Background:  In November 2022 the Santa Barbara County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee (CRAHTAC) approved a proposal from the Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) to relocate the eastern portion of McMenemy Trail in Montecito with virtually no outreach to the public.  This relocation will move part of the McMenemy Trail onto an unstable hillside that has multiple landslides from the 2023 storms, unlike where the trail currently sits, which is stable and has no landslides.  

CRAHTAC’s decision to relocate has been forwarded to the County of Santa Barbara and Los Padres National Forest for final authorization.  These two agencies hold easements for this trail and will make the final decision sometime in the near future.  This is your last chance to prevent this unnecessary relocation of this historic trail from occurring which will become far less stable, less safe, and less scenic if approved.  Let your voice be heard on this and demand improved trail planning in Santa Barbara County by signing this petition and emailing your local agencies.  The future of Santa Barbara’s Trail System is in your hands!

WHY DOES THE MONTECITO TRAILS FOUNDATION WANT TO RELOCATE MCMENEMY TRAIL?

The main argument over the years by those wishing to relocate this trail have cited it was due to “shortcutting” of switchbacks or in layman’s terms veering off trail over the grassy hillside portion which created erosion problems.  As of Winter 2022, this shortcutting problem was eliminated and as of today all erosion related issues have been eradicated.  These grassy switchbacks are now in the best condition they have ever been in and other erosion related issues in the area deemed unrepairable by those wishing to relocate the trail, have been repaired also and are now much more sustainable thanks to recent trail work.

Talking points for keeping McMenemy Trail where it has been for the past 58 years:

*Shortcutting and the associated erosion issues have been eliminated from the switchback area thus resolving the main reason for relocating the trail.  Furthermore, other areas deemed unrepairable by those wishing to reroute, have been repaired.

*Major landslide damage occurred in January 2023 to the hillsides of the proposed relocation while the current trail suffered no landslide damage.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “slides on moderate to steep slopes are very difficult to stabilize permanently.”  USGS on the reoccurrence of landslides: “High probability of occurring repetitively in areas where they have occurred in the past”.  Generally speaking this proposed reroute is to be located on steeper hillsides than its current location which will make it less safe, less stable, and more difficult to maintain.

*Speaking on behalf of the Montecito Trails Foundation, a representative made the following statement at the 11/14/22 CRAHTAC meeting prior to approval of the reroute. “So I promise that I’m not going to build a trail that has landslides.”  Moving forward with the reroute will break this promise the MTF made to the public.

*The current McMenemy Trail is far more scenic that the proposed trail due to being the ridge closest to the coast, much of the relocated trail will be in a valley hidden behind this ridge with fewer coastal views.  Being McMenemy Trail has been in existence since 1918 and in its current location since 1965; this makes it a historic trail and should be protected like any other historic location.

*When the idea to relocate this trail was re-introduced in 2021, the relocation proposal stated one of the main objectives for relocating this trail was to “Provide relief to the two property owners through which the trail passes from encroachment into their parcels.”  These two property owners are now funding all costs to relocate the McMenemy Trail away from their properties– this sets a bad precedent for future trail planning!

This petition also demands that changes be made to Santa Barbara County Trail Planning Policy:

Virtually no outreach by the County of Santa Barbara has been made to the trail using public prior to the November 2022 CRAHTAC meeting in which the decision to relocate was unanimously made.  Improved methods of involving the public in trail planning are paramount for proper trail management.  These trails belong to the public not just a small consortium of trail user groups and adjustments need to be made in the future to include the public in the decision making process from the onset of a project.  This relocation project has been discussed privately on and off since 2008.

CRAHTAC allowed an appointed member plan the relocation of this trail in private during which time, it never appeared on the agenda nor was addressed publicly.  It was not until MTF took over that this relocation appeared on the agenda and was made public.  CRAHTAC members are supposed to act in an advisory capacity only, not take action.

Confusion existed for many years regarding which agency held the easement title for McMenemy Trail believing it was under USFS jurisdiction only and incorrectly believed a portion of the trail easement was missing.  It was not until the petitioner emailed easement documents to County staff that CRAHTAC was made aware that a County Easement existed for McMenemy Trail.  The correct easement information should have been addressed long before beginning the relocation process and approaching neighbors to request new easements be granted, leaving neighbors confused and opening the agencies to legal repercussions.

CRAHTAC members and staff based the decision to relocate the trail based solely on opinion and ignored a Geologist's analysis of the proposed reroute hillsides which pointed out there was landslide risk amongst several other instabilities.  Less than eight weeks after CRAHTAC decided in favor to relocate, FIVE landslides occurred on the hillsides which the reroute will pass.  Professional and scientific input on a project such as this should always come before personal opinion.

The CRAHTAC approved trail relocation has been changed several times since the 2022 approval and an entirely new reroute is being planned that will not require further approval from CRAHTAC nor public input before the USFS and County of Santa Barbara authorize the final change.  This also sets a bad precedent for future trail planning in that no official trail plan needs to be followed and also causes unnecessary environmental impact being that multiple “preliminary” trails have been cut then abandoned trying to locate the path of the new trail's route.  This is also the first time abandonment of a trail has been approved prior to knowing the location where the new trail will go!

Please sign this petition today if you care about preserving the historic McMenemy Trail and the changing planning procedures of Santa Barbara’s Trail System.  Please consider emailing County and USFS staff listed below with the subject heading similar to…

I Am Opposed The Relocation Of The McMenemy Trail In Montecito And Demand Improved Santa Barbara County Trail Planning Policy.

jlindgren@countyofsb.org, SupervisorWilliams@countyofsb.org, lcapps@countyofsb.org, jhartmann@countyofsb.org, Nelson@bos.countyofsb.org, steve.lavagnino@countyofsb.org, daryl.hodges@usda.gov, christopher.stubbs@usda.gov