It’s been a wet and wild week in Montecito and much of Santa Barbara County, as unrelenting rainstorms came through the region, prompting two mandatory evacuations since January 4. The storm earlier this week, coming on the heels of over 20 inches of rain in the last 30 days, caused significant flooding and mudflow, but […]
Project Progress Highway 101 Widening Project The long-awaited widening project from Carpinteria to Santa Barbara was discussed at length in 2022, with countless meetings to discuss design, construction, timing, and other details related to the addition of a third lane through Montecito. The Montecito segment of the project (called 4D) includes widening 1.4 miles of […]
After a two-year hiatus, a contest for holiday window decorating on Coast Village Road (CVR) resumed this December, marking the last hurrah for the outgoing Coast Village Association (CVA), which is evolving into the Coast Village Improvement Association thanks to the approval of the Coast Village Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) earlier this year. Last […]
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission unanimously approved the 101 project through Montecito at a hearing last week. “This is the most significant public works project we are going to see in our lifetime,” said Commissioner Laura Bridley. “I’m really proud of what it’s going to be when it’s built,” she said, adding a thank […]
Last week, the usual crew of Montecito locals gathered to decorate the giant pine tree near the Manning Park tennis courts. It’s a festive tradition that goes back many decades, and we retell it here each year to keep the memory alive. As the story goes, in the early 1960s, then Montecito Fire Chief Don […]
Last week marked 10 years since Rori’s Artisanal Creamery opened their first scoop shop at the Montecito Country Mart. Owner Rori Trovato has been creating her beloved ice cream from a commercial kitchen in Carpinteria since 2010; the shop at the Mart was the first retail shop followed by locations in Santa Barbara (at the […]
The signature restaurant at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, Caruso’s, has earned a Michelin Guide one-star and Michelin Green Star designation in California’s 2022 rankings. The distinguished honor places Caruso’s as a fine dining destination among Michelin’s esteemed list of 89 restaurants in California, all rated according to the guide’s rigorous standards, and one of only […]
At the Montecito Association’s Land Use & Transportation Committee hearing earlier this week, the committee was briefed on upcoming plans to beautify the “triangle” in front of Casa Dorinda, where Olive Mill and Hot Springs roads meet. The $200,000 project is being funded in part by Montecito Community Foundation, with help from Casa Dorinda and […]
Also at the Land Use Committee meeting, representatives from the Summerland Citizens Association (SCA) reported to the committee that they are spearheading an appeal of a portion of developer John Price’s new Fuel Depot project at 2285 Lillie Avenue in Summerland. Specifically, the SCA is appealing the gas station’s sign on the back side of […]
Early next year, the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) will further consider a project by the Santa Barbara Cemetery that involves the subterranean installation of 2,358 cubic yards pre-cast, double-depth, concrete crypts and associated grading and drainage. The proposed project will require approximately 9,859 cubic yards of cut and 4,066 cubic yards of fill over an […]
The Rotary Club of Montecito Foundation has awarded a total of $11,000 to support the work of 11 Santa Barbara-area nonprofit organizations.The grants, awarded under the Foundation’s annual Community Grants Program, were $1,000 each and go to organizations benefitting a wide range of constituents, including children, seniors, low-income families, and animals. All grants are funded […]
The second in a four-part series on shopping locally in Montecito, we’re shining a light on the Lower Village: Montecito’s Coast Village Road and beyond, which has long been a shopping and dining destination for locals and visitors. Many shops along Coast Village Road are gearing up for the holiday season, decorating their windows and […]
Last week, Santa Barbara County’s Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee (aka CRAHTAC) approved a plan to realign .6 miles of Montecito’s McMenemy Trail. According to Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) Board President Ashlee Mayfield, the section of trail in question has significant issues and has been on the docket for improvement since at least 2008, […]
After a two-year hiatus, a contest for holiday window decorating on Coast Village Road is back, marked as the last hurrah for the outgoing Coast Village Association, which is evolving into the Coast Village Improvement Association thanks to the approval of the Coast Village Community Benefit Improvement District earlier this year. Holiday cheer is already […]
Montecito’s Aimee Miller recently opened Home Crush on Lillie Avenue, after converting a 1930s ocean-view Bungalow into an interactive design studio with multiple rooms, terraces, and destinations. “We kept the home feeling like a residence, but removed the doors so customers can come in and actually see stuff and how it lives in a room,” […]
Lots of positive news is coming out of Montecito’s Cold Spring Elementary this month, including recognition for being ranked the top-performing district in the State of California in both English Language Arts and Mathematics (nearby Montecito Union School ranked #2). In a recent article on edsource.org, data analysts report that students in California performed significantly […]
On Monday, November 14, the Montecito Board of Architectural Review and City of Santa Barbara Architectural Review Board held a joint hearing to consider the Olive Mill Roundabout for final design approval. The meeting was a follow-up to another joint hearing earlier this month, when several details about the project, including size of the olive […]
As reported in last week’s MoJo online newsletter, the legal battle between Biltmore owner Ty Warner and hotel management company Four Seasons rages on, with Warner filing a petition at the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, asking that the Courts step in to appoint arbitrators to hear the dispute between the […]
On Friday, November 4, community leaders and elected officials celebrated the kick-off for the Olive Mill Roundabout project. Construction will begin late November and go through summer 2023. The roundabout will improve traffic flow at the intersection at Olive Mill Road, Coast Village Road, North Jameson Lane, the northbound Highway 101 off-ramp at Olive Mill […]
Just as the roundabout construction gears up, a new business has opened on the prominent corner: Cottage Health opened its newest Cottage Urgent Care Center at 1298 Coast Village Road in Montecito this past Monday, with the goal of providing complete care within 45 minutes. The new Urgent Care Center is open from 8 am […]
At this month’s Montecito Association Board meeting earlier this week, Lieutenant Butch Arnoldi reported on two storm related issues in Montecito: a washed-up sailboat at Channel Drive and a downed oak tree on East Mountain Drive. As of press time, the storm earlier this week produced three inches of rain in the foothills and one […]
Save the date for this Saturday, November 5, for Montecito Association’s annual Beautification Day! Sponsored in conjunction with the Montecito Community Foundation, the event will be back at the Village Green in front of Tecolote in the Upper Village. The event was canceled in 2020 and was much smaller scale last year in 2021. Hundreds […]
This past Monday, Halloween, Here’s the Scoop at Coast Village Plaza closed its doors, just nine months after owners Ellie and Bob Patterson sold the business to a new owner. According to an employee at the shop, the business will be closed until January, when it will reopen as a different concept. Rumor has it […]
On Tuesday, November 1, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to deny an appeal of the approval of a Coastal Development Permit to operate a cannabis retail store, Roots Carpinteria, on Santa Claus Lane. The appeal was made by a group of aggrieved neighbors and the public calling themselves Preserve Access on […]
The legal battle between Biltmore owner Ty Warner and hotel management company Four Seasons rages on, with Warner filing a petition earlier this week at the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, asking that the Courts step in to appoint arbitrators to hear the dispute between the two sides. Mr. Warner served […]
Despite mixed messages from multiple media sources, word on the street is that Ghost Village Road, Coast Village Road’s popular trick-or-treating event, is happening this year, from 3-6 pm on Monday, October 31. Historically the event draws roughly 2,000 costumed kids, parents, and pets each year. Many of the Lower Village’s business owners report they […]
It was a morning nearly five years in the making: on Monday, October 24, government officials, staff, contractors, and community partners celebrated the completion of the Randall Road Debris Basin in Montecito. This project dates back to the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow when community members expressed support for a new debris basin. The […]
The project team behind the 101 expansion and associated projects in Montecito are making the rounds this week and next, preparing the community for impending traffic delays. Representatives from Caltrans and SBCAG, along with spokesperson Kirsten Ayars, will be at the Coast Village Business Association this week, followed by a public meeting next Tuesday, October […]
Earlier this year the Las Aves business complex on the corner of E. Cabrillo Blvd, Channel Drive, and Los Patos Way, across from the Andree Clark Bird Refuge, sold to a Los Angeles-based investment group to the tune of over $19M. Now, rumors are swirling that the group, called the Runyon Group, have big plans […]
A new, locally-owned retail store has opened in Coast Village Walk, next to Blenders in the Grass. Montecito mom Emma Morton-Smith owns the new business, which offers an array of modern party décor and gifts from various on-trend brands. Located in the former location of PLNT PWRD MRKT, Montecito first “meat-less” market, which closed in […]
The issue of short-term rentals (STRs) in the Coastal Zone could be back in front of County lawmakers as soon as next year, reports Darcel Elliott with First District Supervisor Das Williams’ office, who spoke at the Montecito Association Board of Directors meeting earlier this week. STRs continue to be unregulated in the Coastal Zone, […]
During community reports at this week’s MA meeting, Montecito Union School’s Anthony Ranii said the school’s largest fundraiser, the MUS Carnival, is slated for October 22. The fundraiser for the MUS Foundation raises funds to enhance the school’s academic, athletic, and arts programs; enrich the student experience with technology, curriculum, and improved classroom resources; and […]
At this week’s Montecito Association Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting, the Committee heard from Santa Barbara County’s Alternative Transportation Manager Mark Friedlander and Public Works Director Chris Sneddon, who presented plans for two conceptual projects in Montecito as part of the County’s Active Transportation Plan. The Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is part of the […]
The Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Montecito GSA or Agency) will meet for its quarterly Board Meeting on Tuesday, October 11 at 9:30 am. Topics of discussion will include projects and actions which may be included in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan now and in the future. The meeting will be held in person at […]
In an effort to get an urgent and important message to the Montecito community, Montecito Water District (MWD) installed a road sign last week at the triangle on Olive Mill Road and Hot Springs with the rotating message: “Extreme Drought, Reduce Irrigation.” The goal is to get customers’ attention so that they will reduce water […]
Water-efficient residential gardens are beautiful, and earlier this month, Montecito residents John and Teri Keating were awarded the grand prize winner for their native garden. The 2022 WaterWise Garden Recognition Contest launched this spring to recognize beautiful, water-efficient residential gardens throughout Santa Barbara County. The Santa Barbara County Water Agency and participating local water providers […]
Dozens of people turned out last Thursday, September 22 to mark the grand opening of Montecito Med Spa on Coast Village Circle in Montecito. Owned by Karen Neary, MSN, RN, the med spa offers a discreet, luxurious space in which to experience the latest innovative techniques for facial and body enhancements, under the care and […]
Starting next Monday, September 26, and for the following three weeks, drivers in Montecito will experience significant delay at the Olive Mill/Coast Village/N. Jameson intersection, as Montecito Sanitary District (MSD) works to relocate 90 feet of sewer main in preparation of the upcoming roundabout at the area. The project also includes manhole installations, manhole modifications, […]
Mesa Burger owner Chris Chiarappa confirms that his Montecito location on Coast Village Road is permanently closed. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we are announcing the permanent closure of our Montecito location. We will be forever grateful to all our wonderful guests and the entire Montecito community for their gracious support. We […]
Montecito residents are eager for the pedestrian undercrossing at Butterfly Lane to reopen, which is expected to be later this week, according to a Caltrans rep. The under passing has been closed entirely since December 2021, which has allowed for the construction of walls and stairways compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Construction […]