Supes Balk at Goleta Land Buy Near Ellwood Mesa

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Barney McManigal
May 16, 2007

County supervisors put the brakes on a land acquisition near Ellwood Mesa Tuesday, saying officials need to determine the true value of the one-acre Doty property before allotting funds to buy it.

Their rejection of the proposal means a key gateway to the coastal hiking haven could potentially be unprotected from future residential development.

Voting 4-1, the Board of Supervisors halted the proposal to give $350,000 to a broader fund-raising push to acquire the property. The land, they said, needs further appraising. Janet Wolf, who supported earmarking the funds, voted no.

While Brooks Firestone, the area’s supervisor, described himself as “extremely interested” in the deal, he raised concern about conflicting reports of the land’s value. Among other things, he cited a report indicating that the property could contain sensitive habitat that may limit building opportunities.

“This is far from complete,” Firestone said of the deal.

Goleta officials have sought to obtain the parcel for years, due to its location as a key gateway to Ellwood Mesa.

The city recently paid $47,000 for a one-year option to purchase the parcel from the owners, who reportedly received multiple offers, for prices as high as $500,000.

On Tuesday, Goleta officials, residents and environmentalists looked to supervisors to kick in a chunk of the cost, using money the county receives from oil companies to offset extraction activities.

Numerous speakers urged supervisors to act before the owner could sell the property to someone at a higher price.

“It is a matter of not being penny wise and pound foolish,” said Goleta City Council Member Johnny Wallis, explaining why the property was a good investment.

Supervisor Janet Wolf, the sole dissenter, encouraged colleagues to support the disbursement, noting the value of open space to future generations. She even proposed allotting $250,000 immediately toward the proposal, but that measure failed 3-2.

In the end, North County supervisors, who called for doing more homework before sealing the deal, prevailed. Supervisor Joni Gray, an Orcutt native, referenced her roots in saying she needed to know the true value of the property before voting yes.

“Right now it makes zero sense to this country girl,” Gray said.

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