Burning Questions

March 25, 2024

Why Is the Castillo Street Undercrossing Always Wet?

The high water table is to blame, and a complete overhaul of the undercrossing is unlikely. In the meantime, the city is working on improvements to the area that should alleviate the problem for cyclists. 1

February 12, 2024

What’s the History of This Tower on Ortega Ridge?

"I was on a trail run with some friends behind Summerland. We were on Hunt Drive and when you look across where the Ortega Reservoir is, there's a house up on the hill that seems very old. From a distance, it looks like it may have a clock tower. Would you have any information about this building? Maybe it was a school or a commercial building back in the day?" —B. 2

January 4, 2024

What’s Up With These Sculptures on a Hillside in Summerland?

"Near the beginning of the trail we passed by a fenced field with some large, strange sculptures—including giant grenades! I thought you might know something about why these pieces are in that location. It is an exhibit? Storage?" —C. 1

December 29, 2023

Is There a Master Plan for the New Walking Paths in Montecito?

"I see the new walking paths are making headway down Sycamore Canyon Road. Do you know if there's an overall master plan for these walkways?" —F. 5

December 21, 2023

Why Are the Thousand Steps Still Wet?

"I thought the point of the six-month closure was to fix that problem." —S. 10

December 11, 2023

What’s Happening With Sola Street?

"Have you tried driving on Sola Street lately? It's no longer a two-way street from end to end, thanks to barriers that divert traffic at Santa Barbara Street and De La Vina Street. What's the goal here?" 15

November 26, 2023

Why Are Trees Being Cut Down Above the San Ysidro Ranch?

"If you go up the San Ysidro Trail, on the west side of the creek, the entire landscape has changed dramatically. They have taken down a ton of eucalyptus trees, and added new fencing. A sign mentions trail restoration, but this seems to be a lot more than that." 4

November 6, 2023

Why Is This Lot on Milpas Street Still Vacant?

"We'd love to find out the status of the vacant lot at Milpas and De La Guerra. It was a gas station decades ago, and I thought it was being decontaminated—but the process seems stalled. It's such a key corner for the Eastside." 2

October 12, 2023

Where Else Do the Cruise Ships That Visit Here Go?

"The cruise ships that stop in Santa Barbara—what kind of routes are they on? Are there many other ports on the West Coast?" 3

June 11, 2023

What’s Happening With the Pepper Tree Inn?

"Do you know what’s going on with the eastern half of the Pepper Tree Inn on upper State Street? I see people going into the hotel driveway, while the right side looks like they maybe started a renovation, but have since stopped." —A. 1