Katy Perry's 110-acre California youth camp draws 380-neighbor petition
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The gist
Pop star Katy Perry's proposed Gratitude Canyon youth camp faces a petition from 380 neighbors.
The Santa Barbara County project is in early review, hearing expected next year.
Background
Katy Perry is a pop superstar and Goleta-born singer who, with her sister Angela Lerche, is proposing the Gratitude Canyon youth camp through their nonprofit, the Firework Foundation, which runs other youth sleepaway camps. The plan would subdivide the 110-acre property at 183 Winchester Canyon Road to build eight cabins, tennis courts, counselor housing, a gymnasium, a dining hall, a pool and a recording studio, with only 3% of the site devoted to camp structures. Neighbors organized a petition over noise and fire-safety concerns, and the project is in early review with Santa Barbara County, which has requested additional information.
How it unfolded
- Nov 2, 2026Noozhawk reported more than 360 neighbors had signed a petition against the Gratitude Canyon camp, citing noise and fire safety concerns.
- Nov 3, 2026The New York Post reported nearly 380 homeowners across Winchester Commons, the San Miguel Tract and Winchester Canyon Ranches signed a formal petition to halt the development; the Santa Barbara Independent also reported 380 neighbors signed a petition calling on the county to shut the project down.
- Nov 4, 2026The Times of India reported more than 360 neighbors signed the petition opposing the 110-acre project.
Key terms
- subdivide
- To divide a piece of land into smaller parcels for sale or development.
- evacuation modeling
- Computer simulation of how people and animals leave an area during an emergency.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Public
- Resident Sandra McGreevy said neighbors have "zero problem" with Perry giving back to the community but would rather the camp move sites.
- Party
- Opposition petition organizers branded the proposal a "Trojan Horse," alleging it conceals a year-round event center under the guise of a summer camp, and warned neighbors they face "a PR machine with a lot of money behind it."
- Party
- Petitioners warn the applicant's evacuation modeling used routine summer headcounts rather than peak assembly loads and omitted surrounding working ranches that must evacuate livestock along the same two-lane route.
- Official
- Santa Barbara County South Board of Architectural Review member Valerie Frosch called the building's design "beautiful" and said the camp is "quite likely the lowest impact" residents would "ever get."
Still unverified
Opposition organizers allege the proposal conceals a "year-round event center design intent under the guise of a summer camp for underserved kids."