Bob Hazard Mr. Hazard is an Associate Editor of this paper and a former president of Birnam Wood Golf Club.
Coronavirus Panic Comes to Montecito
B
y far, the hottest topic in Montecito this week is the fear of the coronavirus and its rapid spread around the world. Anxiety is high because we are all being warned by the media that the coronavirus has not yet peaked.
Village Beat by Kelly Mahan Herrick
Kelly has been editor at large for the Journal since 2007, reporting on news in Montecito and beyond. She is also a licensed realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, and is a member of Montecito and Santa Barbara’s top real estate team, Calcagno & Hamilton.
Land Use Discusses Trails and Debris Basin
Social Distancing Wherever cases are reported, the cry escalates for “social distancing,” which means creating a space of at least six feet between you and any other person on the planet. Clearly, no hugs or handshakes. Abandon all airline, cruise, and bus travel. Cancel all sporting events, including the Olympics in Japan. No kissing, but any other form of sex is ok, as long as participants remain six feet apart. Limit all social gatherings – all concerts and theatres, mall visits, private parties, parades, conventions and dining out in restaurants. Close all schools and encourage employees to work from home. Create a nation of hermits to limit the spread of the disease and destroy the U.S. economy. Panic Shopping for Essentials Costco in Goleta reports that consumer panic has wiped out all supplies of toilet paper, sanitary wipes and sprays, paper towels, facial tissues, hand sanitizers, chicken soup, and cases of water. The same is true of all grocery stores in Santa Barbara as residents stock up for a presumed 14- to 21-day isolation period at home when the first confirmed case of coronavirus reaches Santa Barbara. Starbucks Coffee Employees Scared Starbucks on Coast Village Road has stopped serving coffee poured into their customers’ re-usable beverage containers. For the last three years, Starbucks had been promoting coffee sales in customer containers to be environmentally conscious and save trees. The new fear is employee exposure to coronavirus contamination. MUS and Cold Spring School Ready Both elementary schools report no plans for closures at this time. Anthony Ranii, Superintendent Montecito Union School, and Dr. Amy Alzina, Superintendent and Principal at Cold Spring School District, note that both districts are working collaboratively with Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, Director of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) regarding all issues related to the coronavirus. If the coronavirus is reported in Montecito or Santa Barbara area, SBCPHD would advise on the type and duration of closures that would be needed in order to protect students, teachers, administrators, and the community. Says Ranii, “We do not expect school closures, but if they are required, we would provide for some remote learning opportunities for our students.” Dr. Alzina adds: “Robust emergency supplies are available at every school site. Both school sites have increased the number of hours the custodial staff is working to ensure every classroom and all common areas are properly sanitized daily. In addition, school staff is actively encouraging healthy habits like hand washing, proper coughing technique, and the need to keep hands away from one’s face. School sites do not currently have access to coronavirus testing kits, but school nurses regularly take the temperature of students who feel ill and encourage all sick students and staff members to stay home if they are not feeling well.” College Campus Closures UC Santa Barbara reports no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, either on campus or in Santa Barbara County, but classes will transition to remote instruction out of precaution. The University of Southern California (USC) also has had no reported cases of COVID-19 on campus. It decided to shift classes to “online-only” for three days this week to test USC’s ability to move to an all-online model, if an emergency arises. Next week, USC shuts down for its regularly scheduled Spring Break. USC has brought home students who are studying in countries that have reached the CDC’s Level 3 for COVID-19 infections. It also cancelled all Spring and Maymester study-abroad programs. Students, faculty and staff have been strongly advised against any international travel during Spring Break, including travel to popular destinations such as Cabo San Lucas and Cancun in Mexico. The University is requiring all international travelers from CDC Level 3 countries to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to a campus location. Stanford University is canceling all in-person classes for the final two weeks of
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12 MONTECITO JOURNAL
Ashlee Mayfield on the newly constructed Olive Mill Trail, which was funded and designed in part by Geoff Slaff and family. Two sections of the trail are complete, with the middle section currently in progress.
A
t this month’s Montecito Association Land Use Committee meeting, Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell and Montecito Trails Foundation president Ashlee Mayfield presented an update on the network of community trails that the two groups are committed to building and maintaining. “Trail repair was a top priority in a poll we took following the debris flow. It was right at the top of the list; the community wants bike and pedestrian access improvements,” Mayfield said. A network of community trails offers safe routes to school, as well as a way to walk pets, connect neighbors, increase wellness and exercise, and walk to the villages and beaches. “MTF has been preserving pedestrian access since 1964 to create access to the front country trails, and we’ve found that now, both older and younger people want to be out walking,” Mayfield said. Several trails have been repaired or built since the debris flow, including the Ennisbrook trail, Peter Bakewell trail, and trails along Sheffield Drive, East Valley Road, and North Jameson Lane. Current projects include Olive Mill Road, Casa Dorinda, San Leandro Lane from Crane School to Santa Rosa Lane, and Cold Spring School trails. Powell said they have plans to connect the Cold Spring School trails down Sycamore Canyon Road to the lower village. Geoffrey Slaff has created a walking trail map that is available around town; it shows the current trails and areas that need attention. The Bucket Brigade, Montecito Community Foundation, and Montecito Trails Foundation have long-term plans that
include building both formal trails with decomposed granite that meander where possible, and informal trails that include wood chips and Santa Ynez compacted shale where appropriate. Powell explained that increased pedestrian access and trails are both mentioned multiple times in the Montecito Community Plan, and in 2010, the Montecito Association adopted stronger verbiage to further the goal of building more trails. “We are asking you to partner with us on this; help us make Montecito safer for pedestrians now and into the future,” Powell said. Members of the Committee agreed to look further into the walking path map, and suggested that more “doggy bag” stations could be added throughout the community on the trails. “This would be a potential area for us to partner with you,” said executive director Sharon Byrne, adding that the MA Board held its annual retreat last week, and the consensus was positive in supporting the expansion of the trail network. Tom Fayram from County Flood Control was also in attendance at the meeting, asking the Committee for a comment letter in support of the Randall Road Debris Basin. The County is currently seeking a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, which is tied in with the FEMA funding of the debris basin. The proposed project includes building a new “off channel” debris basin on San Ysidro Creek at Randall Road and East Valley Road. The proposed basin would be approximately eight
VILLAGE BEAT Page 204 12 – 19 March 2020
