Eight Activists Arrested While Protesting San Marcos Foothills Development

Chillin - have you ever presented a fact on here... about anything?

You were going to present something about how the deal was broken somehow... what happened to that... still coming up with it? I’d say I’m still waiting but you don’t have anything so... I’m not actually waiting... and I’m not angry about it all! Beautiful night! Union Jack hitting the spot!

Just to reiterate though... from this privately owned and held land came a preserve and 5 (actually and truly) affordable houses... win win win!

Not for crazy anti everything edhatters... but for people with the capacity for thought... win win win!

Duke: Gaslight, gaslight, gaslight from an angry little man. Facts are inconvenient sometimes, but there's no sense getting angry about it.

I'd wait for you to check and do some research...but we know each other better than that don't we Pit? You don't know what your talking about...you think you do...and then when confronted with the truth...you double down and then go on to the next topic. Look it up though...the affordable units were sold for 171k. I agree they would have been hard to aquire as that is a LONG WAITLIST!!!! But...they were truly affordable units that are bound for life as affordable units.

Where was it broken? Can you point something out...I mean I know you cant...but...want to try? Here's a link to the San Marcos Preserve to help you though...

http://sanmarcosfoothills.com/history.html

Except the affordable units sold for 171k each...they were, truly, affordable units. Do you ever research anything before you write it?

Keep gaslighting and acting like the original agreement wasn't broken. Let me guess, you're a real estate agent. Real credit to the community you must be.

Duke, do your research. 20 houses. 15 mansions. 5 mansionettes for the hoi polloi. Easy to discount your flimsy arguments.

What are you talking about ? The initial agreement was to build 8 houses...which they are now starting to build! There has been no break of the agreement...the only break is the psychotic one that people who have no concept of reality (or understanding of the project) in thinking the preserve is being taken over by 8 houses...when it's the exact opposite! The preserve was created out of this 8 house development! So what break are you talking about?????

It's (I guess) fine that you are seemingly hoping for these houses to burn down in 5 years...but do you really want to steal peoples land? And if so...Why stop here? There are houses above the preserve (and below)! We should take the Trout Club! And Painted Cave!

The voice of craziness is breaking the initial agreement and carving out more of the preserve to build mini-mansions. On hillside SB land with astronomical fire insurance rates. Watch, they'll build some ugly garbage and it will burn down in 5 years.

You obviously have no knowledge OR understanding of this project. This is private land. A deal was made to open up virtually the entire property as a preserve in exchange for 8 houses being built. That's a big win for the community...as this was land that was private and fenced...and suddenly became a wonderful spot for all to enjoy. Within that agreement, which also included the owners putting aside money for the development of the trails, they were allowed to build 8 houses on THEIR property! It was heralded as a massive win for conservationists and environmentalists 15 years ago...and in the ensuing years has become a cherished open spot for people to enjoy. You wanting to break that agreement and steal all the land is beyond pathetic...it's crazy...and is the voice of "craziness".

The developers agreed to preserve a fraction of that. Is that really your argument, that developers are how we preserve things? Pearl Chase and people who saved SB from becoming an extension of LA are rolling in their graves watching fools like you become the voice of "conservatives." Pathetic.

Chillin -

THE PRESERVE IS HERE TO STAY FOREVER BECAUSE OF THESE 8 HOUSES!!! What do you not understand about that???? This was private land that made an agreement to create a 300 acre preserve for all to enjoy...and through that be allowed to build 8 houses on their property. And what would you have the police do...fight for whatever cause they personally believe instead of enforcing the law???

Well...I guess...more crazy vs still pretty crazy...so crazy all around but the one group violently crazy and the other more verbally crazy?

Yes, the hardened criminals cursing at officers are passionate people of conscience. Unlike the hardened criminals that attacked the the Congress and killed an officer. See the difference?

The people cursing out the police officers for doing their jobs are the people of conscience?

I helped raise money to save the Wilcox. It CAN be done! Let's DO THIS, people! Now.

I agree! Raise money and buy the land in order to preserve it. Until that happens, it is the owner’s right to develop.

How am I wrong again? I understand reality and that getting a preserve and 5 actually affordable units is a huge win...that you don't is well...speaks to your grasp/understanding of reality.

DUKE, you are the one who is wrong here.

Fair enough!!! And I hope someone comes up with they money (and seemingly that needs to happen immediately) to buy this property and fully "preserve" it...but in the mean time, I'll be there this weekend with the kids to wander around and enjoy this once private and now open public space!

And while I am feeling a little argumentative (pitmix on another thread wondered what could possibly be the harm in 3 more months remote....grrrrr), I do have to say that berating and cursing out the police in this situation/capacity is wrong. I can see protesting and being upset, but cursing out the police and making their lives worse/harder just for doing their jobs in a seemingly calm and compassionate manner is wrong.

DUKE - no, it's their property and they have the rights to do as they please. BUT that doesn't mean we can't be pissed off about it!

PITMIX Are the homes on the other side of 154 in any less danger? Protesters should be stationed over there in case anyone wants to develop and build a house. Including the construction workers this development will bring long term employment to many people. Maintenance and repair, Landscape, appliance and home furnishing sales. This is what the community need to help recover from the lockdown..

Sac - you are wrong here. The owner of this property made a deal to give up 300 acres to create a preserve for all of sb! This was private fenced off land. The deal was, donate the land and some money for its maintenance and then be allows to build 8 houses. This was a huge win for environmentalists when it happened 15 years ago... do you not remember that? To now not let them build would be akin to theft. The deal was very anti building... they wanted a lot more houses. This truly is the definition of a win win...

DUKE - we don't need 8 more houses in SB, especially not at the cost of even 25 acres of precious and rare open space. The didn't "give up" anything, in order to purchase the land, they were required to donate part. Please don't start a pity party for the poor developers who are just trying to be generous.....

So... now you want to steal their ability to use their part of the land in the deal?

Give us your land and pay to improve it... and then in 15 years we’ll demand the rest of it too!! Good deal!

Didn't "give" it up, was forced to, to get approval for the mansionettes. Hopefully a fire captain will buy one so they can make sure the homes are protected during the next fire. That seems to help.

Because someone gave up 300 acres of their property along with funding to create the preserve with the deal being they could build 8 homes... that was a huge win for everyone as they wanted quite a few more homes than that. To steal that ability now is literally that... theft! You are in essence penalizing them because they had to create the preserve first...

There is a huge effort to try and buy it. RIGHT NOW. We don't want more wealthy luxury homes in SB. That's the last thing we need. This land should be saved.

The owner wanted more houses (obviously) than 8. To get that though they had to donate 300 acres to become the preserve. They literally gave up almost everything...to get those 8 houses. So what I was saying is that we already got almost everything from this property (the 300 acres of preserve)...to demand that they not then be able to build the 8 houses would be taking "everything".

So no, the owner didn't give it as a gift...but a lot was extracted from them to have the right to build 8 houses. So yes...it was a huge win for SB...a great trade! So to now be upset that 8 houses are being built is the height of hypocrisy and lunacy. We got almost everything from this property...and in exchange they are going to build 8 houses. That's a insignificant price to pay for this cherished piece of now public land.

Duke what do you mean “this is people who took almost everything now wanting to take everything”?

What?

Not knowing the details of the deal for the original acquisition and permitting, I’d be willing g to put money down that the developer did a tax deal on that original project that got them millions in tax credits to put that land in to a conservation trust. You really think the developer just donated it as a straight gift? Unlikely. Beyond that, I think that if this was the deal structure, it’s a good deal for SB and trading development rights for 8 sites is reasonable.

I'm confused. It was part of the deal - the developer builds the houses, and in return the preserve remains open space forever. Why are we protesting this?

I mean, if you want the rest of the land, then buy it.

Pit - it’s the opposite here though! Practically every possible concession was given from this private land 15 years ago to build these 8 houses. From that came the preserve that we all enjoy. This is people who are already took almost everything... now moving the goal post and wanting to literally take everything! Perhaps you are of the mistaken belief that this is a development out of a preserve... when it is the opposite... from a development a beautiful preserve was created.

Big Ugly- This isn't a beautiful open space nature preserve! It's private land that was a dairy farm and cattle ranch that, in an agreement to build some houses CREATED a preserve for all to enjoy and 5 truly affordable houses. Ridiculous statement and thought process. This a great community spot that EXISTS because of this development (plus it actually netted 5 affordable houses that sold for 171k). Truly (and somewhat humorously) bizarre righteous indignation. Fight the monstrosities being proposed on Milpas and Cota...but this was a win-win for everyone!

That is precisely why we need BIRTH CONTROL FOR ALL.

Exactly right, HZ.

THANK YOU, SacJon. Affordable housing solutions we DO need, that's why they should convert the Sears building or the old Macy's into low income housing.... but 8 luxury mansions?? NOOooo. We sure af don't need that! Especially from OUT OF TOWN DEVELOPERS! No way!

It's BLABBER. It's preposterous to propose that people tear down their already built homes, many of them built over 100 years ago. Give us all a break. But we CAN fight to protect remaining open spaces, especially from luxury McMansions that Santa Barbara needs like it needs a hole in the head.
There are a whole lot of us who live here who do NOT want these luxury homes built on this beautiful open space nature preserve. I'm a 4th generation Native Californian, and I've seen firsthand, the ruinous effects of wealthy development companies coming in and destroying the beauty of our town, OUR LAND. The Cadmar group is based in LA. KEEP LA 100 miles away!

People keep making more people so... where are they supposed to live?

What we need is ZERO new homes. Effective low income housing in SB has been, and always will be a pipe dream. Roads packed: check, waves packed:check, lack of/cost of water: check and the lost views of a spectacular skyline. ZERO BUILD! That being said, this is a legal project and it is sad that the protest was pushed to the point of arrests. Zero build needs to come from the citizens through the local government and that will never happen given financial interests and federal growth mandates.

So... this deal got us a beautiful preserve and 5 truly affordable units... what the hell are you talking about!!! This wasn’t land “we had”! It was private land used as a dairy farm and cattle ranch over the years. From that we got a preserve and 5 affordable units...

we need a lot more affordable homes in this town..not mansions on one of the last pieces of open to the public space we have ... not to mention a space for wild life.

Thank you for getting back on point. Ill admit I digressed. I'll point out your HRC tone "at this what difference does it make?" in your "so what?". If you think this county has "a little open space" you need to get out more. And they're developing 25 acres of the 350 they originally purchased. They literally donated 300 acres to create the preserve. If your argument is zero new houses are allowed to be built, then we cannot argue this because your argument is about homes being built and not where they're being built.