Santa Ynez Valley River Trail – Engaging Diverse Communities to Support the Development of a Local Trail

CLIENT NEED

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) is seeking support for the Santa Ynez River Trail Project, an approximately 9-mile multi-purpose path in the Santa Ynez Valley, spanning the City of Buellton, the City of Solvang, the County of Santa Barbara, and the lands of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Strategic Earth, in partnership with Psomas and Rincon Consultants, Inc., will support Tribal and community engagement in the planning and design of the trail, which encompasses commercial and residential areas, recreational and equestrian use, and pre-existing trails, and will enhance the safety of routes taken by schoolchildren around the Santa Ynez community.

STRATEGY

Strategic Earth, together with Rincon and Psomas, will lead an engagement process that builds trust, fosters transparency, and supports meaningful participation by diverse community members and local Tribes. Through this process, the team will inform conceptual design decisions while also supporting the environmental review process and coordination around future construction phases. Additionally, insights from SBCAG, the Solvang Project Advisory Committee (PAC), and the Buellton Project Development Team (PDT) — both comprised of community and agency leaders — will help shape outreach and engagement efforts throughout the project. For example, Strategic Earth will support pop-ups at community events, focus groups, and 1:1 conversations to gather information and community perspectives related to planning this expanse of the SYVRT. Ultimately, this collaborative approach will help strengthen community participation and support more informed project decision-making.

KEY RESULTS AND OUTCOMES

Strategic Earth, Rincon, and Psomas will facilitate community and Tribal gatherings to collect input that will inform SBCAG’s project decision-making. To guide this work, Strategic Earth will lead the development of a public engagement plan that identifies approaches, timelines, and key constituencies for outreach and engagement. Strategic Earth. In addition to developing and distributing assets containing key project information, Strategic Earth will plan and facilitate community and Tribal gatherings to solicit feedback in support of SBCAG’s planning process. Throughout the project, Strategic Earth will also coordinate closely with the County of Santa Barbara, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the Cities of Buellton and Solvang, and Caltrans to support collaborative engagement efforts. Ultimately, this approach will help ensure that diverse community perspectives are reflected throughout the planning and decision-making process.