Category: Uncategorized

EARTH DAY
In spite of threatening weather and competing events in downtown Santa Barbara, more than 400 people visited the More Mesa Preservation Coalition booth on Earth Day. A large fraction of these folks sought us out … to offer congratulations on the recent Coastal Commission decision (for a full hearing on the Hacienda Vieja development), to sign on to the More Mesa data base … and sometimes simply to chat about how much More Mesa means to them. The concern for potential permanent damage to More Mesa from inappropriate development along its edges was truly heartening!

Donley and Valerie Olson

GREAT NEWS!
On April 13th, we passed the first hurdle on our Coastal Commission appeal of the Hacienda Vieja project! After a short presentation by MMPC, and one by the developer, members of the Coastal Commission voted overwhelmingly against their staff’s recommendation of “NO significant issues”. This means that, some time in the future, MMPC will get to have a full hearing on this project; one in which we will be able to make all of our points in great detail.

Our sincerest thanks go to all of you who helped to achieve this great success! We are most grateful to Mark Massara for the key role he played (see “Thanks” section of this month’s “People” feature). And, to our supporters, many thanks for your letters, your attendance at the meeting and your continued interest in preserving beautiful More Mesa!

However, our biggest “THANK YOU” goes to 2nd District Supervisor, Susan Rose, who not only wrote a letter to the Commission, but spoke compellingly in favor of our appeal at the meeting. Her presence made a huge difference for MMPC and the future of More Mesa.

NEWSLETTER
Our four page, full color Newsletter update on conditions, on and around More Mesa and the activities of the MMPC, has been mailed. After only a few days, we already have had extremely positive feedback on this new publication. If you have signed on to our list of supporters and have not received the mailing, or if you are not on our list, but would like to receive a copy, please contact us via the Contact page.

EARTH DAY
There was overwhelming interest in More Mesa at Earth Day last year; more than 700 people visited our booth! We look forward to breaking that record this year. Check for further details in the April News.

HACIENDA VIEJA PROJECT
The appeal on the Hacienda Vieja Project was heard by the Board of Supervisors on 15 February. Unfortunately, we did not prevail. The final vote was 4-1 against the appeal, with Second District Supervisor Susan Rose presenting passionate arguments for this project being the place we “draw the line in the sand” on impacts to More Mesa.

There were some very bright spots.

• More Mesa supporters made quite a presence in the hearing room. Twenty people showed up to argue in favor of the appeal. Their statements were well thought out and eloquently stated.
• The hearing was covered in three newspapers, with the Valley Voice according supportive front page coverage, as well as an editorial, both in the same issue.

The Board of the More Mesa Preservation Coalition has been polled, and we have voted to take this issue to the Coastal Commission. We will keep you posted as soon as we have more information.

NEWSLETTER
Most of you are familiar with the More Mesa pamphlet MMPC published in 2002. Its contents are hosted on this web site. “Issue 2”, a Newsletter update on conditions, on and around, More Mesa and the activities of the MMPC, is about to be distributed to the community. All More Mesa supporters who have signed onto our More Mesa list with a mailing address, will be receiving this publication in the next few weeks. If you are not on our list, but would like to receive a copy, please contact us via the Contact page

HACIENDA VIEJA PROJECT

BACKGROUND: The Hacienda Vieja (HV) Project is located adjacent to the northeast corner of More Mesa on Vieja Drive. As proposed by the developer, Jack Maxwell, it consisted of four extremely large houses … all two stories high. With Planning Commission direction, all houses were made slightly smaller. However, two structures remain two stories high. Because the More Mesa Preservation Coalition (MMPC), as well as the community, is extremely concerned about the proliferation of large, inappropriate two-story houses on the edge of More Mesa, the decision has been appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

TWO-STORY HOUSES ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR MORE MESA

• Two story houses severely impact views from More Mesa’s trail system.
• Two story houses are entirely inconsistent with character of surrounding neighborhoods.
• Two story houses reverse long term (County) precedents requiring new houses next to More Mesa (e.g., Vista la Cumbre, Diamond Crest) to be single story and relatively unobtrusive.
• Visit More Mesa to see how the immense and obtrusive new (blue), two story construction on the northeast corner obstructs the north view from as far away as the coast and the southwest corner of More Mesa.

CUMULATIVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NE CORNER IS ENORMOUS

• HV is the fourth new project on the northeast corner of More Mesa.
• HV will double the number of two story houses on edge of More Mesa
• All four projects will result in 13 new structures on northeast corner … a 33% increase in the number of buildings around the entire periphery of More Mesa.

THIS IS NOT THE END … Two Story Houses Could Encircle More Mesa

• Some vacant land around the edge of More Mesa still exists.
• Many large lots can be subdivided.
• Single story houses can be remodeled or converted to two story.
• NUMBER OF HOUSES AROUND MORE MESA COULD BE DOUBLED… AND THEY COULD ALL BE TWO STORIES HIGH!!

MMPC believes it is time to take a firm stance toward reversing this alarming trend. We hope you will stand with us … for More Mesa and its future.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 2004 – January 05, 2005
From the More Mesa Bluffs

• Red-throated Loon
• Common Loon
• Western Grebe
• Red-necked Grebe
• Brown Pelican
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Brandt’s Cormorant
• Pelagic Cormorant
• Surf Scoter
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Willet
• Whimbrel
• Marbled Godwit
• Sanderling
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Mew Gull
• California Gull
• Herring Gull
• Western Gull
• Glaucous-winged Gull
• Caspian Tern

On More Mesa

• Great Blue Heron
• Turkey Vulture
• White-tailed Kite
• Northern Harrier
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Rock Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Anna’s Hummingbird
• Black Phoebe
• Say’s Phoebe
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Western Srub-Jay
• Bewick’s Wren
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• American Pipit
• Orange-crowned Warbler
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)
• Common Yellowthroat
• Spotted Towhee
• California Towhee
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Golden-crowned Sparrow
• Purple Finch
• House Finch