said, “Imagine what it would be like to have games; people yelling, cheering, and traffic going through here everyday.” Tammy feels it would be impossible to keep the horses on the ranch under those circumstances.
Possible Impacts on the Santa Ynez River and Wildlife
Another concern residents have is for the wildlife that currently lives in and around Santa Rosa Rd. Residents tell of hawks, coyotes, songbirds, and at times, mountain lions according to Mrs. Mosby of Mosby Winery. “Where will the wildlife go?” each and every neighbor wondered aloud. “There are endangered birds that live here by the river”, says Arvid, “What will happen to them?” Answering his own question, he said, “They will leave and migrate elsewhere, almost all the wildlife in this area will be gone as a result of the noise, the lights and traffic.”
According to the Santa Barbara Planning and Development’s summary report, the lower field level of the property is in the riparian corridor of the Santa Ynez River and is considered protected habitat by the Conservation element of the Comprehensive Plan and would be sensitive to human activity. Preliminary reviews indicate that potentially significant impacts to biological resources could result from the proposed project.
San Lucas Ranch owner and agricultural advocate, Nancy Crawford- Hall wants to know, “Why is this Foundation being given special treatment and encouraged to proceed with plans that will have such a drastic impact on the environment, when any local farmer or rancher would be turned away immediately?”
Nancy points out that the Santa Ynez River along Santa Rosa Road is home to State and Federal listed numerous endangered species, such as, Steel Heads, red-legged frogs, not to mention the Least Bell’s Vireo bird, which the California’s Plants and Animals website states that, for the vireo, critical habitat includes areas along the Santa Ynez River. These are only a few of the many endangered species that are listed on the Federal and State’s Endangered Species List. Since the land is adjacent to the river, the flood potential is also under review.
The project plan includes sports fieldsparking lot(s), and associated accoutrements located in the 100-year floodplain. There is also concern about pollutants from construction and litter following sports events going into the river. “This is the Valley’s river,” reminds Arvid as he spoke of how the complex may affect the river, the entire Valley, and not just the city of Buellton.
Schoolteacher Steve Lamping who has lived on Santa Rosa Rd for more than three years, has mixed feelings about the proposal. He too is concerned about the effects this may have on our river and says he will try to attend the March 7th hearing. He believes this would definitely have an impact on wildlife, ranchers and wineries in the area. In referring to possible impacts of the proposed project, Steve wonders, “Will there be stuff (debris) going into the river? Will they have to build a bridge across it?” Steve said, “My initial gut reaction would be like anybody else, I’m not crazy about it because it is a tranquil road and there are a lot of bicyclists here now. If this brings a lot of traffic and congestion, it sounds like an accident waiting to happen. On the other hand, I think it’s a good idea (having a sports complex); I’m just not sure that this is the right location.”
Widening of the Road?
A question that has been circulating in the minds of those along Santa Rosa Road is whether or not the street will need to be widened to accommodate such a rise in traffic. Mrs. Mosby pointed towards where Ave of Flags sharply turns into Santa Rosa Road. “They always have to repair the guard rail over there, from vehicles running into it so frequently. Can you imagine with the increase of traffic, how often they will be out here fixing it?” The entrance to the Mosby Winery is nestled next to the curve and rail; she suspects that there would be no other choice than to widen the road, which she says will slow business to their winery during construction.
Planner Brian Tetley from the Development Review Division said that a review of whether the road would need to be expanded has not been determined as of date.
Scenery and the Domino Effect
Most business owners and residents who own property along Santa Rosa Rd along with residents in the surrounding area, chose to live there for several reasons, the scenery is one of them. Nestled between the Santa Rita Mountain and the Santa Ynez Valley River, Santa Rosa Rd is one of the unique areas in the Valley that has sustained its tranquil and naturalistic views. They worry that the proposed field of dreams would change the look and feel they have come to know, love and count on every morning when they awake and start their day. They contemplate thoughts of the road shifting from a scene of nature to that of cooperate enterprises.
“Imagine, what will happen if I have to sell my ranch, who will buy it?” Arvid asks. He predicts that it won’t be another rancher or home owner. “Another business will most likely have to purchase it”. He says, he worries that one by one, current owners will have to sell their homes and businesses in an effort to relocate, and that with all the traffic congestion, noise and litter, the complex would bring, a domino effect would take place on who the likely new purchasers will be for each and every property along the road.
If neighbors’ analyses are correct, they fear for the beauty the road currently beholds. Nancy Crawford- Hall agrees saying “Changing from a rural area to an urban area has an obvious outcome of this project, the peaceful Valley road, would be, no more.
Nearby Neighbors get the Word Out
The community is hoping that all these issues will be answered at the public hearing on March 7th. The loss of agricultural land, the wild life, the impact on nearby ranches, farms and wineries, the river, the protected habitat that could be pushed from the area and possible road construction, are only some of the issues that they hope to address at the hearing.
Some neighbors complained that they feel there has been an unreasonable secrecy surrounding the entire process. They feel that the entire community should be aware of the proposal, the possible impacts, and any upcoming public hearings. “Only one and half weeks before the public hearing and most in the community are either not aware of the project, or not aware of the March 7th hearing,” neighbors say. Planner Brian Tetley responded that neighbors along the road have done a great job of making each other aware of the proposal. He also explained that the County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development will be mailing public hearing notices 10 days prior to the March 7th hearing. He said that is the standard timeline with all public hearing notices under these circumstances.
Residents along Santa Rosa Rd. however, worry that some elected officials are trying to sneak the project through before they have a chance to give their input. Neighbors say they only became aware of the proposal due to word of mouth, from one neighbor to the other but refer to Brian Tetley as a “nice and seemingly honest man, who seems to be fair minded on the issue” and agreed that he has been informative when they have spoken to him, whether on the phone or in person.
Then there is the $15,000 application fee that was waived for the project that has some scratching their heads. In an article in another newspaper, Andy Coldwell of COLAB strongly disagreed with the waiver. The Foundation spokesperson how- ever, claims the fee was waived because the Planning Department told them to apply for it, and that the Planning Department often accepts waivers for non-profit organizations who are applying for recreational development. Brian Tetley however, said that it is “vary rare to have the fee waived”. He went on to say that Supervisor Brooks Firestone was supportive in the action of the waiver, saying it may have been due to the Foundation’s status and the type of project they are applying for.
Project Funding
The SYVYSF is a non-profit organization and there is one question that leaves some pondering. Where will the funding to purchase the 239 acre property and the multi-million dollar project come from? With Chumash Tribal Chairman, Vincent Armenta on the Foundation’s board, which consists of 19 members, speculation began to arise of whether or not the Chumash has a hand in the funding and planning of the Sports Complex.
Not so, says Joannie Jamison, the Foundations designated spokes person, “The Chumash has not funded or donated funds in any way, yet, but they will always be welcome to.” She said that to date, all the funding for the foundation has been donated strictly by its current and past members and that they have not sought funds from any organization or private party. The foundation did not elaborate on how they plan to pay for the land or its anticipated development.
The Santa Ynez Valley Youth Sports Foundation and Their Mission
In a good faith effort to address the concerns of the community, the Santa Ynez Valley Youth Sports Foundation’s designated spokesperson, Joannie Jamieson, responded in a written statement that the purpose of the Foundation is to foster and promote outdoor recreation and, in particular, to support athletic and recreational events to benefit youth and the general public in the Santa Ynez Valley. For fifteen years, the Foundation has been looking for property to house playing fields for both youth and adults who enjoy soccer, baseball, softball, football, etc. She said that numerous groups in the Valley are involved with the Foundation. There are committees of community members advising the Foundation and providing expertise about the needs of their specific sport, i.e. AYSO, PONY Baseball, YFL, Girls’ Softball, adult soccer, adult softball. During the past 15 years the SYVYSF says they have been supportive of these activities in the Santa Ynez Valley. The Foundation was also instrumental in the creation of the skateboard park in Hans Christen Andersen Park, in Solvang. Joannie explained that the complex would house games and tournaments that directly involve Valley teams only. She said, for example, that a tournament between a Valley team and a Santa Maria team could be held there. The intention, she said, is not for the complex to host games that are not Valley related. She agrees that the weekend use will be the most intense and said that another traffic study will need to be completed before they can address the vehicle trips. She suggested that the estimated increase in traffic, by Santa Barbara County seems inflated. When asked if there will be membership fees, she said that “a fee structure for usage has not been established at this time”.
Finding the Right Location
In a statement on behalf of the SYVYF she said, “No matter where the Foundation purchases land within the SY Valley, it will most likely be agricultural lands. The Cities of Solvang and Buellton do not have large enough parcels to accommodate the necessary number of play fields. Over the years, as a Foundation and as individual members, we have pleaded with the General Plan Advisory Committee to recommend that there be recreational use overlays allowed on certain agricultural parcels. The need has been ignored and this is why we find ourselves in a “Catch 22” situation. At present, nothing in the Valley is zoned for recreation. Therefore, we are going through the Pre-application/Conditional Use Permit process to see if this use would be allowed on this particular site. During a telephone interview, Joannie said that their intentions are not to move into someone’s “back yard” or to build on a property that would upset the community. “We would gladly welcome the help of the community in helping us find a location for the fields.”
SYVYF Responds to the Community
In response to community concerns, the SYVYF gave the following statement. “At this time we do not have a clear picture of any impacts our sports fields will have on the agricultural community on Santa Rosa Road. Obviously, any sports fields will need county approval, and all that the approval process entails. This would most likely include a traffic study, water use calculations, flooding concerns, other health and safety issues, and compatibility with the neighborhood agricultural uses. It is difficult to comment completely on any impacts until further studies are initiated and completed. We are simply conducting our “due diligence” of the site on Santa Rosa Road, and we are having discussions with Santa Barbara County regarding our proposal.”
“The bottom line is that the Santa Ynez Valley needs sports fields for our youth and adults. Such sports fields have been built in many other communities around the state and country. We are simply a group of concerned Valley residents who have formed a non-profit foundation to see if we can help find a suitable location and help raise the needed funds to build some sport fields in the Valley. There are thousands of children and adults who would benefit greatly from such fields and we think it is about time that the Valley becomes serious about the situation.”
‘The SYVYSF is of the belief that “sports fields” in the valley are a necessary element to continuing to have a healthy and vibrant community where all community members can live and continue to raise their young families. Over the years our local schools have been great partners in this process; however, as the Valley has grown and the demands on our school facilities have increased, the needs of our children and adults cannot possibly be met (by the existing fields).”
“We are hopeful that we can create a firestorm of Valley residents, young and old, from all walks of life, to help locate and build a variety of sports fields in the Valley. We definitely need the help of the agricultural community since they are the owners of the larger parcels of land suitable for play fields. We value all concerns and support.”
Joannie says the Foundation exists for the community, and would like to work with the community to resolve issues and find a property for the project that is not so controversial. She said that their goal is only to provide more playing fields for Valley residents and said, “Imagine a family with three children who are all in soccer. Parents have to try to find their way to three separate locations for their children’s games. This project would allow parents to have all their children’s sports events in one location and simply walk from one field to the next, to attend all their games.”
Whether For or Against
The March 7th hearing will be held at 9:00 am at Santa Barbara Planning Commission offices located at: 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA. in room 17.
For more information or to make your voice heard, whether for or against the proposed site, please contact Brian Tetley at (805) 934-6250 or write to him at Development Review Division, Planning and Development, County of Santa Barbara, 624 West Foster Road, Suite C, Santa Maria, CA 93455-3623.