Tag archives: MBAR

I’m writing to express my deep concern regarding the sudden and dramatic change in the appearance of our neighborhood, which seems to have unfolded in the last few weeks on your watch. As I’m sure you have noticed, there are now copious amounts of enormous fiber optic wires, apparently installed by someone with an enthusiasm […]

When the Biltmore opened its doors in 1927, a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, various hotel aficionados around California gathered for dinner there. According to a December 1927 issue of The Morning Press, many praised it as “a hotel in the most beautiful spot in California.” Its Spanish Revival charm, easily recognizable by the […]

Mark Lloyd, a private land use agent representing Ty Warner’s Biltmore Hotel, presented their plans for a major renovation project to the Montecito Board of Architectural Review on Thursday, March 7th, seeking preliminary approval for the 136,126 square-foot overhaul of guest rooms, public areas, and back of house facilities.  The proposed changes include remodeling the […]

Representatives of Rick Caruso’s Rosewood Miramar Resort were in front of the Montecito Board of Architectural Review (MBAR) last week showing conceptual plans of a new proposal that would include residential housing and new retail shops.  Caruso’s Senior Vice President of Development Bryce Ross told the Board that the new expansion project was born out […]

Gwyn Lurie Reflects on What We’ve Gained and Lost with Our New Roundabouts Let me start by saying I’m not anti-progress. But driving through Montecito’s recent road “improvements,” I have to admit to some feelings of nostalgia… and loss. For those not aware of the origin of our new roundabouts bookending Coast Village Road, and […]

This week, Montecito Board of Architectural Review will hear from representatives of RH, Inc., formerly Restoration Hardware, regarding a new location in Montecito’s Upper Village. The agenda item was continued from an MBAR meeting earlier this month.  RH reps are seeking conceptual review to add a café and wine bar inside of the nearly 7,000-square-foot […]

On the heels of receiving approval of changes to operations at the Coral Casino by the Montecito Planning Commission – and subsequent appeals to those changes from five Coral Casino club members – Biltmore and Coral Casino owner Ty Warner’s team was in front of the Montecito Board of Architectural Review last week, asking for […]

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 […]

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 […]

Last week, Montecito Board of Architectural Review looked at several more design components of the 101 widening project through Montecito, potentially the last of a series of conceptual review meetings before the project comes back for preliminary approval once Caltrans’ application for the project is deemed complete by Santa Barbara County.  As we’ve reported, four […]

Members of the Highway 101 widening team through Montecito were in front of the Montecito Board of Architectural Review last week for the second time, reviewing aesthetic features of the project related to fencing, landscaping, and lighting. The project, which will widen the freeway to three lanes in each direction between Sycamore Creek in the […]

The Montecito Board of Architectural Review has had a full docket the last few months, hearing over 17 Montecito projects last week at a regular meeting, just one week after needing to call a special meeting in order to consider seven other projects. The next two meetings are already booked with 13-14 projects each, while […]

The proposed 24-hour gatehouse at the entrance of Edgecliff Lane was approved at Montecito Board of Architectural Review last week, after gaining unanimous approval by the Montecito Planning Commission in December. The location of the gatehouse is near the entrance to Hammond’s Beach at the end of Eucalyptus Lane, and will be built adjacent to […]

After a more than 13-year journey, plans for renovating and enhancing the Montecito YMCA on Santa Rosa Lane are moving forward once again, amid some angst and concern from neighbors and members of the community at large. With story poles going up earlier this month in anticipation of last week’s Montecito Board of Architectural Review […]

Montecito Board of Architectural Review and Montecito Planning Commission have been busy hearing and making decisions about a multitude of residential – and a few commercial – projects in Montecito. MBAR is held via Zoom every three weeks, while MPC meets once a month, also via Zoom. At their hearing last week, the Montecito Planning […]

On April 8, the telecom industry, in the person of Crown Castle Rep. Jerry Ambrose, attempted to pull the wool over the Montecito Architectural Board of Review. He told them he needed to put a new cell antenna on a pole at 75 Eucalyptus Lane. The reason? “Capacity gap.”  Yet, if you take a walk […]

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 […]

The Santa Barbara County Executive Office is seeking to fill a vacancy on the Montecito Planning Commission, effective immediately. The vacancy is left from the departure of Charles Newman, who stepped down from the Commission at the end of his second term in December.  Newman was appointed to the Montecito Planning Commission in January 2017, […]

The project being proposed at the Montecito Sanitary District campus was also at MBAR last week, for further conceptual review of a new Essential Services Building and associated improvements. Architect Brian Cearnal outlined the project, which includes a new 5,000-sq-ft Essential Services building with a new 17-space parking lot, lighting and landscaping, multiple solar canopies, […]

Last Thursday, July 23, representatives from the Coral Casino were in front of the Montecito Board of Architectural Review presenting alterations to the private club, which has been closed for several months during the COVID-19 pandemic. While rumors continue to swirl over owner Ty Warner’s ultimate plans for the Coral Casino (as well as the […]