Ellwood Mesa provides one of the largest contiguous open space areas along the South Coast and provides a range of opportunities for outdoor activities. In the spring of 2012, the Santa Barbara County Trails Council approached the City of Goleta with a proposal for a trail and habitat restoration design project on Ellwood Mesa, focusing on the Coastal Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail. The City and the Trails Council entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that enabled the Trails Council to utilize Coastal Conservancy and Goleta Valley Land Trust funding for the project.

Two public workshops were held last fall to garner input from the public regarding possible trail design concepts and restoration ideas. The City and the Trails Council are in the process of refining the design based on this input. Next steps include a presentation to the City Council and the development of project alternatives so that environmental review can begin.

For more information, visit the project page at http://www.projectgoleta.com/ or contact Sara Iza, Advance Planning Division Associate Planner, at 961-7544 or siza@cityofgoleta.org.