Support BMX @ Elings!

The Meeting has been postponed but if you are in support of BMX at Elings it looks like there is a group in opposition forming. Check out their comments below.

Attention
A special village hall meeting
Wed. June 17 from 7-9 p.m.
Steen Hudson, executive director and Bruce Giffin, immediate board vice-president will present on the development plans of Elings Park. It is open to the public.

The meeting is in connection with the SAVE THE ELINGS PARK SOUTH campaign headed by Theo Kracke, our vigilant neighbor on Calle Almonte. Following is the premise of the group campaign:

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Save Elings Park South

Why the campaign?

At present, the unspoiled beauty of Elings Park south, where one still enjoys starlit night skies. is the last natural area under protection of the City of Santa Barbara.

Elings Park Foundation, however, has a huge development plan for this park area:

-a 55,000 sq. ft. BMX track with starting gates covering 1.57 acres of currently natural land;

-four 8-feet tall spectator bleachers, amplified PA system, and lights for night racing events;

-1,350 sq. ft. park office building (16-feet high);

-Individual picnic areas;

-frisbee golf course area; and

-re-zoning from “undeveloped parkland” to “regional park”

Concerned citizens are opposed to the following:

The proposed major constructions violates the S.B. County “Covenant Restricting Use” agreed to by the Park Foundation in 1999.

That year, the Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund (CREF) and the community agreed to save this part of Elings Park from any form of development for thirty years, with the Elings Foundation as steward of the land. Today, the Foundation has apparent intentions of pressing the County Board of Supervisors to extinguish this “Covenant Restricting Use” - and to develop the land. (A recorded Memorandum of Understanding between Elings Park Foundation and the City of S.Bb confirms this.)

The proposed BMX track night time operations will cause light pollution.

The current light pollution problem caused by the night time softball games at Elings north has deprived neighbors seeing stars in the sky. The proposed BMX track activity, couoled with the night security lights in the proposed park offices and parking facilities will contribute to this pollution.

The proposed amplified PA system at the BMX track will cause noise pollution.

Residents of Allan Road on the other side of Las Positas have voiced their complaints about the amplified PA system of the BMX track in its current location at Elings North. A biking event in June 2008 on Elings South reverberated trhought the Westwood Hills and Mesa Lane area of the Mesa neighborhood.

Increased use in Elings South will necessarily increase traffic in the area.

There are major safety issues at the Cliff Drive gate of Elings South.

A negative impact on its wildlife

Elings South is host to native species, such as burrowing owls, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, songbirds, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, reptiles, and riparian fauna. Major disturbance in their habitat will significantly reduce these wildlife.

The above proposed developments can conveniently “pave the way” for other future developments, particularly with re-zoning of the area.

Concerned citizens are in support of :

The construction of individual picnic areas

Individual picnic areas without outdoor lighting offer a nice place for families to enjoy the natural surroundings of Elings Park South

The construction of a frisbee golf course

Without outdoor lighting, a frisbee golf course is an excellent use of the natural land of Elings Park South.

Contact: Theo Kracke – HYPERLINK "mailto:theokracke@gmail.com" theokracke@gmail.com or 805-701-4221 (cell)