Plans for a roughly nine-mile trail connecting communities across the Santa Ynez Valley are moving forward, and planners are asking the public to help shape where it could go.
The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) is leading the Santa Ynez Valley Trail Project in partnership with the cities of Buellton and Solvang, Santa Barbara County, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and Caltrans.
The proposed multi-use trail would connect Buellton, Solvang, the Chumash reservation and surrounding unincorporated communities toward Highway 154. It would be designed for walking and bicycling, as well as horseback riding where appropriate.
No final alignment has been selected.
SBCAG spokesperson Lauren Bianchi Klemann said that is why community involvement at this stage is important.
“This is a proposed nine-mile trail connecting communities all across the Santa Ynez Valley,” Bianchi Klemann said. “Our message is simple. We are going to plan this trail together with the communities.”
SBCAG is asking residents, businesses, property owners, visitors and trail users to provide input through an interactive online map.
People can identify where they currently walk, bike or ride horses, along with connections they would like to see, accessibility and safety concerns and environmental considerations.
Bianchi Klemann said there is currently no continuous trail connection between Buellton and Highway 154, leaving limited options for people who want to travel through the area without using the state highway.
Some people who spend time in the Valley say they have already noticed those gaps.
“You see people up on the sidewalks trying to walk or on their bikes, or when the sidewalk goes away, now we’re jumping onto the road,” visitor Danny Meyers said.
Buellton resident Leoni Mattison said she sees value in expanding the area’s trail network, particularly as the community considers accessibility and safety.
“There is always value in having more trails,” Mattison said. “I think the pieces are already here. I think we need someone to point us to how to get to those trails.”
Mattison would also like planners to consider amenities and features such as additional signage and guidance along the trails.
The project is divided into multiple segments, allowing portions of the trail to move forward as funding becomes available.
Segment A in Buellton is the first segment advancing toward construction, with Riverview Park serving as a starting point.
Buellton Mayor and SBCAG Vice Chair David Silva said the city has an opportunity to help set the stage for the larger project.
“Buellton is really fortunate to be point A of the trail,” Silva said. “I think oftentimes we forget that Buellton really is the gateway to the rest of the Santa Ynez Valley.”
Silva said the project could provide another way for people to travel through the Valley without relying solely on a vehicle, while also creating recreational opportunities.
He described the eventual trail as a “quilt” that could reflect the individual needs of each community it passes through.
Approximately $2.6 million in federal, state and local funding has been secured for planning and pre-construction work.
Bianchi Klemann said the money is helping fund environmental and technical studies, permitting, right-of-way work and other steps needed before construction.
A final construction cost has not yet been determined because planners first need to determine the trail alignment, environmental considerations and design.
The planning phase is expected to continue for about two years, with environmental studies expected to wrap up by 2028.
SBCAG says it will simultaneously pursue additional funding needed for construction.
Community members can submit comments through the interactive map at SYVTrail.com. The map allows users to leave location-specific feedback about safety, accessibility, environmental concerns and places they would like the trail to connect.
SBCAG also plans to meet with residents in person at several community events, beginning with the Buellton Farmers’ Market on Monday, Aug. 17.
Additional outreach is planned at Solvang Music in the Park on Aug. 26, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Intertribal Powwow on Oct. 3 and Buellton Fall Fest from Nov. 6 through Nov. 8.
SBCAG says additional workshops and community outreach will continue as planning moves forward.
