As you can imagine over the last 4 months…even though we have longtime cycling advocates in our group and have received support from many cyclists opposed to this 3/4 mile long Multi-Use Path (MUP) which is really a road, threatening a protected nature preserve…there are always those that throw out the same debunked arguments over and over…the failure to understand respect for nature…the failure to understand rule of law…is baffling…they say that “I just don’t get it”…so, maybe by doing a Q&A we can put some of these debunked arguments to bed for good…and, help them get to a better place where they “get it”…;-)
Q: i think people saying “save the preserve” are making a mountain out of a molehill. why are they putting their own ultimately aesthetic preferences over the safety and well being of Modoc road users?
A: The Modoc Preserve is not a molehill…it’s a biodiverse ecosystem that we fought for back in 1999…and, won to keep development from happening forever and in perpetuity for this generation and generations to come in the future…
Those aesthetic preferences, we homeowners lucky enough to live within siteline of the Modoc Preserve cherish, are protected by law in the state of California…
1999 Deed of Conservation Easement
There is a legal document that was signed between the owner and the manager…La Cumbre Water and Land Trust for Santa Barbara County…they have both submitted comments against the MND as being inaccurate and incomplete…
The people served by the water company…us…are also shareholders…the Modoc Preserve is private publicly shared land…
Q: The incursion into the preserve is going to be minimal. Why oppose it? I just don’t get it.
A: Again, The Modoc Preserve is protected from development. Roads, structures, alteration of topography, degradation of soil, alteration or manipulation of watercourses…etc…are not allowed.
Using 2300 tons of road building material and 2000′ of 2′-4′ high retaining walls…altering the bioswale and diverting rain runoff away from the rows of trees with a 6′ wide 2′ deep structure is prohibited.
Q: It’s free money, why not spend it to bridge the gap?
A: The $5.35MM grant is not “free money”…it is taxpayer money…and, the cost according to the County is now $8MM for this 3/4 mile long stretch. Money that can be better used elsewhere in the County to enhance bike safety.
Q: Modoc road is a vital cycling route, it’s the only corridor to get from Goleta to SB, if you’re West of town and you need to get to town, how are you going to make it safe for travel?
A: The 4.5 mile Class I Obern Trail MUP from Modoc Road out to Goleta Beach is 10′-12′ wide…so, there is no reason that the 3/4 mile long bike path stretch between Obern Trail entrance east to Via Senda can’t be the same…IOW, the Obern Trail doesn’t have two adjacent Class II lanes along it’s length…
“Modoc road is a vital cycling route“
This 3/4 mile stretch along Modoc Road is safe…4 accidents in 10 years…2 of them cyclist fault…
SB County supplied bike accident reports from 1/1/2012 – 12/31/2021.
Not one finger has been lifted by SB County Public Works to enhance their safety further…or, to enforce vehicle speeds on Modoc Road…we actually shamed them into bringing out the street sweeper for the bike lanes…first time ever!
The bike lanes are also wide…much wider than Hollister Ave.
at 40mph speed limits which San Marcos HS kids use everyday to get to and from school…and, much wider than any bike lanes in town that you are riding on…once you get to town…
see pics in this image gallery of Modoc Road Class II bike lanes…
Q: Why are you fighting for the palm trees? The rat infested, litter dropping, overgrown grass palm trees are just not something i would ever fight for!
A: Speaking of rat infestations…once you get to town, you might want to pedal your bike around to the back of all of the bars and restaurants…those dumpsters full of $100 dollar a plate table scraps do harbor some high end rodents…YIKES!
Not to mention the State St. parklets where food just rains down on the rat infestation…
Restaurants right and left are fleeing…latest victim is Kelly Brown’s Natural Cafe…
At least in the Preserve, there is predation…hawks, possums, skunks, bobcats, foxes, coyotes…etc…
You don’t get why anyone would fight for these palm trees?
I’ll help elucidate the reasons why…
There are over 4600 people that have signed our petition to SAVE MODOC ROAD TREES (SMRT) that are fighting to save these palm trees…AGAIN…and, they have written over 200 comments explaining why…maybe one of them will get through…
Q: “more importantly, those canary Island palms are UGLY…to get up in arms over a row of palm trees? I just don’t get it.why fight for them?“
A: Then why live in Santa Barbara…or, Southern California for that matter?
I have a question for you…have you ever gotten off your bike along the Modoc Preserve long enough to take in the beauty of this important greenbelt buffer against the increased urbanization of simi-rural Santa Barbara?
View our image galleries…if you haven’t stopped along here and gotten out of your bike saddle…because you are missing out…
If that doesn’t help you to “get it”…there’s always Iowa, Kansas, the Dakotas…etc…Canary Island Date palms won’t bother you there…;-)
