Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Scheduled for Arroyo Burro Open Space Restoration

Source: City of Santa Barbara

The City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division invites community members to join Mayor Cathy Murillo and the Santa Barbara City Council for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of Phase I of the Arroyo Burro Open Space Restoration Project.

The ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 at 10:00am at the Arroyo Burro Open Space, located at the end of Alan Road. As there is limited street parking available, attendees are encouraged to consider carpooling or alternative transportation.

Project Description

The City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division recently completed construction of Phase I of the Arroyo Burro Open Space Restoration Project. The project is designed to improve creek and ocean water quality and habitat conditions through the restoration of floodplain habitat, removal of non-native vegetation, and stabilization of eroding creek banks.

The project included the restoration of over four acres of creek side habitat, including the removal of existing concrete and debris in the creek, the creation of over an acre of floodplain habitat, and the installation of more than 7,500 native plants, including over 600 trees.

“This is one of the largest creek restoration projects the City has ever done,” said Cameron Benson, Creeks Restoration/Clean Water Manager. “This project will provide important habitat for wildlife, a peaceful place for people to visit, and improve water quality in Arroyo Burro Creek.”

The 14.7 acre parcel on Arroyo Burro Creek was purchased by the City of Santa Barbara in early 2016, when the Parks and Recreation Department and Creeks Division collaborated with the Trust for Public Land to acquire the parcel, creating a new open space park. Funding for the $4 million purchase was provided by City of Santa Barbara hotel visitors through Measure B, the California Natural Resources Agency’s Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program, the State Coastal Conservancy, and Santa Barbara County’s Coastal Resources Enhancement Fund.

Funding for Phase I of the Arroyo Burro Open Space Restoration Project has been provided by the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) through grants from the California Coastal Conservancy and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and by hotel visitors through Measure B. The total project construction cost was $1.5 million.