Franceschi House Cottage for Rent
By Bonnie Donovan
Did you happen to come across the rental advertisement for a cottage on the Riviera priced at $784 per month with a deposit of $784?
We too missed it!
Imagine the breathtaking views of the city and ocean. It's like a dream come true. The rental is surrounded by 17 acres of beautiful gardens. The landlord – known for investing hundreds of thousands into a cottage just steps away from the main house – must have received numerous applications.
Is the garden included?
Why, yes it is, and the new renter will be required to walk the property once a day (Monday through Friday) before closing the gate.
Lucky for you, the property owner, who has budgeted a great deal for maintenance, has opted to spend all of it to keep your rental unit in tip-top shape.
The main house is deteriorating nearby, but that is no concern of yours.
At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, a lease agreement was approved by the generous landlord. And on February 10, there will be a public outreach event to consider building an open-air structure after the main house is razed.
Nearby residents in the Riviera neighborhood have long desired the demolition of this house, even though their homes were built decades after this one, which is only the second one built (in 1904) on the Riviera.
Be sure to voice your opinion on the property, which was entrusted to the "Inhabitants of Santa Barbara," as a gift from its owner. The city, however, neglected the house, and instead spent money on the caretaker's cottage (the exact amount of which was not available and couldn't be provided in my PRAR).
If you walk around the chain-link fence, you'll notice boarded-up windows and other signs of damage. This is the Franceschi House and its 17 acres are Franceschi Park.
Stay tuned for more updates on this matter in the future.
The New Bottle Bill
By the way, have you been keeping your receipts for wine and spirits purchases? Governor Newsom recently signed a law, effective January 1st, that charges a CRV (recycle deposit) on all bottles and boxes. We went out to buy some to verify this. When we purchased a box of wine, we were charged 25 cents. Can our elected officials inform us where in the city we can return this box to get our 25 cents back?
Both wine bottles are a 10-cent CRV. We have always been charged for beer, soda, and water bottles. It makes one wonder where all the money has gone over the years. Unfortunately, when you return these bottles for deposit, you don't receive the full payment.
The rates for our waste disposal services have been consistently rising, and we are aware that Tajiguas is nearing its maximum capacity. Consequently, we require a new facility. However, is this merely a form of taxation that cannot be officially classified as such without obtaining a 2/3 majority vote? As a result, are they resorting to imposing additional fees instead? Where do our CRV fees go?
The New $20-per-hour Fast-Food Minimum Wage
We also launched an investigation into the impact of the new $20-per-hour wage for fast-food workers on prices. At Taco Bell, there was a slight increase in prices. However, when we visited Subway, we were astonished to find that sandwiches now cost between $13 and $15 each. It seems more reasonable to visit Mesa Cafe, where you can enjoy a sit-down meal, be served, and even have fries and a salad with your sandwich for $16.
The reason behind this wage increase being limited to fast-food establishments is that these workers do not receive tips. However, we couldn't help but notice a tip jar at the register of Subway. Oh, how times have changed. Gone are the days when high school and college students once had part-time jobs at fast-food restaurants.
Super Storm Preparations
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the exceptional readiness demonstrated by the Fire, Police, Sheriff, Highway Patrol, Public Works, and dedicated volunteers such as the Bucket Brigade and Direct Relief International in anticipation of the storm last week. If I inadvertently omitted anyone, please accept my apologies. The fortunate shift in the atmospheric river brought us great fortune. We were duly informed about the impending storm four days in advance and received continuous updates throughout its duration.
Community Workshop and Survey to Reimagine Franceschi House
Community members are invited to share their ideas and priorities for a future open-air structure at the site of Franceschi House.
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is seeking public input for a future project at the site of Franceschi House within Franceschi Park. After multiple attempts to restore the building since 1971, the City Council voted unanimously in 2018 to explore replacing Franceschi House with an open-air structure that would honor the legacy of the building and its previous owners, botanist Francesco Franceschi and philanthropist Alden Freeman, while providing access to the public.
The Department aims to learn the priorities and ideas that neighbors and park visitors have for the future of the site through an upcoming community workshop and survey.
Community Workshop
Date and Time: Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
Location: The Riviera Ridge School, 2130 Mission Ridge Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
The workshop will highlight the site’s history before presenting the background, opportunities, and challenges of a future project. Attendees will be invited to share their ideas and priorities for the site’s future. Onsite Spanish translation can be coordinated by contacting SWStewart@SantaBarbaraCA.gov by February 8.
Community Survey
A community survey is available online in English and Spanish to ensure that community members unable to attend the workshop can share their priorities for a future project. The survey is open through Thursday, February 29, at 5:00 p.m. at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Franceschi.
The results of the workshop and the survey will inform the development of three conceptual design alternatives for the site. The design and planning phase of the project is expected to be an extensive, multi-year process, including ongoing public outreach and a comprehensive environmental review process.
More information about this project can be found at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Franceschi.
Contact
Eryn Blazey
Marketing Coordinator
(805)564-5589
EBlazey@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Bonnie, thank you for writing about Franceschi House which is just one of many failures of responsibility by the City and County of Santa Barbara. I’m sure that others can add to this list but off of the top of my head we have lost the beautiful estate and gardens of Val Verde to mismanagement of funds, including a sizable endowment. Dr Austin who worked a lifetime to be able to gift this house to our community for the public to enjoy is no doubt turning in his grave although atleast the house was sold and has been gloriously maintained by a private party instead of being allowed to decay as Franceschi House has. Fast forward to a few years ago when our historic waterfront carousel was dismantled and sold. Next on the list is Bellesguardo which was also left to the our community for public enjoyment and has so far been slow pedaled. Our beloved State Street, once voted one of the most beautiful main streets in America, has been degraded to an unrecognizable state of stench, filth, and retail vacancy. How much longer will our community sit idly by while our ‘leaders’ destroy all that has made this City one of the most beautiful and desirable places to live? Our history including these beautiful structures of merit that cannot be reproduced must be protected and invested in for the public to enjoy. Instead our taxpayer dollars go towards unsustainable City and County staff salaries and pensions, homeless and immigrant services, etc, etc.
Caution: Franceschi House Survey - faulty reply button prevents survey submission. Has this been repaired yet?
One section of the survey allows multiple responses as to property use priorities (check all that apply). However if you click ALL the buttons, the survey refuses to allow you to submit your results. You are then forced to go back eliminate one of the options, in order to submit this survey.
Thank you Bonnie, for keeping attention focused on this remarkable and badly neglected city historic resource; dedicated by deed for the enjoyment of all city residents.
(Case in point: Electronic submission of anything, whether surveys or voting, can be undermined by "glitches.")