••• According to a press release on Noozhawk, the Bucket Brigade has completed the San Leandro Neighborhood Trail, which “connects the existing multi-use trail that runs from Summerland to the Ennisbrook Open Space to Santa Rosa Lane in Montecito. […] To date, the Bucket Brigade has completed 3.5 miles of new roadside trails,” with the ultimate goal of “an eight-mile network of trails that connect all of the schools, churches, businesses and parks with safer, pedestrian access.” The release also says that work on the Middle Road DG sidewalk will start in November, followed by Sycamore Canyon Road next year, contingent on fundraising. The latter would impact the most beautiful fence in town.
••• “In addition to new soundwalls, parking spaces, pedestrian and bicycle paths, lighting and landscaping, Santa Barbara County is moving to eliminate the unofficial, scattered crossings from Santa Claus Lane over the railroad tracks to the beach” in favor of “a formal train-track crossing north of the shops [….] The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments approved an extra $750,000 on Thursday for a ‘licensing fee,’ essentially for a formal, designated location to cross the tracks,” to be paid to Union Pacific. The Noozhawk article cites deaths on the train tracks as a reason for the shift to a single crossing point, but aren’t most (or even all) of those intentional, rather than accidents?
••• “In the final hours of legislative session, [state assemblymember] Gregg Hart scored a big win in epic pipeline battle, passing his measure to require rogue oil company [Sable Offshore] to undergo full Coastal Commission permit review.” —Newsmakers
••• “At 5955 Calle Real in Goleta, sources tell Noozhawk that the property is in escrow to be sold to a regional housing developer. The property previously was occupied by Santa Barbara Motorsports and the Good Earth restaurant.” The proposal calls for 59 units, with 13 affordable units.
••• “UC Santa Barbara will lease a 105,000-square-foot research and development facility […] at 71 S. Los Carneros Drive” in Goleta “for collaboration between researchers and tech companies to develop new technologies and equipment. […] UCSB is taking over the lease from Apeel Sciences, which will stay in the building and collaborate with researchers.” —Noozhawk
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“Although the Sable controversy is the most crucial and immediate concern to Santa Barbara”- I beg to differ 😂
Environmental NIMBY’ism sucks and has worse overall environmental outcomes. But hey, it’s keeps our backyards clean!
You’re right, nobody has ever gotten hit accidentally crossing those tracks at Santa Claus Lane. That’s a long beach, all it will do is make it harder to reach. If they are insistent on “official” crossing points then install 2 or 3.
Great news that Bucket Brigade will be installing a walking path on Middle Road starting this November. That’s a tricky street to walk down but many people do since it leads to Coast Village Road. I’ll be doing a lot less driving once that goes in.
Re: Sidewalks? Some of us still have nightmares over the Montecito Association going Full Bare-Knuckle Barrister Litigation against the Montecito School District over the need for a sidewalk/walkway/path so the kids didn’t have to walk literally ON San Ysidro Road to and from school. That was a million dollars the school district had to incinerate to placate The Power Brokers of Montecito. I’m sure glad it didn’t get wasted on instruction and teacher salaries and curricula. /s/
I don’t know what’s in the water supply at the Montecito Association offices– but it needs to be checked.
Good on the Bucket Brigade for taking these on, but if the Association was as useful as they claim? They wouldn’t oppose “walking” quite this strenuously. What a place.
Tom, I share your PTSD! The company line of the old Montecito Association was NO CHANGE ever, even if for the better. Brick paved pedestrian walkways from the Biltmore to cross Channel Dr? NO they initially said! Replace the strip of dirt and gravel that hurt our kids feet with grass along the Channel Dr sidewalk? NO they initially said! Safe Paths to School you speak about to MUS? NO they initialy said! THEN when these improvements are fought for and actually happen, at NO cost to the Montecito Association they take credit for it!!! Hahahaha. Diabolical.
Fortunately, it does seem that we have a better, more community-focused group at the Montececito Association these days. Cheers to that.
Now, if only people and their pets would use the new walking paths along San Leandro Road as opposed to walking down the middle of the street as if it were their own personal sidewalk; allowing vehicles to pass unobstructed :)
Agreed! The new path is in on San Leandro but people still walk down the middle of the road expecting everyone to go around them, it’s dangerous and frustrating.