October 10, 2023
News Roundup
The Trees of Milpas Street Are in Danger of Being Removed
Other recent news: California has passed a law banning "junk fees"; the tension between hotel and housing development; San Ysidro Creek debris net dam cleared; Goleta street improvements (and three new roundabouts); looking back at Santa Barbara's early surf scene. 28
October 5, 2023
Increased Regulation Likely for Pandemic Restaurant Expansion
Other recent news: The fall cruise season has begun; list of Santa Barbara infrastructure projects; an opponent for Das Williams; big downtown probation office moves forward; the ongoing restoration of Hammond's Meadow; Santa Barbara Unified School District enrollment continues to drop; Santa Barbara Humane expansion and the recreation of an airport hangar. 4
October 2, 2023
September 23, 2023
The City Is Working on a Deal to Demolish Paseo Nuevo for Housing
Other recent news: Carpinteria's Coastal View News says it's at risk of going out of business; Santa Barbara Museum of Art relinquishes stolen artwork; investigating tar balls appearing on local beaches; renoviction fears hang over big Bath Street apartment complex; efforts to stop people from falling off Isla Vista bluffs. 1
September 13, 2023
September 1, 2023
State Street Promenade to Get a Designated Bike Lane
Other recent news: Downtown library plaza delayed; Goleta Beach Park update; UC Santa Barbara will fail to meet housing obligations until at least 2029; 24-unit homeless housing coming to Patterson Avenue and Highway 101; the Santa Barbara Studio Artists Open Studio Tour is this weekend. 2
August 25, 2023
Santa’s Convenience Store Is Coming to Town
Other recent news: Proposed State Street hotel gets paused by the Planning Commission; Santa Barbara and Goleta to work together on airport noise; the electric bike craze in Santa Barbara; city council to discuss the promenade every month; upper Jesusita Trail reopening delayed by easement owners; Carpinteria skatepark opens Saturday. 3
August 18, 2023
Santa Barbara Once Again Needs a New City Administrator
Other recent news: Rain expected on Sunday and Monday; Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom in another real estate dispute; inside the home of Montecito art collectors; community "refillery" to open in Goleta; the Goodwill store in Carpinteria has reopened; Cottage Hospital emergency room nearly doubled in size; Westside residents are pushing to get weekend access to school grounds. 3
August 11, 2023
Another Step Forward for the Revamp of De La Guerra Plaza
Other recent news: the Planning Commission puts the screws to the 101 Garden Street hotel; more on Ocean Fathoms's misbehavior; the Santa Barbara News-Press's list of creditors; proposed improvements to Stow Grove Park in Goleta; the Santa Barbara Zoo's new red panda. 2
August 5, 2023
Montecito Under the Microscope
Other recent news: Spend the night at Gwyneth Paltrow's place; the long history of Goleta’s Orient Hand Laundry; a deeper look at a few hotel projects in the works around here; Opera Santa Barbara's new season; the end of Dirt-style dirt about who bought where; the Jeff Shelton revamp of the State Street undercrossing is finally proceeding. 6
Burning Questions
- How Long Will This Big Pipe Be at East Beach?
- Is Cabrillo Boulevard Going to Be Widened Under Highway 101?
- Was There a Fisherman Inn in Downtown Santa Barbara?
- What Are Those Old Buildings at the Corner of Castillo and Montecito Streets?
- When Will the Coast Village Road Medians Be Completed?
- What’s This Scaffold Structure on Las Positas Road?
- Why Does Street Striping Take So Long to Happen?
Recent Comments
Exactly this. I haven't heard any realistic alternatives yet. — BrR
The land is privately owned and zoned for development. What operates on it today exists at the discretion of the owners, and that can change… — BrR
Those tract homes are tacky and not good enough for precious Carpinteria. Carp deserves much better than those eye sores. — KK
It’s not vacant parcel: it’s a beautiful co-op organic farm, Farm Cart Organics, that feeds our community, and a farm school, Carpinteria Children’s Farm, and… — Sarah
Respectfully, there was never a version of development on this site that Carpinteria was going to welcome with open arms. That's the problem. Even if… — EM
My comment on your post here last June: https://www.sitelinesb.com/nearly-200-housing-units-proposed-for-the-carpinteria-bluffs/ “the developer is saying it’ll use the density bonus to accommodate the housing instead—and retain the… — SkyG
I’d definitely prefer a hotel with restaurant, farm, grounds, etc. than Orange County tract homes. — BW
For anyone curious, the "farm resort" initially proposed—and intensely resisted by Carpinteria residents—is described in this post: https://www.sitelinesb.com/99-room-farm-resort-proposed-for-the-carpinteria-bluffs/ — Erik Torkells
The state is going to force housing on communities that don't plan for it. Carpinteria can either shape what gets built here or wait for… — BrR
Genuinely curious what outcome you'd prefer. The land is privately owned and zoned for development. If not this, then what? Leaving it vacant forever isn't… — EM