Position Papers




Santa Ynez Valley Alliance

Priority Issues

“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.

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.