The California Transportation Commission approved hydraulic capacity improvements for Las Vegas and San Pedro Creeks in Santa Barbara County on June 27, 2012, following the completion of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, according to documents released by the agency.
The project focuses on increasing the capacity of the two creeks where they pass under Calle Real, U.S. Highway 101, and the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR). Currently, the creeks can handle stormwater runoff from a 10-year storm event; the improvements will raise that capacity to a 25-year event, reducing the risk of flooding in the area.
The improvements involve replacing existing culverts with larger bridge structures, according to the City of Goleta’s project page. The project area encompasses approximately 2.5 acres and affects land currently used for industrial, residential, recreational (Twin Lakes Golf Course), and roadway purposes. Environmentally sensitive habitat within the creek beds is also present.
The Notice of Determination, filed with the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District, confirms that while the project will have an impact on the environment, it will not be significant. Mitigated measures were incorporated into the project’s approval, though details of those measures were not immediately available. A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was not adopted for the project.
Kandra Hester-Del Bianco of the California Transportation Commission served as the lead contact for the project, with a phone number listed as (916) 653-7121. The project’s coordinates are 34°26’22.87″N 119°49’58.80″W, and the cross streets are U.S. Hwy 101 & Fairview Avenue, with a zip code of 93117.
The project’s approval does not include a Statement of Overriding Considerations, suggesting the impacts were adequately addressed through mitigation. The Santa Barbara County Flood Control District was the lead agency for the project.
