Tuesday marked 453 days since Governor Newsom issued the first stay-at-home order for California. It also acted as a Reopening Day, of sorts, with all tiered systems of restrictions lifted for California. Santa Barbara County barely squeaked into the yellow tier one week ago. Now all the tiers are gone. What does reopening and lifting […]
You asked, and we’re delivering. A crew of dedicated Montecitans is busily pulling together a Fourth of July Parade. We’re sensitive to our emerging-from-the-pandemic status, and to the President’s pledge that all Americans will be able to celebrate with your families. We plan to keep everyone safe, welcoming you to be with your family at […]
Last week, we helped three Santa Barbara City Councilmembers host a very important community conversation on the California Housing Legislation with our state legislators Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Steve Bennett. You know we’ve been working on this closely with our former State Senator, Hannah-Beth Jackson. You can watch the Town Hall at our website: […]
When we started the Hands Across Montecito project late last year, we counted 31 individuals living unsheltered along our railroad tracks and on beaches. We took an approach now touted by Bakersfield: work cases individually, on a by-name basis. Each person’s needs are different, so you have to find the solution that works for them. […]
Our autumn bear has made a roaring spring appearance. Sheriffs saw him on Romero Canyon Road at the end of April. Neighbors reported the bear hit chicken coops in the Oak Grove area at the beginning of May, where he also dined on guinea pigs. He hit our board member Penny Bianchi’s place at East […]
High fire season in Santa Barbara County started on May 3, with California coming off a record-setting year. According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council (SBCFSC), a total of 9,639 fires burned some 4.4 million acres of land, making 2020 the largest wildfire season recorded in the state’s modern history. The 2021 fire […]
We attended the Senate Housing Committee last week to provide input on two key bills: Senate Bills 9 and 765. Our unexpected gain: insight into who’s calling the shots at the state. Hint: it’s not you. Senator Toni Atkins (San Diego) introduced the revised SB-9. It will allow four units on a single-family lot, newly […]
I visited a project on Hill Road this week after receiving complaints from neighbors. As soon as I saw it, my heart sank. This is a second story ADU (accessory dwelling unit) that will decimate views and is built right to the edge of the driveway easement. Neighbors report it was piecemealed in permitting, so […]
Last Friday, Jane Olson, one of the founding members of our Hands Across Montecito homeless outreach project, happened to be out walking near Hammond’s Meadow and encountered a very thin woman screaming at the top of her lungs and disrobing. We had met this woman before, during the homeless point-in-time count at East Beach in […]
We attended the Senate Housing Committee hearing on March 18 and advocated for Montecito on the following bills: •SB15, Sen. Anthony Portantino: This bill allows local cities to replace sales tax lost from closure of big box stores and rezone for affordable housing. Sen. Scott Wiener, who chairs the committee, and is putting forth the […]
There are two particularly bad bills wending through the legislature, proposed by Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (Senate District 39, San Diego) and Scott Wiener (Senate District 11, San Francisco). They are determined to fulfill Governor Newsom’s pledge to build 3.5 million units of housing in California. Prior attempts that have failed to date: –Wiener’s […]
In 2020, the Montecito community witnessed a growing population of unsheltered individuals in the area. Encampments mushroomed and became quite visible. Bicycle thefts were up as were incidents of trespassing on private property. I started visiting the encampments in Montecito with Luis Alvarado, a case manager from Homeless Outreach Services at Santa Barbara County’s Behavioral […]
If you live near the Hot Springs Trail: You are likely already well aware of the jammed up street parking and trail users overcrowding the area. A countywide Fire Chief’s Public Safety Task Force has looked at this, and multiple other issues, including homeless encampment fires. For the folks on Riven Rock and East Mountain […]
The Montecito Association will host our Annual Members Meeting next Tuesday, February 9 at 4 pm via Zoom. We say goodbye to departing directors Peter van Duinwyk and Dorinne Lee Johnson, and welcome our newly elected board directors. We also appoint our officers at this meeting. Last year, we hosted California state Senator Hannah- Beth […]
If you feel confused and uncertain about COVID-19 vaccinations, you’re in the majority. The rollout has been confusing and startling, at times. The federal government releases buckets of vaccine to states, based on population. States set their priorities, hopefully in line with what the CDC recommends, and then allocate doses to counties based on their […]
Saturday night, many of us gathered electronically to commemorate the third anniversary of the Debris Flow that claimed 23 of our community members, destroyed hundreds of homes, and shook us to our core. It’s a day we’ll never forget. As with all major disasters, the entire community experienced a collective trauma: shock, loss, grief, and […]
As our community approaches the third anniversary of the 1/9 Thomas Fire Debris Flow, we find ourselves in the third consecutive disaster we’ve faced as a community, and this time it’s a global pandemic. This Saturday, we’d love to gather everyone, come together as a community, and remember those we lost in the early morning […]
Last Sunday, community godfather and Christmas Elf Dana Newquist organized the second Montecito-To-Unity toy and fundraising drive and caravan for delivery. A great group met up at the Upper Village in classic cars, ready to donate toys and funds for the second week in a row. Dana asked me to get up on the 1937 […]
Many of you are familiar with our Hands Across Montecito project – where Montecito neighbors are partnering as part of a Montecito Association initiative to help the unsheltered in our community find resources and housing. We have wonderful partnerships on this community-based and -supported effort, including our Sheriff’s and Montecito Fire departments and City Net […]
Governor Gavin Newsom’s shutdown order, in place for a minimum of three weeks, means no more dinners out for a while, coffees with friends, all of that. However, this is Montecito, a special, magical community of strong people that have been through a lot, with love in their hearts. This renders them fully capable of […]
Hospice Santa Barbara has installed our Christmas tree in the Upper Village for the third year in a row, and Light Up A Life takes place December 16 at 6 pm. We will be well into Hanukkah, and closing in on the Winter Solstice on December 21, the longest night of the year. Light Up […]
The Hands Across Montecito initiative got off to a great start this September. We did a census count with a terrific team of Montecito volunteers, our fire chiefs, sheriffs, and members of Behavioral Wellness, organized by City Net. We hiked all over Montecito, interviewing, and finding out more about who is living unsheltered here, and […]
We learned that “Carlos the Bear,” as he’s been nicknamed by locals, has ranged from the San Carlos Ranch and Romero Canyon area through Ennisbrook trail down to Jameson. He’s looking for food, during hyperphagia, when bears try to put on weight for the winter. This behavior is expected to calm with cooler weather as […]
The Montecito Association Transportation Committee deals with all things roads, bike paths, and pedestrian walkways in Montecito. At our October meeting, we got an update on the Highway 101 project, including the reasons why the backup was so bad when the Sheffield segment started. The state switched the construction schedule from night to day due […]
Revelations From the California Insurance Commissioner’s Marathon Virtual Hearing The good news from the pandemic: the state has learned how to do Zoom. We no longer have to trek to Sacramento to work with state officials; we can now do it from our living rooms. Direct democracy in action! We met Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara last […]
At the Montecito Association Land Use Committee, we decided to tackle undergrounding as a team. The Office of Assembly Member Monique Limón, representatives from the office of First District Supervisor Das Williams, Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, and Hidden Hills Councilmember Laura McCorkindale joined us. We have several brave neighbors attempting to underground their utilities […]
The pandemic has introduced a slew of new neighborhood issues that require a lot of work to untangle. We’re happy to step up for some of these, but many are outsider-induced. Most of these issues started up in late spring, near Memorial Day, when the lockdowns had eased, the weather got warmer, and people wanted […]
Monday morning at 6 am, a crowd of 30 gathered at a church in Santa Barbara’s Eastside to perform a homeless census count. This is part of the Hands Across Montecito Project, started by the Montecito Association in response to concerns of large encampments growing along the tracks, encounters on Coast Village, thefts, and fires. […]
At the Montecito Association, we often work with neighbors on specific issues. Who is responsible for the tree dropping bowling ball-sized pinecones in the street? Who handles the trash at Highway 101 and Hot Springs Road? What do I do if my neighbor’s hedge becomes infested with rats? These types of questions often require calls […]
We handle it all at the Montecito Association Transportation Committee No matter what your transportation concern is, chances are good that someone from the Montecito Association Transportation Committee is already working on it. We’ve put together an all-star lineup that meets over Zoom to work on the most pressing issues in this area: Chad Chase: […]
The California legislature raced to get a slew of bills passed before the legislative session closed on August 31. Nine bills were proposed by the Senate leadership to create up to three million units of housing in California. Some of these bills directly impact Montecito, so we worked with Assembly Member Monique Limón and Senator […]
At the end of February, we issued a survey electronically to our membership, and the response rate was pretty strong and super-informative. We did this same thing in 2019, and it informed our work for the year. In 2019, our community identified as their top three priorities: 1. Safety and security: evacuations, emergencies, crime, and […]
We hope you’re enjoying some of the lovely holiday decorations in our community. On December 4, we lit the tree in the Upper Green in front of Pierre Lafond, during Hospice’s now second annual Light Up A Life in Montecito. The Hathaway tree was decorated at Upper Manning Park by some fabulous elves that also […]
Knowing where your property ends and where roads begin can be confusing. The Montecito Association has received some calls about easements and encroachments and realized it might be a good idea to write about roads, bridges, and other related topics. Road right-of-way is dedicated when property maps are created to allow space for the County, […]
We’re delighted to report that our July 4th Committee is busy making all the magic happen that’s required for a stellar Village 4th Parade and Country Fair. This is Montecito’s annual community-based and highly patriotic event, also known as “The Biggest Little Parade in the World.” We’ll have fabulous treats and a performance from American […]
by Megan Orloff, President of the Montecito Association & Sharon Byrne, MA Executive Director In January, the Montecito Association welcomed a few new board members, a new executive team, and Board President. Our diverse backgrounds are unified by an ongoing and shared commitment to advocating for our community’s interests, while providing a breadth of skills […]
Spring is gorgeous around these parts, and it is also the time of year when we do our annual membership drive. We’d very much like to extend an invitation to you to join the Montecito Association, if you’re not already a member. We are offering a special three-day emergency safety kit this year as a […]