A summary of the Revised Draft Recreation Master Plan is provided below, including links to each chapter.
To learn more about the project, view environmental documentation, and provide feedback to County Parks,
click here to view the County's project webpage.
click here to view the County's project webpage.
Recreation is Essential
The Santa Barbara County Recreation Master Plan (Recreation Master Plan) is a strategic long-term planning document that assesses the need for parks, recreation, and trails in Santa Barbara County and guides County Parks’ capital planning, decisions, and actions through 2050. In addition, it is a resource for other agencies to inform priorities and needs for parks, recreation, and trails countywide. While the Recreation Master Plan is a County plan, it also provides vision, direction, context, and recommendations for County Parks to substantially improve the countywide recreation system in partnership with other public agencies and private organizations. The potential for funding, interagency coordination, public-private partnerships, and increased efficiency for planned park, recreation, and trail projects is enhanced through the Recreation Master Plan’s programs.
The goal of the Recreation Master Plan is to enhance the quality of life and leisure experience for Santa Barbara County residents of all ages. The Recreation Master Plan will guide recreation planning in the county toward the following outcomes:
The goal of the Recreation Master Plan is to enhance the quality of life and leisure experience for Santa Barbara County residents of all ages. The Recreation Master Plan will guide recreation planning in the county toward the following outcomes:
- Establish a long-range vision.
- Assess current and future recreation needs of the community.
- Promote new ideas and partnerships.
- Establish a strong foundation for funding pursuits.
- Create recreational value within existing public lands.
- Plan for sustainable recreation.
- Build community engagement, education, and support.
To create opportunities for as many people as possible to participate in the recreation planning process, the County fostered over two years of creative, adaptive, and diverse outreach techniques directly in communities throughout the county. Between 2021 and 2022, County Parks conducted a robust public outreach program (POP) consisting of a diverse and innovative community engagement toolbox. The input and feedback received through nearly 8,000 recreation surveys and 86 meetings and workshops directly informed the recreation needs assessment and planning for the Recreation Master Plan. The County maximized participation from all communities, as well as targeted input for underserved and underrepresented people.
County Overview
Santa Barbara County is located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles on the California coast, encompassing beautiful coastlines, mountains, and rural agricultural valleys. It is geographically diverse with over 450,000 residents who live in eight small- to medium-sized cities and 19 unincorporated communities. The character of Santa Barbara County is defined by its distinct urban communities separated by extensive areas of rural and agricultural lands.
Each community in Santa Barbara County has its own identity, but for recreation planning purposes, there are essentially five recreation planning areas where residents tend to share recreational facilities and programs in their local community, such as regional parks, sports complexes, gymnasiums, trail systems, or community parks. For recreation planning in Santa Barbara County, these five planning areas consist of:
- The Santa Maria Valley, including the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe, as well as the communities of Orcutt, Casmalia, Garey, and Sisquoc.
- The Cuyama Valley, including the communities of Cuyama and New Cuyama.
- The Lompoc Valley, including the City of Lompoc, and the communities of Vandenberg Village and Mission Hills.
- The Santa Ynez Valley, including the cities of Buellton and Solvang, as well as the communities of Ballard, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos; although located in the San Antonio Valley, Los Alamos is also included in this planning area.
- The South Coast, including the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria, as well as the communities of Isla Vista, Eastern Goleta Valley, Montecito, Mission Canyon, Toro Canyon, and Summerland, as well as the rural Gaviota Coast.
Existing Parks and Trails
Santa Barbara County is renowned for its outdoor beauty and recreation opportunities provided by public parks and open spaces. Beaches and blufftop open spaces, high-quality parks with playgrounds and sports facilities, and public open space preserves, along with a mild climate, support year-round recreation. Parks support a diversity of sports and recreation activities while also conserving natural resources and supporting healthy lifestyles and sustainable communities.
Public parkland in Santa Barbara County supports access to outdoor recreation, sports, and play. Most of the parkland is located on the South Coast, including Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria. Santa Maria Valley, including Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Guadalupe, provides nearly a quarter of the parkland. Parkland in Lompoc Valley serves Lompoc, Vandenberg Village, and Mission Hills/Mesa Oaks. Santa Ynez Valley parkland is provided primarily by Solvang and Buellton. Cuyama Valley's public parkland is provided by one park located in New Cuyama.
Trails in Santa Barbara County traverse stunning landscapes ranging from coastal bluffs and sandy beaches to creeks and wetlands to foothill chaparral and rocky canyons. This diversity means outdoor enthusiasts can experience everything from ocean views to serene woodland paths and dramatic mountain vistas. Trails in the Santa Ynez Mountains offer breathtaking panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. Coastal trails provide picturesque scenes of the shoreline and marine life. Backcountry trails in the Los Padres National Forest take visitors deep into the county's wilderness areas. Urban trails provide access to beautiful natural corridors, agricultural areas, and open spaces while connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks, and other services. Santa Barbara County's mild climate allows for year-round hiking and outdoor activities, making trails an accessible form of recreation for all ages.
Recreation Needs Assessment
To understand what types of parks, recreation, and trails are needed in Santa Barbara County, an assessment of how and where the existing public parks and trails are either meeting or not meeting local demands must be prepared. The County conducted a recreation needs assessment by combining several indicators for each recreation planning area and Santa Barbara County as a whole. Because of the size, scale, and diversity of Santa Barbara County, this assessment considers several types of indicators, both qualitative and quantitative, to give a broad perspective of the recreation level of service provided countywide now and in the future. As described below, each indicator provides insight into unmet needs to inform the recommendations and actions of the Recreation Master Plan.
A Plan for Parks, Recreation, and Trails
The Recreation Master Plan presents a unique opportunity to envision how to improve access to recreation for residents throughout the county, particularly in underserved unincorporated communities and neighborhoods in the South Coast, Lompoc Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and Cuyama Valley. The Recreation Master Plan provides a plan to help meet these needs in several ways. First, County Parks’ planned parks, trails, and recreation facility projects are described, including the conceptual location and range of facilities, as well as estimated cost and timing. A summary of known planned recreation projects by other agencies, including cities, State Parks, and private recreation organizations, is also provided. Each planned project is unique and varies in complexity, vision, location, and users served.
Pathways to Implementation
The Recreation Master Plan includes several existing and proposed tools available for the acquisition and development of new parks and trails in Santa Barbara County. Each planned project by County Parks includes cost estimates and timing based on feasibility and priority. Planning for each project will consider appropriate tools to acquire and develop the park and/or trail.
Building a high-quality system of parks, trails, and recreation facilities takes time, commitment, and resourcefulness to maintain the facilities we have while also creating the facilities we need. Achieving the Recreation Master Plan’s goals, projects, and programs requires a clear, focused work program in the near term that supports the long-term success of future efforts. As community recreation needs evolve and opportunities rise and fall, the Recreation Master Plan must adapt. An adaptive plan is achieved through periodic review. Accordingly, the Recreation Master Plan creates a framework of near-term actions within 5-year targets. This approach ensures the Recreation Master Plan adapts to change and opportunities over the long run by prioritizing the success of early efforts in support of future efforts.
