••• “After Years of Debate, Santa Barbara Adopts Final State Street Master Plan [….] It includes a redesign of the 400 to 1300 blocks, with expanded sidewalks and travel lanes in the center of the street [….] but a few questions remain about vehicle access and how the city will pay for it.” Construction is expected to take at least six years. —Noozhawk
••• Professional soccer team “Sky FC has postponed its inaugural season for the fourth time since announcing the team in 2022. This time, the delay is due to its potential ownership group failing to come to terms with UC Santa Barbara on a ‘lease agreement that works with both parties,’ according to Sky FC. The organization is now searching for other potential ownership groups, and there is no longer a timeline for the opening season of Santa Barbara Sky FC.” —Noozhawk
••• “The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday temporarily halted new gun shop approvals and kickstarted a process to permanently buffer children from firearms retailers.” —Santa Barbara News-Press
••• “Construction on Goleta’s highly anticipated new train depot is now expected to be ‘substantially complete’ before the end of the year, city spokesperson Kelly Hoover told Noozhawk. The new full-service train station was originally expected to open this summer at 27 S. La Patera Lane, next to the existing Amtrak platform.”
••• “The Live Oak Music Festival, a beloved Central Coast tradition, will not return in 2027, organizers announced in a letter to the community on September 1. […] KCBX Public Radio cites loss of federal funding, rising costs, and declining attendance as factors in difficult decision.” —Edhat
••• “Equestrian Arena Coming to Santa Ynez under Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance [….] The plans for 3715 Baseline Avenue include a 45,000-square-foot enclosed building [….] The new equestrian arena is intended to hold up to 12 events per year. Events can include weddings, dinners and educational workshops.” —Noozhawk
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I didn’t realize there were so many horses getting married and seeking education.
Re: State Street
“City Administrator Kelly McAdoo added that the flexibility in the design allows future city councils to make changes based on changing conditions.”
Translation: there is no clear vision for this, and never has been, but we’re going to spend $100M or more to keep our options open until the time we have grownups on the city council who will figure it out.
Something I didn’t fully appreciate until watching the city council meeting is that 50%+ of the budget is going to stormwater and utility maintenance/upgrades that are necessary for public safety and to support additional housing projects downtown.
I was a supporter of the plan before based on the thoughtful pedestrian- and bike-friendly design alone. But that it will also unlock more people being able to live near and support businesses on State Street makes me so excited to see the city make this investment in out community.
Now, let’s just please keep it free of private vehicles and we’ll really have something special.
YES!!! Because we need more housing projects to house the people that want to live in downtown Santa Barbara instead of commuting like normal people do. Let’s keep building housing projects until it becomes a place people no longer care to visit.
Most “normal” people prefer as short a commute as possible. If you don’t want more housing in SB, then maybe you should advocate for less commercial space, so there is less need for housing for workers, and fewer obstacles for people to commute here.
If the higways in and out of Santa Barbara are crowded with commuters, that might limit the tourists who want to vist, and fill up hotels that are built, instead of apartments and condos for people who work here.
Downtowns are the core of most cities. they aren’t for everyone, but some people prefer to live there, and they usually perform a lot of the work that make cities functional and fun.
This is such a strange take. I know there are some people who are against building more housing here, but I’ve never heard anyone justify it by saying that people should be required to commute because that’s what ‘normal” people do.
Ugh the golf cart-esque shuttles are so tacky. I hate it.
Sadly that is the only mode of public transportation (thurs-sun)from the wharf/beginning of State St to the downtown areas.
Same. But there’s got to be a simple way to elevate the look and feel of them soon. Currently looks like a ramshackle band aid of an idea. Let’s hope that evolves.
The city did it!!! They figured out how to F up State Street again!! You people are on a roll!!! You adopted a plan without figuring out vehicle access or how to pay for it? What you really did it agree to spend other people’s money AGAIN….on a incomplete vision…AGAIN
Does the city council read Siteline?? I’ll write this for the umpteenth time – why won’t the city hire the Caruso company – a group that really understands how to meld historic design with modern conveniences and that appreciates how to move people through attractive retail environments – to design State street? The designers (if you can call them that) that this city continues to hire over and over again come back with the same lame designs that will be neither attractive nor functional. Why does the SB city council have unlimited public funds to keep wasting?? I’m sick of reading about this failed process. You’re going to waste $100m on something that misses the mark? Why doesn’t the public who lives here have input into this design process. Such bullshit from all of you.
You have zero understanding of Caruso or what they do.
You mean like more stores that most Santa Barbarians can’t afford? The real question for the City is “Who they want State St. to be for”? Favored businesses like restaurants and bars? Tourists? Or residents?
If they want more retail they are going to have to reopen State St.
I guess when it comes to professional sports in Santa Barbara, the Sky’s the limit.