Tag archives: State Street

At a September 1 Santa Barbara City Council meeting, in a 6-1 vote, the Council approved the State Street Master Plan, which converts a once-thriving main street to a playground. I was surprised since the City has no money for this $96 million project. The Master Plan, a 495-page report including appendices, was drafted by […]

The purpose of commercial streets is to facilitate commerce. That is why commercial streets are lined with commercial buildings rented to commercial enterprises. State Street is a commercial street with commercial buildings. Now it is viewed as a playground, an open space that everyone can use for recreation. That is a commerce killer. I have […]

Lots of local Santa Barbara residents, long-timers and newbies alike, have strong opinions about whether the nine-block stretch of State Street in the downtown area should reopen to cars.  “It’s a no-brainer,” exclaims many a post on social media, while others just as vociferously scream “No way!”  Friends of State Street (FoSS) takes no position […]

Those of us with even a modicum of “context” know that Santa Barbara is not unique. Prices continue to rise – as they do around the globe – and new housing stock, at least in SB-land, is as rare as shared martinis between Trump and Newsom. So, yes, I thought I would venture onto the […]

State Street is in the loop again! On May 29 the Loop Shuttle begins cruising the city’s (pre-pandemic) main drag now known as the State Street Promenade. The shuttle is one of 11 official short-term action items identified in the new State Street Master Plan, which was designed to test solutions that “support a more […]

Just a quick comment on your editorial. Civility is lacking on all levels. This election has highlighted the worst of it. I speak at schools frequently about conduct, civility and decorum in elected bodies as well as day to day life. Our blanket lack of credibility in our elected officials has as much to do […]

I was one of many people who spoke in favor of the Miramar project at a recent Montecito Association Board Meeting. There were a significant number of residents who joined me, reflecting what I believe to be the consensus among many in the broader Montecito community; this is a great plan that will improve the […]

I went to the UCSB Santa Barbara Economic Summit held at the Granada Theatre. The place was packed and the presentations were great.  The speakers, Gene Deering, a principal at Radius Commercial Real Estate, host UCSB econ professor Peter Ruppert, and real estate entrepreneur Rick Caruso, were informative and hit on some of the problems […]

Once again, our mayor has taken to the Independent to air his concerns over State Street, and as usual those concerns are at odds with the other council members, the general public, and all available facts and studies. But let me take a step back and talk about something positive. Over the last month, Strong […]

We all want a thriving, vibrant State Street, but we don’t have one. I first wrote about the decline of State Street in 2017. As I look back to those articles not much has changed.  State Street isn’t actually dead, but it has been dying for years. I know that some folks deny this, but […]

The pandemic-propelled State Street parklets are still preventing the return of the Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade, but neighbors just a bit east and south are both staging their marching extravaganzas on Saturday, December 9. Carpinteria’s Holiday Spirit Parade begins at 3 pm on Linden Avenue, the seaside city’s main drag, with floats, marching bands, […]

“What Should We Do About State Street?” The Westmont Center for Dialogue and Deliberation (WCDD) hosts a conversation on this pressing issue and invites Santa Barbara residents to share their ideas for shaping and co-creating this special public space. When you RSVP to the free, public event held Thursday, October 26, from 6:45-8:45 pm, you’ll […]

Let me say this upfront: Of the three State Street designs presented to the State Street Advisory Committee by MIG Design at their meeting on May 24, the members of our local nonprofit advocacy group, Strong Towns Santa Barbara (STSB), support the “Flat and Flexible” option – the one most focused on the comfort and […]

If you’ve read anything about the State Street Advisory Committee meeting on May 24, it was probably about how tense the meeting was, how many committee members disagreed, and how public comment was a bit heated. Nick Welsh of the Independent called it a “bumpy start.” Councilman Oscar Gutierrez was a bit less delicate, stating […]

I am glad that “Robert’s Big Questions” are published regularly in the weekly Montecito Journal. The writer is among my most interesting friends (among other things, he’s the widely grinning high-brow guy cavorting about on his unicycle in parades and events around town), and I find it worthwhile to consider how and what he thinks. […]

With the pedestrian paths that now run down State Street, it is easier than ever to do some holiday shopping or just spend a day downtown with the family. In week three of our Home for the Holidays Guide, here are just a few of the fun events and spots to stop in along the […]

Pitmaster Kristi Bean recently debuted her barbecue eatery, Beans BBQ, nestled on State Street, just steps away from Granada Theatre.  Bean said the eatery is the love child of Beans BBQ catering business, which she started in 2014, the same year she migrated to Santa Barbara. At the core of the success story that is […]

Santa Barbara City staff is recommending to the City Council to adopt an Economic Recovery Extension and Transition Ordinance, which would provide an additional 22 months until December 31, 2023 for businesses within city limits – including on Coast Village Road – to operate expanded outdoor business facilities and parklets. The ordinance also authorizes the […]

Mary Lynn Harms-Romo readily admits that at 5:30 pm every day, she plans to step away from whatever she is doing to take in the snow. Yes, the snow. It’s a holiday benefit to her role as senior marketing director and local leasing manager with Paseo Nuevo — and a welcomed sight after the pandemic […]