Public meeting scheduled for October 12 as opposition mounts over the clear-cutting of 280 trees to convert idyllic forested lane into industrialized freightyard
CARPINTERIA, CA — Sept. 30, 2026 — A proposal to insert an obtrusive mile-long railroad siding 10 feet from a popular and tranquil pedestrian route has inspired widespread opposition and the creation of nonprofit group Friends of Padaro, which is working to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of the proposed $40 million public project that has until now largely flown under the radar.
Project applicant, the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, will hold a virtual community meeting on Monday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. to discuss potential project alternatives to a proposal that would forever alter a cherished link in the California Coastal Trail. Friends of Padaro encourages environmentalists and recreational users of Padaro to join the meeting and voice their concerns about project impacts, costs and feasibility ahead of the LOSSAN Board of Directors meeting scheduled for Oct. 19.
“Padaro Lane is a well loved link in the California Coastal Trail that sees constant recreational use by pedestrians and cyclists who relish the forested environment,” said Valerie Hoffman, co-chair of Friends of Padaro. “In order to prevent the clear-cutting of 280 trees and destruction of a valuable coastal habitat for birds and pollinators, we have to band together to let decision makers know that this $40 million folly is wasteful, harmful, and unwanted.”
According to LOSSAN project documents circulated in 2023, the agency anticipates no opposition from residents, but that assumption is proving to be counterfactual. Friends of Padaro has formed to rally impacted stakeholders to oppose such a costly, incompatible and unpopular project. The nonprofit is assembling a team of experts to challenge many of the assumptions LOSSAN has used to support this project’s necessity and feasibility.
While the stated reasons for creating a new railroad siding are to enable increased train trips and encourage greater ridership, there is no evidence in the record that this sizable investment will produce results. Increased ridership may or may not be achieved by the project, but project impacts would decimate the setting that is already used by hundreds of walkers, joggers and cyclists every week.
“Freeway widening has already felled dozens of trees along Padaro, and this clear-cutting will finish the job of erasing this coastal ecosystem,” said Pat French, Friends of Padaro board member. “It’s disappointing that LOSSAN has been blind to the California Coastal Commission and the California Coastal Trail system which count Padaro as a prized link and coastal access point precisely for the environmental qualities being dismissed by this devastating proposal.”
Project designs include a 500-foot long, 10-foot tall retaining wall near Toro Canyon Creek that would enable diesel trains to idle above coastal trail users seeking to enjoy the serenity of this celebrated coastal asset.
Severe Environmental and Community Impacts
The proposed siding expansion—stretching from near the Loon Point parking area beyond Beach Club Road—has drawn significant opposition due to its extensive environmental impacts:
- Loss of Mature Tree Canopy: Plans call for removing approximately 280 mature trees, including native Monterey Cypresses, sycamores, and oaks, which serve as crucial wildlife habitat, a noise and air particulate barrier from Highway 101, and visual screening.
- Threat to Coastal Wildlife: Over 115 bird species have been documented along Padaro Lane (eBird), making the corridor a vital coastal habitat.
- Impact on the California Coastal Trail: This section of Padaro Lane functions as an essential link in the California Coastal Trail and is heavily utilized by cyclists, runners, walkers, and beachgoers.
- Structural Changes: The construction includes a proposed 500-foot retaining wall at Toro Creek, drastically altering the natural topography and raising the railroad siding 8 feet above the roadway only 10 feet away from the road.
Organized Opposition and Next Steps
Opposition mounts: “Right project, wrong location,” noted First District Supervisor Roy Lee during a recent meeting, echoing the sentiments expressed by hundreds of local residents, visitors, and partner organizations, including the Santa Barbara County Trails Council.
Carpinteria resident Art Tiddens said: “Even though I don’t live on Padaro, I use it almost daily to walk or access the beach. It is a beautiful place and it would be a shame to destroy it.”
Since forming on June 8, Friends of Padaro has retained legal counsel, submitted formal objection letters, and requested public records to evaluate the agency’s design process. In response to community feedback and the high cost of tree mitigation, LOSSAN engineers announced on September 21 that they intend to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate shortening the siding and shifting its location westward.
Friends of Padaro encourages all interested community members to attend the upcoming public forum and express their views.
Upcoming Public Meetings
- Virtual Community Information Meeting: Sunday, October 12, 2026, at 4 p.m. (Zoom)
- LOSSAN Board of Directors Meeting: Sunday, October 19, 2026
ABOUT FRIENDS OF PADARO: Friends of Padaro, a 501c4 nonprofit association, was formed by community members in order to develop an organized plan to protect Padaro Lane from the construction of a LOSSAN railroad siding. Friends of Padaro has worked to obtain design plans and further records to fully assess the impacts of this large-scale project and establish a record of the project’s impacts and planning deficiencies. The nonprofit is also actively seeking to build its coalition of like-minded supporters among environmental, recreational and legal groups.