When A Thing Is [Not] Right

'A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.' —Aldo Leopold

I have been an active and concerned Gaviota community member, local middle school teacher, and Hollister Ranch resident for decades. (I also have a master’s degree in public administration and professional experience with program implementation, public engagement, and consensus building.) The recently released Hollister Ranch Public Access Plan under consideration by the California Coastal Commission is a misguided charade with potentially grievous consequences. I have seen this process through several incarnations over the years, and the only thing new in this go-around is that the state finally acknowledges that there are significant constraints — but it fails to offer any solutions.

At its onset, the document refers to the 60-mile section of the Santa Barbara coast from Hollister Ranch to Point Sal as one of the least accessible shorelines in California, failing to mention that this stretch also includes the inaccessible Dangermond Preserve and Vandenberg Air Force Base, and focusing exclusively on the 8.5 miles that skirt the Hollister Ranch. In fact, the Gaviota Coast is 76 miles, from Goleta to Point Sal, and other than limited beach access at El Cap, Refugio, Gaviota, Jalama, and Surf Beach, none of the other beach areas are accessible or subject to the relentless focus directed toward Hollister Ranch, and many are closer to public roads, facilities, and population centers.