Coastal Commission orders restoration of damaged creek habitat

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A local landscape company taken to task by the Coastal Commission will restore extensive damage to a sensitive creek habitat. 

The incident happened in 2020 along Atascadero Creek, which flows below South Patterson Avenue near Goleta.

It is a story that your NewsChannel covered in March of 2020.

Volunteers with the Environmental Defense Center spotted a large, 800 foot clear-cut of half-century-old trees and brush, that had been ripped out. A wood chipper was nearby.

At the time, the adjacent landowner, Cicileo Landscapes Inc., admitted to "inadvertently" removing "live foliage" while clearing out homeless encampments.

Last week, the Coastal Commission took action and required the company to restore the damaged habitat.

"Replacing four acres for every one acre that was damaged," said Brian Trautwein, Environmental Defense Center Watershed Program Director. "And, the Coastal Commission also required the land that's restored to be placed in a permanent, deed restricted area so it will never be disturbed again."

The landowner is also required to remove a barbed wire fence that was put up across the public trail.

Trautwein explained this is where Atascadero Creek joins Maria Ygnacio Creek and is one of the few creeks in the area that flows year-round.

"This creek is ecologically just a pristine wonderland. It has endangered turtles, the only native turtle in California, and endangered Steelhead Trout. It's also home to a dozen rare species of birds."

Trautwein said the landowner has been "very cooperative."

"They admitted full wrongdoing, took responsibility for it and are going to right the wrongs that they have committed along the creek."

Your NewsChannel team reached out to the owner of Cicileo Landscapes Inc for a comment or statement but as of this posting, have not heard back.

The restoration project is expected to take several years.