Wary homeowners in Rancho Embarcadero, calling themselves Friends of Tecolote Canyon, have banded together to keep an eye on a proposed upscale residential development nearby.

A developer is poised to file a formal application for a luxury home development, on agricultural land near Rancho Embarcadero, just outside the far-western boundary of the city of Goleta.

County planners have finished looking over preliminary plans for 26 multi-million dollar homes, while local residents, in the meantime, have organized in force to monitor the project’s growth.

The newly formed Friends of Tecolote Canyon recently presented board members of the Embarcadero Municipal Improvement District with a document signed by more than 100 residents of the District, in an effort to give direction to the neighborhood governing body.

Not everyone is opposed to the project, called the Tecolote Preserve by Wallover LLC out of New York, the company that owns the 1000-acre development site. Alvin Dworman, owner of the Bacara Resort, heads up Wallover.

And Wallover does not ultimately need approval from the 160 Rancho Embarcadero homeowners to proceed. But the county Board of Supervisors would have to vote to change a long-term policy in order for Dworman to build nearly twice as many homes as are currently legal on the site.

The Friends of Tecolote Canyon, the Gaviota Coast Conservancy and others worry that such a decision could establish the precedent of allowing housing projects, not related to farming, to proliferate on or near rural parcels throughout the county.

“The Gaviota Coast Conservancy is adamantly opposed to the kind of land use policy changes that this project would require,” said Mike Lunsford, president of the Conservancy. “I’m confident that Supervisor Firestone’s statements about protecting the Gaviota Coast are sincere. This project is in his district.”

The Wallover acreage can legally accommodate a maximum of 15 homes at this time. Joan Bolton, who spearheaded the grassroots Friends of Tecolote Canyon group, said many of her neighbors relish the status quo of the canyon and are equally concerned about the long-term implications for the entire county.

“Wallover and Dworman are attempting to create a new zoning category that never existed in Santa Barbara County and would affect rural areas countywide,” Bolton said. “We’ve asked our board to please cease formal negotiations with Wallover at this point because we believe it’s premature and not in the best interest of the canyon.” Board members agreed.

Within the very close-knit Rancho Embarcadero neighborhood, where families often get together for picnics, barbecues and birthday parties, Bolton and others had kicked around the pros and cons of the Wallover plans a few months back, when county officials completed preliminary examinations of the plan.

Some Rancho residents noted project benefits. They said an additional share of the development’s property taxes could be earmarked to shore up fire safety services and move utility lines underground. Others hoped for increased vehicle access on new roadways and added hiking privileges on pristine trails in and around the lush foothills.

The Embarcadero board had been considering such negotiating chips with the developer in exchange for conceptually backing certain aspects of the development through what is called a Memorandum of Understanding.

But with some of the new homes designed to be on mountain ridge tops or set back against elevated hillsides, homeowners closer to the valley basins felt they’d have less privacy. Others didn’t embrace the fact that their views of the picturesque Santa Ynez Mountains would be obstructed by the new homes - some of which are estimated to fetch upwards of $9 million, according to Bolton.

At a special meeting attended by many Rancho Embarcadero residents in June, board president Dan Suchman characterized resident feelings as being mixed, but perhaps leaning against the project.

“I think the predominant sentiment was by and large people would want nothing to happen,” Suchman said.

The lots are slated to be two to three acres apiece and scattered throughout more than 400 acres of private agricultural land used for commercial production of avocados, lemons and a produce garden for Bacara restaurants.

The rest of the 1,000 acres, about 600 acres, is near Los Padres National Forest property and would be set aside as a natural private preserve.

Although supporting the farm land and natural preserve, some Rancho Embarcadero residents fear a new homeowners association could pretty much have their way in deciding for themselves what goes on in their newly anointed neighborhood. A 10-acre equestrian center has already been proposed.

John Hunt, the Bacara Ranch manager, sees several positives. He said the Wallover project is a definite step toward “keeping the ranch in perpetuity. And my goal is to keep this beautiful ranch producing 100 years from now.”

But former Goleta Valley Junior High teacher and Rancho resident Carol Soltysik is happy with the valley the way it is.

“I feel they’re trying to push this through,” she said. “The parcels should be 40 acres apiece. We have to hold the line here or this will happen all the way up the Gaviota Coast.”

Photo by MARCY SUTTON/BROOKS INSTITUTE