Former Veronica Meadows will Become a Public Park

The Trust for Public Land and the City of Santa Barbara are pleased to announce the purchase of 14.7 acres of open land in the Las Positas Valley, formerly the site of the proposed “Veronica Meadows” development project.

The property’s natural springs were once used as the source for bottled water, sold throughout the country and the world for their purported therapeutic properties. With the site protected, Arroyo Burro Creek is now slated for significant restoration efforts as part of the City’s plans to create a natural park space at the heart of Santa Barbara.

“Veronica Meadows epitomizes our ‘land for people’ mission,” said Alex Size, project manager for The Trust for Public Land. “The community made it clear they wanted a park, not housing, and we are thrilled to have been able to partner with the City to help them achieve that goal.”

The $4 million purchase price was funded from public sources including $2.7M of Measure B funds through the Santa Barbara City Council, a $500,000 grant from the California Natural Resources Agency’s Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program, an additional $500,000 State Coastal Conservancy grant and $300,000 from Santa Barbara County's Coastal Resources Enhancement Fund.

Mayor Helene Schneider says, “The Trust for Public Land played a critical role in advancing the opportunity to acquire this property for public open space. This is a tremendous asset to our community, and we are grateful for their vision and leadership.”

The end result will be a signature park offering people the chance to experience nature close-to-home in the heart of Santa Barbara. As part of creating the new park, the City’s Creeks Division is planning extensive creek restoration to stabilize eroding creek banks, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat.

The City and The Trust for Public Land will hold a community celebration at the site at 11 am on Wednesday March 16, 2016. The public is invited to attend.