We’re honored to share that the Montecito Journal featured the More Mesa Preservation Coalition’s collaborative efforts with the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County and Santa Barbara County to permanently protect 36 acres of More Mesa.
This milestone marks an important step toward ensuring More Mesa’s open space and wildlife habitat remain preserved for generations to come.
First Piece of Santa Barbara’s More Mesa Permanently Preserved
We’re proud to share that the Santa Barbara Independent recently featured our work to permanently protect 36 acres of More Mesa — a historic milestone for conservation in our community.
A Historic First: Permanent Protection for 36 Acres of More Mesa We are thrilled to announce the permanent conservation of 36 acres on the northwest corner of More Mesa. This milestone was made possible through the partnership of the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, County Parks, Second District Supervisor Laura Capps, and the More Mesa Preservation Coalition. Although this portion of More Mesa has been publicly owned for decades, it did not previously have legal protection against development. The new conservation easement ensures that this area will remain open space forever, protecting its natural beauty, habitats, and the public’s ability to enjoy it. This marks the first time any part of More Mesa has received permanent legal protection.
The easement preserves sensitive coastal habitats, including oak woodlands and riparian corridors, while maintaining public access for low-impact recreation such as walking and nature observation. The area will continue to be managed as open space, and future development will not be permitted.Next steps include a management plan that will guide the long-term care of trails, habitat, and visitor access. Ongoing restoration efforts by the County, such as native plantings along Atascadero Creek, will continue to improve ecological health and resilience. The More Mesa Preservation Coalition views this easement as a cornerstone for broader protection of the remaining 270 acres.On October 11, more than fifty community members gathered at More Mesa to celebrate this achievement, joined by Assembly member Gregg Hart, Supervisor Laura Capps, representatives from the Land Trust, and members of the MMPC. As MMPC Vice President Dan Gira noted, this is “an important first step to working cooperatively to protect all of More Mesa forever.” Read the full press release on The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County’s website.
Community Picnic Celebration The More Mesa Preservation Coalition extends sincere thanks to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, County Parks, and Supervisor Laura Capps for organizing the community picnic celebrating this important milestone. We are also deeply grateful to the many community members who attended, demonstrating visible public support for More Mesa’s protection. The event drew approximately 100 attendees, including several local dignitaries. The MMPC sees this gathering as both a celebration of progress and the beginning of renewed efforts to secure lasting protection for all of More Mesa within the next two to three years.
New Report: Recreational Use and Values of More Mesa We are also pleased to share our newly released report, Recreational Use and Values of More Mesa. This study documents how the community uses and values this treasured open space. We thank everyone who participated in the survey, providing vital information that will guide advocacy and inform future planning.
While past research has emphasized habitat and land use, this project focuses on the human experience of More Mesa—how residents engage with it and what values they associate with the land.
The findings highlight the widespread appreciation of More Mesa as a place for recreation, reflection, and connection with nature.Despite the high level of public use, many respondents were unaware that most of More Mesa remains privately owned and unprotected. Under current County zoning, as many as 82 homes could be built, including 70 near Mockingbird Lane and 12 near Orchid Drive. Such development would threaten trails, scenic views, wildlife, and the overall visitor experience. The MMPC’s goal is to purchase and permanently protect all remaining portions of More Mesa within the next two to three years. By documenting the community’s deep connection to the land, this report provides a foundation for that effort.You are invited to review the full report and share your feedback: Recreational Use and Value of More Mesa.
Thank you for your continued support in protecting More Mesa. Together, we can ensure this irreplaceable open space remains a natural and recreational treasure for generations to come.
With gratitude, The More Mesa Preservation Coalition
We are pleased to invite you to a community picnic on Saturday, October 11th, at More Mesa Open Space. The event, hosted by the Santa Barbara Land Trust, County Supervisor Laura Capps, and the More Mesa Preservation Coalition, is an opportunity to show our unwavering commitment to preserving More Mesa. We would greatly appreciate your attendance to show your support for our cause and to help us celebrate the preserved status of 34 acres along the north west corner of More Mesa. We encourage you to bring picnic supplies like chairs, blankets, snacks, and water bottles, as we are expecting warm weather. Please view the attachment (courtesy of the Land Trust) for more information.
Event Details: Saturday, October 11th 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Remarks from Laura Capps and speakers from The Land Trust and MMPC will begin at 12pm
We hope to see you there!
Dan Gira Vice President More Mesa Preservation Coalition Valerie Olson President Emeritus More Mesa Preservation Coalition
Greetings from the More Mesa Preservation Coalition (MMPC) Board of Directors. For more than 35 years, the MMPC has been highly successful in lobbying the County, Coastal Commission, and other agencies to turn away several large development proposals that would have destroyed many of the values that make More Mesa such a special place. We have also carefully monitored smaller developments around the periphery of More Mesa to protect its open space, recreation, and habitat values.
However, after more than 35 years of activism, our Board President Valerie Olson is “aging out” and needs to step back from the level of work required to protect and preserve More Mesa forever. As we consider how best to continue the fight of the MMPC to protect More Mesa into the future, we wanted to reach out to our almost 700 supporters to determine if there are folks who are interested in stepping forward to participate more actively in protecting More Mesa and continuing our good work. Typical time commitments are 2 hours or less per month depending on tasks undertaken, although more effort may be needed if important issues arise.
While there are currently no pending development proposals for More Mesa, the more than 260 acres of More Mesa currently under private ownership by a Saudi Arabian sheikh have been subject to two major development proposals over the past decade, along with pressure on MMPC to accede to such development. We refused, and these proposals were withdrawn. The regulations of the California Coastal Act, which underpin the County’s Eastern Goleta Valley Community Plan, currently protect more than 220 acres of privately owned land as Environmentally Sensitive Habitat (ESH) that cannot be developed. These regulations also closely govern and restrict allowable development on 40 acres of private land adjacent to Hope Ranch to a maximum of 70 units (less than 2 units per acre).
However, the Coastal Act and other environmental regulations are under scrutiny in the State Legislature, with several amendments recently proposed or approved to weaken Coastal Act protections to ease housing development. If this trend continues, as seems likely, the MMPC Board of Directors is deeply concerned that More Mesa may be proposed for housing development during the County’s upcoming Housing Element within the next several years. You may recall that the 2024 Housing Element required the Board of Supervisors to approve more than 4,000 units of high-density housing development on almost all of our treasured Goleta urban agricultural lands in the South Patterson and San Marcos/Hollister areas, leaving limited urban area land to meet future state mandates for yet more housing development.
As the largest piece of undeveloped private land remaining in the Eastern Goleta Valley urban area, More Mesa could be a primary target for such high-density housing development, especially if Coastal Act regulations continue to be weakened. This could include actions such as approving high-density housing development of 20 or more units per acre in the 40 acres already allowed for development next to Hope Ranch, or even undoing some of the ESH regulations that protect most of More Mesa as open space, potentially allowing even more high-density housing development.
In order to monitor and respond forcefully to such potential threats, we need to maintain a strong and active MMPC. This is why we are actively requesting that some of our supporters step forward to consider becoming more active members in protecting More Mesa, or simply donate to the MMPC at this link. Thank you for considering this request! If you are interested, please contact our Vice President, Dan Gira, at 805-284-5080 or at dangira@msn.com. We will continue to keep interested supporters informed of issues which may impact More Mesa.
