Environmental documents for Goleta’s Stow Grove Park Master Plan are now available for public review and public comment through Aug. 31.
The Stow Grove Park Master Plan describes the city’s plans to improve the park with several renovations and additions.
Some of the plans include refurbishing and renovating the existing parking lot, restroom, maintenance facility, picnic area and more, as well as installing a new restroom, a new fitness trail loop and nature/play areas, the creation of a Channel Islands plaza with interpretive signage of Channel Islands flora, and expanding the playground to be suitable for all abilities.
The city also plans to rehabilitate the caretaker cottage to include public use, such as an education or nature center.
More nature-based activities, such as bird watching trails, a botanical garden and pollinator gardens, are also part of the master plan.
The improvements laid out in the Stow Grove Park Master Plan are anticipated to be implemented during the next five to 15 years, beginning in 2024.
The draft mitigated negative declaration for the master plan includes information on the plan and potential impacts on several different environmental factors.
Most of the factors studied were found to have no impact or less than significant impact from the project, but the report found that some mitigations would be needed to reduce the impact of some elements of the plan.
Some of those mitigation measures include pre-construction nesting bird surveys, protecting monarch butterflies during their overwintering season by limiting construction near their habitat, Native American monitoring, and more.
The full draft mitigated negative declaration is available to view on the city’s website here.
Public comment for the environmental document will be accepted through 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 and can be submitted to the city’s Parks & Recreation manager, JoAnne Plummer, by email at jplummer@cityofgoleta.com or mailed to City of Goleta, Attn: JoAnne Plummer, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117.
After the public comment period, the final mitigated negative declaration for the Stow Grove Park Master Plan will go before the City Council, which will consider and take action on the document. A date has not yet been set for that public hearing, but city staff said additional notice will be provided once a date is determined.