"Missing" Contacts

by Bonnie Donovan

Dear State Street Landlords and Tenants

I hope this message finds you well. As part of our ongoing commitment to your success and the vitality of our downtown community, I'm reaching out to urge your active involvement in shaping the future of State Street.

Your Voice Matters

The City of Santa Barbara's Community Development Department is hosting a workshop specifically designed to hear from downtown business owners like you regarding the State Street Master Plan. Your insights are essential in ensuring that decisions regarding State Street's design and development align with the needs and interests of our business community.

Key Points to Consider:

• Transparency: We need clarity on the financial implications of the proposed State Street Master Plan. Will this lead to additional taxes that will burden business owners like the recently approved CBID tax?

• Construction Impact: The potential effects of prolonged construction on State Street businesses must be carefully addressed. It's crucial that your concerns and considerations are heard to protect our community's economic health.

• Decisive Action: Extended planning periods without decisive action are hindering downtown's growth. It's time for the committee to make clear decisions that support our community – whether that involves returning to pre-pandemic State Street, closure, or a new plan.

Workshop Details:

• Date: Monday, July 22, 2024

• Time: 8:30 am to 10:30 am

• Location: Cabrillo Pavilion, 1118 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara, CA

RSVP and Questions: Please RSVP to Barbara Andersen at BAndersen@SantaBarbaraCA.gov and direct any questions regarding the workshop to her.

Your active participation in this workshop will directly influence the decisions that shape downtown Santa Barbara's future. Please mark your calendars for July 22nd and consider attending to ensure your voice is heard.

Warm regards,

Your City of Santa Barbara Staff

That Wasn’t Really From City Staff

Over three years ago this should have been the letter sent out to all landlords and tenants within the State Street Pedestrian Promenade before millions had been spent. This letter has been rewritten by me from a landlord on State Street to notify their tenants that the city would like to get the tenant’s input.   We have been informed that not all downtown businesses have received the city notice. The city went through the Downtown Organization (DO) to notify all Landlords and tenants on State Street that they are now invited to a meeting for their input.

“Missing” Landlord Contact Information

Just like anything to do with streets, the bicycle groups get notified to get their group to the meetings for public comment.

Reports are that the city told businesses on State Street that didn’t receive the notification through the DO, that they didn’t have all their contacts, so they went through the DO.   

I’m asking if you (the City) just approved the Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) and you supposedly contacted all 700 property owners in the downtown area with a ballot, wouldn’t you have their contact info?

If you are now going to bill each parcel for the CBID, wouldn’t you have all the contact information?

If you collect sales tax, wouldn’t you have all their contacts?

Three years ago, when the State Street Advisory Committee (SSAC) was put together, shouldn't all the businesses in the downtown area have been notified you were redesigning and about to change everything on what they pay rent on?

Yes, we all joined in four plus years ago to close State Street to save the restaurants during the emergency.

The emergency is over and has been over…

This is exactly what they closed the street for and went for it. They used the emergency…

New Spending, New Construction, New Taxes

Are the stores, restaurants, and offices ready to go through three or more years of construction to fulfill their dreams?

With a 7-to-10-million-dollar deficit, where is the money going to come from?  Oh yah, that one-cent sales tax for our infrastructure and then the new ½-cent one they want us to vote for in November.

How much of the $800,000.00 to MIG hasn’t been spent yet? Can we cancel the balance?

Storm Water Anyone?

Flat, Flexible and Fun!

If you raise the road and have no curbs, what are you going to do with the storm water?  If you have no curbs to guide the water down the street, how will you prevent the water from going in every door?

Will the city Public Works Department oversee sandbagging every door on State Street (all downtown) when it rains?  

More on this later, but who is the engineer working on this?

Two council members bring State Street to Council vote. We have A City Administrator that can take charge of this mess.  

Open up the street and, like Council Member Eric Friedman, who shared all the homework he did on all the information he gathered by contacting other cities with successful Promenades….    You do the work/studies etc. before you close the road.

Let's shift our focus to the City Council Race! 

The excitement is brewing as new developments unfold. It's reminiscent of the time when Gabe Escobedo was vying for the 37th Assembly District seat. 

He was urged to withdraw from the race with the promise of being offered another seat that becomes available. As fate would have it, the School Board position opened up, and he now occupies that role. 

The political landscape is always full of surprises and unexpected turns.

The latest buzz is that Jet Black-Maertz has decided to step down, sparking speculation that she might throw her hat in the ring for the SBCC Board. This move has stirred up conversations and added an element of intrigue to the upcoming elections. With each new development, the dynamics of the City Council Race continue to evolve, keeping everyone on their toes.

Oscar Gutierrez, who has been unopposed for some time, will now face a challenger in the upcoming campaign. 

The competition is heating up, and the anticipation is palpable. As the pieces fall into place, the question on everyone's mind is, who will step up to challenge Mike Jordan?

The City Council Race promises to be an exciting and eventful journey, with each candidate bringing their unique perspective and vision to the table.

Remember, this waste of millions was brought to you by former Mayor Cathy Murillo and the current Council (not current Mayor Randy Rouse).

“You have no right to complain if you don’t get involved.” Larry Donovan

Speaking of which… get an insider’s update on Carpenteria politics with Councilman Wade Nomura on August 17th. Call or text Delcie Feller at (661) 333-4133 for more info.

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