Hikers challenge development of a driveway that would pave over a popular trail

Hikers are challenging a development that would pave over part of a hot springs trail in Montecito.

"We've been out here counting people visiting, and for example, in the last hour, 55 people have come through on the trail," said Mark Wilkinson, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Trails Commission.

Wilkinson is counting hikers and collecting signatures at the Hot Springs Trailhead in Montecito to urge the county to do an environmental impact report.

"Our concern is that the county has said that for this project, in terms of recreation... the impacts [are] insignificant and easily mitigated, and we're not sure that's true because they don't have any data backing up that assumption," Wilkinson explained.

The Goerner project is a proposed single-family residence in Upper Hot Springs Canyon.

"Assuming somebody is a villain before they even make a move is what we've been feeling like," said Mark Goerner, property owner.

Goerner says the project meets all county requirements.

"We haven't asked for exceptions. We haven't pushed for anything outside of the zoning," Goerner continued.

The most contested part, a 4,000-foot-long driveway, would cross over Hot Springs Trail located on a county easement on Hot Springs Road.

"We'd rather not have it do any impingement on anything, anywhere but construction is construction, and that's our road and that's our property," Goerner said.

During construction, a temporary bypass will be created and trees removed to accommodate the driveway. After construction, a 500-foot portion of paved trail will remain.

Wilkinson says it will, "Pave over paradise."

The county says an environmental review document was made for the project under a Mitigated Negative Declaration. A draft of the document was released to the public. Currently, planning and development staff are reviewing the comments and say the public can reach out directly if they have any issues.