Position Papers




Santa Ynez Valley Alliance

Priority Issues

Santa Ynez Valley Alliance Nominates Mattei’s Tavern for Historic Landmark Protection

At a press conference today (Jan. 13, 2010), the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance formally announced that it is nominating Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos for designation as a Historical Landmark.  The nomination will be submitted to the County’s Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission (HLAC) for consideration.


Mattei's Tavern as it appeared in 1888.


     On May 12, 1997 the Santa Barbara County Historical Landmark Advisory Committee voted unanimously "to designate the entire Mattei's Tavern property as a Place of Historical Merit", but the appropriate paperwork to finalize the designation was never completed.  To this day, Mattei’s Tavern still cannot be found among the 68 historic places or landmarks recognized by the County. 
   
   “Like most people in the Santa Ynez Valley, we always thought that Mattei’s Tavern was an historic landmark.  After all, following Mission Santa Ines, it is the second most recognized and beloved historic site in the Valley.  We were shocked to learn that Mattei’s has no formal historic landmark status.  And that is simply why we are here today, to ask the County’s Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that the Mattei’s Tavern site be designated an historic landmark,” stated Mark Oliver, President of the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance.

     “My family has many fond memories of the Mattei family.  I remember my dad used to order a 'Chamberlin-sized' portion of Prime Rib,” stated Sarah Chamberlin, whose family has lived in the Valley since 1929 and is related to the Bixby’s of Flint, Bixby & Company that ran the stagecoach between Los Olives and Santa Barbara.  “My sister  Helen’s wedding breakfast was at Mattei’s in June, 1962, one of the last meals served under Elaine Mattei’s ownership.  Each time a building is torn down or remodeled, we lose a little more history, history that is gone forever and then forgotten,” she added.
 
     In 1886, Felix Mattei built the Central Hotel, later to become Mattei’s Tavern, strategically located right across the street from the soon-to-arrive train station for the Pacific Coast Railway.  Later renamed the Los Olivos Hotel, and finally Mattei’s Tavern, this historic place has over a century of rich history, stagecoach legends and famous, perhaps even infamous, movie stars and dignitaries--not only from Hollywood, but from across the entire country.
 
     The original Mattei’s Tavern was a two-story gabled redwood building with a one-story flat-roofed wing.  Fronting Railway Avenue, it housed a downstairs bar, dining room, and seven upstairs bedrooms, reached by stairs at the rear which were protected by a shed-roof enclosure. Behind the hotel a large water tank and tank house were built. 

     Mattei’s Tavern qualifies to be an historic landmark, not just because it was built in 1886, but because of the cultural role it played in the early beginnings of Los Olivos.  Mattei’s was virtually the social center of the Santa Ynez Valley from the 1890’s through the 1930’s.  Up until the establishment and development of Solvang, Los Olivos was the principal community of the Valley and Mattei’s served as a magnet for local residents and visitors alike.  There is no remaining historic development in the Santa Ynez Valley that better reflects the ‘American’ period of settlement and the accompanying cultural, social, economic and political growth.

     The Goleta Valley Historical Society, which is a sponsor of the plaque at Mattei’s commemorating the Wells Fargo Old Stagecoach Route-1861 to 1901, has submitted a letter supporting the nomination and designation of Mattei’s Tavern as a Santa Barbara County Historic Landmark.  “The history and legacy of the stagecoach era lives on through the location affectionately known today as Mattei’s,” stated Robin Cederlof, President, in the group’s letter.

     The Valley Alliance nomination proposes the creation of a Historic Landmark encompassing the Tavern, the cottages, the historic water tower, specimen trees, and the site of the Keenan-Hartley House (the oldest house in Los Olivos moved to the site in 1998 and already a Historic Landmark).  Originally, the entire six square block area purchased by Mattei, supported the Hotel and the transportation network it relied upon.  Barns housed not only the stages and horses, but also agricultural animals and crops used to feed guests.  There were extensive vegetable gardens and orchards that made the hotel relatively self-sufficient in its early years.
 
     Historic photographs of the property demonstrate the age of numerous specimen trees and the care with which the Mattei Family landscaped and maintained the property to insure an aesthetic experience for their guests. The boundaries of the Historic Landmark reflect the historic importance of the entire complex.

     “Since the 1870’s, citizens of California have realized that it is important to preserve, acknowledge and celebrate the sites and structures that are hallmarks of our state and local history,” stated Kellam de Forest, renown historic preservation advocate.  “In Santa Barbara County, Spanish missions have been preserved and even rebuilt and pioneer structures saved such as the Ballard Schoolhouse and the Sisquoc Chapel.  The necessity to preserve, acknowledge and celebrate Mattei’s Tavern with its adjacent cultural landscape is a no brainer,” added Mr. de Forest.

     The evolution of Mattei’s from a facility serving guests brought by horse or train, to those brought by automobile or bus, reflects the changing modes of American transportation.  Mattei’s was one of the earliest hotels in the state approved by the influential Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) founded in 1900 and it prominently displayed the diamond shaped sign identifying it as the fourth contracted hotel in the state.

     In 1918, the Auto Club’s ‘Touring Topics’ had this to say about Mattei’s:   “For thirty years, those who travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles have enjoyed the hospitality of Felix Mattei, founder and proprietor of Mattei’s Tavern at Los Olivos.  This inn, famous for its trout dinners and bounteous table, noted among two generations for the warm hearted hospitality of its proprietor and the charm of its location, has gained renown throughout the United States.”

     In fact, Mattei’s had visitors from far and wide, not only geographically, but from all walks of life. The most famous were movie stars from Hollywood, including Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Dixie Lee, Edmund Lowe and Rosalind Russell, as well as dignitaries such as Herbert Hoover, Harry Chandler and William Jennings Bryan, not to mention the famous Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts.

     Over the years, Mattei’s has received multiple recognitions for its historic character and importance from organizations such as Friends of the Pacific Coast Railway, the Goleta Historical Society, the City and County of Santa Barbara and the Native Sons of the Golden West.

     One hundred years ago, Mattei was still running his regular stage to Gaviota.  Today, one can still see the “Santa Barbara Stage Office” lettering identifying Mattei’s as a stage stop, and walk into a hostelry remarkably similar to that experienced by our ancestors.

     “When Felix Mattei died in 1930, his obituary in the Los Angeles Times reported that Mattei’s Tavern was ‘a noted Inn for all Californians’,” stated Mark Oliver.   “The time is now to provide this long-overdue landmark designation to Mattei’s Tavern, a truly unique historical resource,” he concluded.

     The mission of the Valley Alliance is to work collaboratively with individuals, groups and governments to protect the rural character of the Santa Ynez Valley and support good stewardship of natural and agricultural resources through education, comprehensive planning and public participation.  The Valley Alliance seeks to fulfill that Mission by : Supporting the unique character of the Valley's different communities while advocating cooperative solutions to Valleywide problems and regional planning.

 

Special Events: An Ongoing Threat to Ag Lands

We constantly talk about the preservation of agriculture—and for good reason. Our Valley is one of the “last best places.” We have extraordinary open space and view-sheds. We have over 231,000 acres of land in agriculture.

Of course people want to come here to visit and we welcome those visitors in many ways. We have tourist centers like Solvang and Los Olivos. We have vegetable stands, pick-your-own fruit stands and wineries, with clear relationships to agriculture. Unfortunately, what we also have is a growing trend toward events that are unrelated to agriculture on agriculturally zoned lands. Most recently, the property known as Crossroads applied for permits to hold ongoing events, or “parties for profit.” The Crossroads property is approximately 50 acres with 11 acres of wine grapes. These special events had no relationship to agriculture and could not meet the test of “incidental” to the ag use of the property. Nor could it meet the test of preserving the land for long term agricultural use.

The Alliance supports Santa Barbara County land use policies and zoning that have been crafted to  ensure that agricultural lands are used for the production of food and fiber. To this end, a coalition of groups countywide led by the Valley Alliance lobbied against the “events center” at the Crossroads property. We successfully convinced the Board of Supervisors to deny this project. But that is not enough. We are now working to ensure the County does a comprehensive study of the nature and impacts of tourist related activities on agriculturally zoned properties throughout the County, with the end result being a Countywide events ordinance that addresses the issues raised by this misguided proposal.

 

“Neverland” Position Statement

[24 July 2009] The mission of the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance is to work collaboratively with individuals, groups and government to protect the rural character of the Santa Ynez Valley and support good stewardship of natural and agricultural resources through education, comprehensive planning and public participation. The Alliance supports the Williamson Act and it’s Agricultural Preserve program, works to ensure that growth is supported by comprehensive planning and infrastructure, and discourages urban or suburban sprawl.

In 1988, the late Michael Jackson chose to purchase a large cattle ranch and residence in the Santa Ynez Valley because its remote location provided him with a private retreat distant from fans and media. The large acreage of Sycamore Valley Ranch, with almost 2,700 acres abutting Los Padres National Forest secluded from public view, offered privacy the pop star could not find in urban areas. Although Jackson expanded the residential footprint with a zoo, trains and amusement park rides and renamed the property “Neverland,” the great bulk of the ranch was still grazed by cattle. The acreage remains under Agricultural Preserve contract but is scheduled to be released in a few years.

In 2005, Jackson left the Valley with no plans to return. Financial problems forced Jackson to mortgage and ultimately relinquish control of the property, although his estate maintains a minority interest. Jackson’s furniture, animals, rides, and trains have been removed from the site. Although the theater, train station, and empty cages distinguish the residential envelope, the property essentially remains what it always has been: large-acreage, agriculturally zoned, grazing land.

It has now been suggested that the property be renamed “Neverland” once again and developed as a tourist attraction. Some have gone so far as to suggest that the remains of the late pop star be interred on the site and the property converted into a Graceland-style business.

The Valley Alliance seeks to discourage the expansion and diversification of inappropriate non-agricultural uses on agriculturally zoned land such as Sycamore Valley Ranch. The Agricultural Element specifically points out the potential conflict with agricultural uses posed by “expanding residential, ranchette and tourist land uses” in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The development of urban visitor-serving uses and facilities in a remote rural area is inconsistent with adopted County policy and not supported by existing infrastructure.
Figueroa Mountain Road, where the property is located, is a small rural road serving a handful of residences, a few ranches, two schools, and Los Padres National Forest. The intersection of Figueroa Mountain Road and Hwy. 154, which would be used to access the potential project, has limited sight distance and has been the scene of numerous traffic fatalities.

At both Graceland and Hearst Castle, guests can number up to 4,000 or 5,000 on a single day. For comparison purposes, the population of the entire Valley is only 22,000. The nearest township, Los Olivos, is more than 5 miles from the property and is home to fewer than 1,000 residents. Los Olivos has a shortage of public facilities, including a sewer system. In order to protect groundwater from contamination the area has been deemed a Special Problems District and visitors must use portable toilets.

Public services are already stretched to the limit within the Valley. Response times for fire protection services in Ballard and Los Olivos are already inadequate. The ranch is in a High Fire Hazard Area and it is more than 11 miles to the nearest Fire and Police stations. It is more than 10 miles to the nearest sewer system, gas station, and small hospital.

Although the property is located outside the Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan boundary, commercialization of the property is clearly inconsistent with the primary goal of the Plan: preservation of the Valley’s rural character. The Environmental Impact Report for the Community Plan demonstrates how seriously existing development potential will impact Valley roadways in the next 20 years. Valley roads are already burdened with commuters, tourists, casino visitors, wine tasters, and service vehicles. Additional traffic-generating development will only exacerbate future problems.

The public costs to construct the necessary infrastructure and provide ongoing services for such a project would far exceed any revenue the community might expect to receive.
Infrastructure development would encourage more growth that would result in more impacts to the community. The majority of jobs at a “Neverland” tourist attraction would be poorly compensated service workers who could not expect to find housing within the Valley. Most workers would find it necessary to commute from more affordable housing markets and would therefore add to traffic impacts

The dramatic intensification of non-agricultural uses that would accompany such a project could serve as a precedent to undermine agricultural land use and existing County policy. It would encourage other property owners to exit the Ag Preserve program and pursue speculative non-agricultural development.

The Alliance supports the Ag Preserve program and good stewardship of agricultural resources. The Alliance is dedicated to protecting the rural character of the Santa Ynez Valley and works to ensure that growth is supported by comprehensive planning and infrastructure. The Alliance cannot support the intensification and diversification of inappropriate non-agricultural uses on agriculturally zoned land in rural areas. For all these reasons, the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance is opposed to the development of a “Neverland” tourist attraction on the Sycamore Valley Ranch property.

 

Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan Adopted

On October 6, 2009 the Board of Supervisors adopted the Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan  (SYVCP). The Valley’s first community plan is a specific segment of the County’s General Plan, focusing on the future of the unincorporated areas. It applies to the townships of Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Ballard, and includes the Inner Rural Area surrounding the townships and the cities of Solvang and Buellton. It also includes a small part of the Rural Area abutting the Inner Rural bringing the total acreage to approximately 47,000 acres.

Since work on the SYVCP began in 2001, the final version reflects the involvement of three Third District Supervisors and two citizen advisory groups (the General Plan Advisory Committee and the Valley Planning Advisory Committee). In the interim, the scope of the plan changed significantly and the document received extensive Environmental Review and public comment. Given the Valley Alliance’s commitment to comprehensive planning and public participation, we have carefully monitored the development and processing of the Community Plan, provided testimony at numerous meetings and commented on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The primary goal of the Plan is to preserve the Valley’s rural character while allowing carefully considered future growth supported by adequate infrastructure. Under the leadership of Third District Supervisor Doreen Farr, the Board adopted the reduced development/ downzone version of the plan identified by the EIR as the Environmentally Superior Alternative and endorsed by the Valley Alliance. The Plan provides a policy framework to ensure new growth is consistent with community goals, such as preserving agriculture, reducing sprawl and preserving the unique qualities of our different communities.

The SYVCP incorporates a Mixed Use Overlay for the commercial cores of Santa Ynez and Los Olivos to provide more diverse and affordable housing. It incorporates Design Review to address visual impacts on major corridors and preserve the buffers between communities. It includes measures to protect biological resources, support pedestrian-friendly development in our townships, and address the visual impacts of lighting on the night sky. The Plan incorporates mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of traffic and provide necessary infrastructure improvements, such as a new fire station in the Los Olivos Area.

It now falls upon the County and the citizenry of the Valley to implement the collaborative vision of the future incorporated within the Community Plan. The Valley Alliance is committed to helping Valley residents achieve this vision and will continue to inform the public regarding new development.

 

Integrity of Agriculture Versus Tourism

[2008 September] The Santa Ynez Valley is an attractive tourist destination due to its benevolent climate, natural beauty, quaint townships, and recreational resources. The wine industry and the increased popularity of “wine tasting” have contributed to the Valley’s popularity, but it has also created new impacts and conflicts. In 2004, the County passed an ordinance to control the retail and entertainment part of the wine industry and begin to address some of those problems.

Increased commercialization of agricultural land can impact the viability of onsite agricultural operations and those of surrounding parcels. Farm stays, bed & breakfasts, and entertainment venues may increase tourism, but they can negatively impact agriculture itself. How do we balance the integrity of agriculture with these uses?

The proposal to legalize an events center at the corner of Zaca Station and Foxen Canyon Roads epitomizes this conflict. The Firestone family has requested approval to hold thirty events with up to 250 attendees, and two events with up to 1,500 attendees each year. The 50 acre parcel in question is zoned Ag II, the purpose of which is to “preserve these lands for long term agricultural use.” County policies require that non-agricultural uses must be “incidental” to the agricultural use. In this case, however, the eleven acres of grapes planted on the property will generate only a small fraction of the $500,000 per year the events center can be expected to generate. With approval, the “primary” use of this property would unquestionably become entertainment.

If allowed to expand unchecked, non-agricultural uses such as these will artificially inflate the value and taxes of agricultural properties and generate impacts to surrounding agricultural operations, rural roads, and the community.
The Valley Alliance raised concerns about this project and the precedent it would set. While the Planning Commission approved this project, it was appealed to the Board of Supervisors which has postponed consideration until sometime early next year.

We firmly believe that approving this project would set a bad precedent for all similarly situated agricultural properties in the Valley. In other words, if we take this first step down the slippery slope of allowing non-agricultural uses on Ag zoned property we can firmly kiss the integrity of our rural lands goodbye.

Valley Still Awaiting Airport Expansion EIR Ruling

[2008 September] After working towards a shared goal for almost four years, a Committee of four groups (the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance, Women’s Environmental Watch, Preservation of Los Olivos, and Meadowlark Ranch Association) and two landowners are still waiting for the County to make a final EIR determination on the proposed expansion. Meanwhile, the Airport Authority has announced that it will significantly scale back its proposal for development on the airport site. While the community was told that it would have an answer “soon” after the September 9th public hearing, none has been forthcoming. Staff is now indicating that it may wait for an expected re-submittal from the Airport Authority before releasing a revised determination.

The project, as proposed by the Airport Authority, calls for the addition of 126,415 square feet of development to the Santa Ynez Airport site, consisting of 32 new hangars, security trailers, office space and storage, as well as 6 helipads and parking. For more details, see the Fall, 2007 Valley Alliance Newsletter.

When County staff issued only a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), Committee members studied the document and found its flaws. They raised funds and hired experts. More importantly, they worked to increase public awareness. The issues were complex—from visual to noise; adverse impacts to agriculture; questions about proximity to the old landfill—as well as cumulative impacts. A discussion of alternatives was not included.

The controversy resulted in the Central Board of Architectural Review (CBAR) requiring the Airport Authority to place “story” poles in the two areas where the hangars would be built. In the end, the story poles told a startling story: significant ridgeline and view blockage (over 700 ft) of the Santa Ynez Mountains from Highway 246, plus hangars easily visible from Highway 154, a designated California state Scenic Highway.
The Committee obtained an evening public hearing on the MND in the Valley, providing an opportunity for residents to make comments on, and ask questions about, the document. At the hearing, statements in the MND that there would be no increase in the intensity of use at the Airport were found to be inaccurate.

The success we have achieved to date is a testament to the power of collaboration and persistence. The Valley Alliance will continue to press for a final EIR determination and will monitor any future submissions to assure that they are not merely an attempt to “piecemeal” the existing project. Stay tuned.