Gaviota public comment period extended

3/14/02
By MELINDA BURNS
NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER 

The public comment period on National Park Service strategies for protecting the Gaviota coast has been extended to Sept. 1, authorities said Monday.

The Park Service is studying four scenarios for staving off urbanization along the scenic coast from Coal Oil Point to Point Sal. The release of a draft study on these alternatives is expected to be delayed until January.

The strategies under study include a national seashore, in which the emphasis would be on buying land from willing sellers; and a national preserve, in which less of the land would belong to the Park Service, and hunting would be allowed on federal land.

A national reserve, managed by a congressionally chartered local board of directors, also is on the table for discussion. Most of the land would remain in private ownership, and the emphasis would be on purchasing development rights from willing landowners.

The fourth option is for the state and Santa Barbara County to come up with stronger programs to promote trails and public access to the coast, and help farmers and ranchers stay in business.

The Park Service is also reviewing a status-quo option, in which the county and nonprofit groups would attempt to keep urbanization at bay by purchasing development rights from landowners, much as they have done in recent years, with limited success.

Earlier this year, the Park Service sent out a worksheet with maps for the public to mark up with colored pencils, indicating what areas on the coast should receive the highest priority for preservation. The maps and any other suggestions should be mailed to: Gaviota Coast Feasibility Study Team, Planning and Partnerships, National Park Service, 1111 Jackson St., Suite 700, Oakland 94607; or e-mailed to pgso_gaviota@nps.gov.

Copies of the worksheet may be obtained by calling the Park Service at (510) 817-1447.

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