Park Hills Development Challenged

A 16-unit subdivision near San Antonio Creek and Highway 154 in the foothills of Santa Barbara is being fought in court by a coalition of groups that are concerned about wildfire dangers, threats to archaeological resources and sensitive species, and neighborhood impacts. Approved by the County of Santa Barbara earlier this year with a “negative declaration” rather than a full-scale environmental impact report, the Park Hills project is now being challenged by the California Native Plant Society (which is worried about the loss of native grasslands and associated plants), the San Antonio Creek Home Owner Association (which fears increased wildfire problems), and the Friends of Saspili (a Chumash advocacy group that wants to protect bedrock mortars on the site). They hope to overturn the approval, mandate a full environmental report, and consider alternative uses that would lessen impacts, according to attorney Marc Chytilo.