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Several New Orcutt Parks included
in the County Recreation Master Plan

Page 2, Park.jpg

         County Parks is creating the Santa Barbara County Recreation Master Plan  to assess the need for parks, recreation, and trails in Santa Barbara County and guide the development of facilities and programs to help meet these needs.     Comments on the Draft Plan and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) are due by 5PM, Monday, February 24.   Comments can be submitted to County Parks Director Jeff Lindgren at countyofsb.org/1214/Recreation-Master-Plan or by mail to: Community Services Department, Parks Division, 123 Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, Ca 93101.
       The draft of the plan envisions the creation of several parks and recreation spaces in Orcutt including: 
Waller Park
An update of the Waller Park Master Plan is included to expand the only County operated regional park in the Santa Maria Valley.   The master plan recommends developing 4 new soccer fields including a playground and gazebo. Timing 5 to 10 years
Union Valley Parkway Community Park 
The state-of-the-art sports complex would include baseball and softball fields for league and community use, soccer/football fields including lighting, tennis and pickleball courts and aquatic center.  Timing: 10-20 years.  
Terrazzo Way Neighborhood Park
This project in western Orcutt includes a playground, picnic tables and gathering spaces plus a walking trail connecting to Orcutt Creek trail. Timing:  10-20 years
Shilo Neighborhood Park
This project would be a new neighborhood park in southern Orcutt providing a new playground, picnic tables and walking paths to include a new connection between the Shilo neighborhood and Orcutt Community Park.  Timing 10-20 years
Orcutt Creek Trail and Park
   This project would construct a trail following Orcutt Creek with a new neighborhood park including open lawn play space, picnic tables, playground and walking trails connecting to the proposed Orcutt Creek Trail.  The Orcutt Creek Trail includes acquiring and developing the trail and would traverse the Orcutt community with connections to neighboring trails.  Timing 5 to 10 years.   
Oak Knoll Neighborhood Park
          This project would transform an existing flood control retention basin (Mud Lake) into a neighborhood park while maintaining flood management functions.  This includes sports fields, 4 basketball courts and a playground, picnic tables, restrooms and walking paths.  Timing 5 to 10 years. 
Old Town Orcutt Neighborhood Park
This project includes a park as part of a pending private development.   
      Implementation of these projects is largely based on funding. According to the master plan, “park development costs vary but $750,000 per acre to develop public parkland from vacant land already in public ownership is a general estimate, while specialized facilities such as baseball fields, can cost more. For example, a typical baseball field of about three acres could cost up to $2.3 million”     
       County Parks acquires and develops parks, recreation, open space, and trails using a variety of tools, including zoning requirements for new development, Park Development Impact Fees, state and federal grants, and partnerships with trail or conservation groups.
Over the last three years the County has held 86 outreach events and has collected nearly 8,000 surveys and recorded inputs from “hundreds if not thousands of county residents” to ascertain local opinions on recreational needs.      Steve Southwick reporting

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