County officials alert Montecito homeowners that they face prosecution, including daily fines of $850 if stones are not removed
Montecito, California, is known for being home to Oprah, a former royal family, and a stunning stretch of coastline. It’s also home to miles of trails, some of which are being blocked by residents hoping to stop people from accessing public hot springs.
Santa Barbara county has been watching encroachments on East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road in Montecito since at least 2022, when they sent letters to residents warning them to remove large stones.
Last month, county officials sent letters again to at least six homes alerting residents to remove the stones by 28 March or face civil or criminal prosecution, including daily fines of $850. The county insists that these roads are a public right of way.
The issue seems to be with parking at the trailhead, where a tiny lot allows for just eight vehicles. When that fills up, hikers have to park on roadsides. The hot springs contain six bright blue pools that are located 1.3 miles from the trailhead in the San Padres Forest, surrounded by a deep forest and rocky hills. It became popular during the pandemic when hiking surged in the area, and has also taken off on social media as a destination.
I mean the most obvious malicious compliance here would be to make a bus line that runs to the tiny little parking lot at the entrance. Nothing the wealthy hate more than public transportation in their backyard.
This reminds me of cities after the Civil Rights Act getting rid of their public pools rather than being forced to integrate them.
“It’s either just for me or no one can have it” is such a weird attitude.
People with wealth that want privacy also want cool things near them. You can’t have both unless you’re mega wealthy.
Like Oprah?
The issue seems to be with parking at the trailhead, where a tiny lot allows for just eight vehicles. When that fills up, hikers have to park on roadsides.
County officials plan to create 62 new parking spots near the trailhead – which caused four homeowners to sue in protest in 2022.
They can go get bent.
I’m trying to understand the situation, because the article is a little confusing. It doesn’t sound like they were actually blocking access to the hot springs. It sounds like they were placing boulders to discourage people from parking along the road leading to the trailhead. There are only a few actual parking spots, and once those fill up people are lining the roads with their cars, possibly damaging private property in the process. I can understand the frustration. Though suing to stop the construction of additional parking seems counter-productive.
Hmmm they’re blocking parking on the street and suing to stop making the parking lot bigger than 8 cars. Tell me again how that isn’t “rich fucks trying to stop people from accessing the public hot spring”
Well, that’s part of why I’m confused. The article doesn’t say if it’s the same people doing both. It might be completely separate groups. Like maybe one group doesn’t want people parking on the side of the road in front of their house, so they placed the boulders. Maybe a completely different group doesn’t care about that, but they don’t want construction crews making a bunch of noise while they create more parking.
The Guardian article links to the original SFGate article which gives a better description and picture.
The obstructions in question include large boulders and plants placed along the sides of East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road in Montecito, blocking spots people would otherwise be able to use as parking before hiking to nearby Montecito Hot Springs.
The encroachments are on the right of way which allows for only certain encroachments:
the county says that the only encroachments that can remain within 10 feet of the pavement include mature trees and “boulders historically situated onsite and partially buried 40% or more, particularly those boulders adjacent to a buried, high pressure gas line”.
Edit: I don’t know why people get so worked up when someone parks on a public street in front of their house. It literally does not compute for me.
In the US, I don’t understand. In other countries, it can simply be illegal.
Unless marked, you can park on the roads in the US. And it’s up to the local government, not the property owner.
That actually varies quite a bit from state to state. In a lot of states, depending on the type of road, it’s illegal to park on the shoulder except for emergencies.
It became popular during the pandemic when hiking surged in the area, and has also taken off on social media as a destination.
On one hand, fuck those rich people who live there. On the other hand, fuck those assholes that ruin places like this because they want to take pictures for social media.
The courts agreed they have to remove the barriers.
Of course, they didn’t have the right to do that, and everyone has the right to visit the place. The problem is that when too many people visit somewhere, then it ruins the experience. It leads the place getting destroyed or permit lotteries.
That sounds like a problem that would solve itself. The local area could invest in amenities and staff to keep it clean if they cared that much, probably be cheaper than the $850 daily fines plus future prosecutions on top of legal fees.
It’s not clear if the stones have been cleared.
🤡
More like, “we just got paid to not do anything about it”. If they wanted those stones cleared they would have brought a fucking excavator, got shit done, and fined the people responsible over $10,000 for the cost of moving them.
That’s actually exactly what is happening, the courts have ordered them to remove the rocks or be fined.
Those are not the same. In one, the right-of-way is cleared and they are fined… but while that plays out, it’s usable.
I’m the other. They’re paying a price to keep people out. If you’re wealthy enough, then it’s just a thing. Like paying the yard guy.
I don’t really understand what you’re saying, they’re ordered to remove the boulders and are being fined $850 a day AND risk further prosecution which are likely to be much more severe. Not OR. They don’t get to keep paying $850 forever, they have to remove the boulders.
I think the capitalization should be on the word “RISK in that phrase. There are lots of delaying tactics. Let’s presume they’re going to have to pay. So why not spend the money (and then charge interest until they pay) and fix it now, rather than waiting weeks/months++? It’s in their best interests to delay as long as possible.
Yeah and I hope they do, I want to see them pay larger fines more than I want the stones moved.
It is April 10th, and they say “remove the stones by 28 March or face civil or criminal prosecution”. I didn’t read anything about real repercussions, did you?
According to the article above us, they’re being forced to pay daily fines of $850 and may face prosecution. Given that the article is getting attention, the “may” part seems very much likely.
Bro what country do you live in? It’s pretty obvious that they won’t face a day behind bars no matter what they do. Rich people break the law all the fucking time and never see jail.
I hope they don’t, I want to see them pay fines with more zeroes. I want them to get charged so much that the potholes get fixed and school lunches become free. I want a new wing at the hospital funded by them but with somebody else’s name on the plaque. I hope they try to fight this for months so that they pay the $850 a day, their legal fees, and much larger fines on top of it.
IDGAF about 10 people sitting in each blue water crevice.
It’s a GOOD thing we don’t TAX these Wealthy People! Otherwise they might have to give US access to the National Parks we paid for since they won’t be able to Afford the Fines!
The courts will be fining these individuals unless the boulders are removed, it’s already been decided on. So, to clarify, the mean taxation govment are the ones protecting people from the rich people in this situation.
I hear what you’re saying, but the problem is that fines don’t affect the rich the same way they do everyone else. It’s not a level playing field.
They’re ordered to remove the boulders even while they’re paying the daily fines, so if they don’t remove the boulders they’re going to be looking at further prosecution.
Personally, I really hope they escalate things even further so they can charge them enough to expand education or other public services. I want to see more zeroes on the fines. IDGAF about cramming 10 people in some blue water pools.
Mate the lawyers that live in those towns will eat the township’s attempts at clawing any amount of money from these scum sucking parasites before their morning coffee cools down.
LMAO they’ve literally already lost a court battle when the daily fines were decided, if they try to fight it again then the courts will be even less favourable out of spite.
Battles don’t mean shit if there’s no enforcement.
You literally don’t believe in the enforcement happening before your very eyes.
