Welcome to our website

This website is sponsored by the Citizens Concerned Over Westmont Expansion.  We live in close proximity to the Westmont campus and we oppose the College's expansion plans.  Our basic concerns are outlined in a petition which was signed by over 750 of the College's immediate neighbors.  Our Map of Petition Signers indicates the widespread concern.

Westmont, formerly a small and unobtrusive school, has grown fivefold-- to a size and scale increasingly incompatible with the area.  It now wishes to add 374,000 square feet-- nine acres!-- of new buildings, an expansion that will double the square feet on campus.   None of this was contemplated when Westmont gained special permission to locate in our residentially-zoned neighborhood.  While we understand and support the college's desire to improve, it was Westmont's choice to locate in a residential neighborhood-- operating under a Conditional Use Permit-- instead of a commercial or rural area that would be less constraining.  Our neighborhood's character should not have to change to accommodate Westmont's evolving grander plans.

Background

This commentary in the Montecito Journal provides background about our group, our primary concerns, and the existing burdens on our neighborhood.   Due to Westmont making pledges that have not come true, these negative impacts are much greater than were ever predicted.

For a detailed discussion of the flaws in Westmont's Proposed Master Plan, and the importance of exhaustive environmental review, see letters written by Montecito residents and our legal position papers, which have been presented to County Planners.  For more general observations about the College's uneasy relationship with neighbors, see these Voices from Montecito.  (There's a great drawing by a local resident showing his sentiment toward Westmont's expansion!)

Right Now:  Winter 2005

The Santa Barbara County's Planning & Development Department has just completed preparing an Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (DSEIR) on Westmont's Proposed Master Plan. Public Comments will be accepted through 12/26/05.   We have written two recent editorials outlining some of the DSEIR's blatant flaws,  and we are currently preparing a full legal response.

PLEASE ATTEND AN IMPORTANT MEETING:  DECEMBER 5TH, 2005, 5:30 PM AT COUNTY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT; 123 EAST ANAPAMU STREET.  Planners will hear neighbors comments on the DSEIR.

Over a year ago, our group and our supporters submitted  comments objecting to the accuracy and completeness of the original Draft
EIR. Our attorneys wrote  Legal Position Papers challenging two very important areas; 1)Westmont's vesting 2) the baseline used to measure environmental impacts.   Many of these old criticisms have not really been fixed and still apply to the new DSEIR.  The Montecito Association also wrote to the Planning Commission to voice their opinion.

Negative Impacts to the community include traffic, noise, safety, aesthetic impacts, land use compatibility, school funding, growth
inducement, biological resources, historical resources, and water quality issues.

Upcoming Timeline
After incorporating and responding to the Public Comments, The Draft Final EIR will be submitted to the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) for approval, some time in the early spring.  The MPC will use the EIR as information to evaluate the environmental impacts of Westmont's project.  The MPC will also conduct a separate inquiry into Westmont's request to amend its CUP.  This process may take some months.

If the MPC's decision on this project is appealed by either the College or the neighbors, it would next be evaluated by the Board of
Supervisors. If either side is not pleased by the Supervisors' decision, it can appeal that decision in court.

In the CUP amendment process, Planners can compel Westmont to add new rules (governing traffic, approved uses, etc) that will offset the college's negative impacts in our community.  The MPC recently overhauled the CUP of the Music Academy of the West to address neighborhood concerns and reduce negative impacts.  We will press for similar kinds of restrictions to govern Westmont.

Other Issues

We believe Westmont has not lived up to the letter or intent of many restrictions outlined in its Conditional Use Permit (CUP).  We wrote a Request for an Audit to determine if the College is completely compliant at present.  The last formal audit performed by County staff was in 1993.  We are still waiting for this audit.

The inadequacy of Westmont's financial contribution to Cold Spring School is a serious negative impact on our neighborhood.   In 2004-2005, about 18 kids living in Westmont's faculty housing project will attend Cold Spring.  Westmont will pay Cold Spring mitigation fees of about $14,000.  But a Cold Spring education actually costs about $9,000 per child.   It seems unfair that Westmont realize a financial benefit while burdening Cold Spring.  We object that a large population of children has been added to Cold Spring without sufficient revenue to maintain our former levels of educational excellence.

Westmont does not always answer the hard questions as clearly or thoroughly as it could.  An example of this can be found  Cornfield Show - Westmont.  A group of Westmont spokespeople, including Dr. David Winter, appeared on the Jerry Cornfield Show to promote the Master Plan.  We transcribed Westmont representatives' comments as well as our own parenthetical remarks.

Westmont has undertaken an aggressive advertising program to tell its side of the story. We have reviewed these advertisements and make our comments in "A Critical Look."

We have created a Summary of the Key Issues  as an overview of all the above issues.  

What You Can Do

Please contact us with your comments. We are especially interested in your story of any impact (positive or negative) from the activities of Westmont.  We will not publish your name with your letter unless specifically authorized to do so.  Also, please download and sign our petition, and return it to us along with your contact information, so we can update you regarding the Planning process.

To comment officially on the process, please email Anne Almy (anne@co.santa-barbara.ca.us).   We would love to receive copies of your letters for our website!

Send mail to webmaster@westmontx.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 11/20/05