About Us
What We Do
Mission Heritage Trail Association provides a forum for discussion of ideas about safety, access, and preservation.
- We reach out to the community and public officials to share ideas.
- We study and disseminate factual information about resources, studies and plans.
- We use organizational resources to develop educational materials.
MHTA is devoted to the maintenance of Mission Canyon's beauty, the protection of historic and archaeologic resources, the sustaining of flora, fauna and water, and solving long-standing access and safety problems.
History
Mission Heritage Trail Association began as a grassroots citizens' group in 2011. Then known as Concerned Citizens for a Safe Passage, this group of individuals recognized that vehicle, foot, and bicycle usage, and the lack of ADA access had rendered entry into, around, and through Mission Canyon to be hazardous, and solutions, because of the area's historic and natural resources, to be complex.
In 2015, the group reorganized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the name of Mission Heritage Trail Association.
To date, MHTA has dedicated itself to responsible stewardship of the Mission Heritage Trail corridor and is committed to helping facilitate the process of planning and designing improvements and Safe Passage efforts.
Our achievements speak for themselves:
- Created a Vision Master Plan for the Mission Heritage Trail corridor
- Published a white paper on the nature of a conceptual plan for improvements of the corridor
- Commissioned an engineering report on pedestrian and bicycle flow in the corridor
- Assisted City and County staff in organizing Public Workshops
- Organized walkabouts designed to familiarize interested citizens with on-the-ground-conditions
- Published the Mission Heritage Trail Walking Guide
Mission and Goal
The MISSION of MHTA is to:
- Educate the Santa Barbara community about the historic, cultural and environmental resources within the Mission Heritage Trail corridor
- Support efforts to Preserve and enhance the resources of this area and maintain the rural charm of the neighborhood
- Improve the Safety of all people using the Mission Heritage Trail corridor.
- Support efforts to improve Access for residents and visitors
The GOAL of MHTA is to facilitate the search for solutions and build consensus among diverse stakeholders as a basis for planning, designing, and implementing improvement projects that satisfy the broadest possible spectrum of needs and interests.
Board Officers and Directors
Board Officers are chosen by a vote of the membership
and serve for a two year term.
2021 Board Offices
- Fred Sweeney, Chair
- Tom Jacobs, Vice Chair
- Erika Sharghi, Interim Secretary
- Erika Sharghi, Treasurer
Directors are elected by a vote of the membership
and serve for a three year term
2021 Board of Directors
- Sue Adams
- Linda Alderman
- Shelley Bookspan
- Mary Louise Days
- Steve Forsell
- Kristina Foss
- Karl L. Hutterer
- Tom Jacobs
- John D. Kay
- Erika Sharghi
- Fred Sweeney
- Luke J. Swetland
- R. Alastair Winn
