Op-Ed: Carpinteria Bluffs Resort Moves Toward Review Hearing

Story poles on the Carpinteria Bluffs for a proposed resort (courtesy)

New Story Poles Illustrate Magnitude of Proposed Hotel, Spa, Restaurant and Apartments

By Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs

Story poles representing dozens of buildings proposed for construction on the Carpinteria Bluffs have been erected to launch the public review process for a large-scale resort project.

A development group has proposed building a luxury resort and affordable housing where Tee Time driving range, an organic farm and acres of open space currently exist. The two parcels targeted for development total 27.5 acres of coastal open space and span the Carpinteria Bluffs from the Harbor Seal Overlook to Carpinteria Avenue.

Rendering of the restaurant in the Carpinteria Farms Bungalow proposal (courtesy)

“We think there is no good reason to allow massive development on the Carpinteria Bluffs. This type of luxury resort, spa, restaurant, and destination events center immediately adjacent to a nature preserve represents the opposite of thoughtful community planning,” said Patrick Crooks, Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs President. “Considerate planning respects compatibility with neighboring uses and protects our coastal resources, and we don’t see those principles honored with a proposal to bring so much construction and commercial activity to the Carpinteria Bluffs.”

Patrick Crooks (courtesy)

ABOUT THE LUXURY RESORT PROJECT

The proposed development includes 56 buildings totaling 178,000 square feet. The resort includes two large hotel lodges (59 keys), 40 bungalows, a restaurant, spa, two pools, and an events center. Also proposed are 41 apartment units mixed between 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms.

Aerial sketch of the Carpinteria Bungalows (courtesy)

ABOUT CITIZENS FOR THE CARPINTERIA BLUFFS

Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs was founded in 1996 as a nonprofit grassroots community organization to preserve forever the Carpinteria Bluffs as open space. The organization uses educational and promotional activities to raise public knowledge and appreciation of the Bluffs and its natural features. Its aim is to ensure that the Bluffs remain an area for active and passive recreation. The group was integral to preserving the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and Viola Fields in 1998 and the Rincon Bluffs Preserve in 2018.


Op-Ed’s are written by community members, not representatives of edhat. The views and opinions expressed in Op-Ed articles are those of the author’s.
[Do you have an opinion on something local? Share it with us at info@edhat.com.]

Edhat Reader

Written by Edhat Reader

Content submitted to edhat.com by its readers and subscribers

What do you think?

Comments

0 Comments deleted by Administrator

Leave a Review or Comment

6 Comments

  1. No traffic mitigation on an already terrible street. The event venue will generate even more traffic. Its not consistent with the General Plans concept of views. And if Carp has anything over any other coastal cities is the Bluffs and what a special place it is. The seal colony would be severely impacted by the extra and non educated transitory visitors to this project. Hard no.

Summerland Oil Mitigation Study Starts with the Sky!

Restaurant Roundup: Coffee Bean and Metropulos Close Their Doors, Mister Softee Comes to Town, and More