There are reports of Santa Barbara City Council spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to have consultants’ opinions on ways to attract, and keep, businesses on State Street by increasing foot traffic. The topics vary from conversion of all, or part, of Paseo Nuevo, to managing the bicycle traffic, to parklets for restaurants, but the objective remains constant: to increase foot traffic on State Street.
But what about the “other” businesses near State Street that also depend on foot traffic?
Why would City Council be considering a proposal to reduce the 75-minute Green Zone parking from a 75-minute limit to a 15-minute limit for the ten blocks from Gutierrez to Victoria and one block on each side of State Street?
Why spend money on consultants when all the City Council would have to do is walk down the street and ask some businesses about the potential impact of the proposed changes on their businesses?
However, Ralph Waterhouse, owner of Waterhouse Art Gallery, and Colleen Macey, owner of Santa Barbara Interiors, have saved Council members that walk by sending them their predictions in time for the proposal to be reconsidered.
Apparently, the multiple consultants hired for multiple thousands of dollars to consider ways to attract businesses in downtown Santa Barbara, did not interview an owner of a business that had a 33-year history in Santa Barbara.
Is the City Council really considering taking actions to drive away the types of business that cities, including Santa Barbara, are spending small fortunes trying to attract? For example, the Santa Barbara Downtown Business Improvement Districts spend an estimated $250,000 a year for marketing and promotional events to attract businesses and customers.
Here is the letter Mr. Waterhouse sent to each member of City Council, along with a few of my comments.
Waterhouse’s Art Gallery Letter
Good afternoon, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
I just received the new information regarding 15 Minute Green Zone parking on 10 State Street cross streets.
I am totally bewildered by this decision.
How on earth do you expect retail customers to park, shop, or dine, and return to their car within 15 mins? (Emphasis added).
It’s totally impossible.
So, it appears that the City Council is now attempting to ruin any downtown business that requires walk-in foot traffic.
WHY????
Will I finally be forced to close my downtown Art Gallery that has operated on the 1100 block of State Street for the last 33 years?
If the recession and the pandemic didn’t KILL US then this surely will.
I am horrified by this insane decision.
Yours Sincerely,
Ralph Waterhouse
Waterhouse Art Gallery
A Short Conversation with Mr. Waterhouse
My conversation with Mr. Waterhouse in his gallery was pleasant, informative, and illustrated his frustration. He expressed concern of the city redirecting foot traffic away from State Street by moving such events as the Horse Parade during Fiesta to Cabrillo Street and other parades to Santa Barbara Street.
We shared a laugh about the 15-minutes not even providing enough time for the ticket writers to have a coffee break between chalking a tire and writing a ticket.
Mr. Waterhouse obviously feels strongly about the subject and said that he prefers to not close his 1100 State Street Art Gallery and operate only out of his gallery at 1187 Coast Village Road.
When I indicated that I was going to publish his letter in SBCurrent, he provided me with a copy of the following letter written to City Council by Colleen Macy for Santa Barbara Interiors.
Santa Barbara Interior’s Letter
Dear Mayor Rowse and Members of the Santa Barbara City Council,
I’m writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed change to reduce the 75-minute green zone parking at 10 State Street to a 15-minute limit.
As the owner of Santa Barbara Interiors, located at 10 E. Figueroa Street, I can assure you this type of change will negatively impact businesses like mine [emphasis added]. Our clients rarely visit for just 15 minutes, they come in for consultations and to shop thoughtfully, and they appreciate being able to pull up, park, and stay for a reasonable amount of time without paying high hourly rates in a garage
The 75-minute parking zones have long supported our businesses by making quick visits convenient. Replacing them with 15-minute zones disregards how real customer actually engage with downtown shops [emphasis added). It’s another decision that feels out of touch with the needs of small business owners.
This follows a pattern of decisions that continue to make it harder to operate downtown. State Street has become a confusing mix of pedestrians, bikes, carts, and cars, with no clear strategy in sight.
At night, it can even feel unsafe to walk. On Saturdays, our street is blocked off for the Farmers Market, but instead of boosting foot traffic, we’re left with road closure signs that further reduce visibility and access to our storefronts.
I have several questions I hope you will take seriously:
•Who is driving these decisions?
•What is the long-term plan for downtown Santa Barbara?
•Do any of you currently own and operate a small business here?
•How is input from local businesses being gathered before these changes are enacted?
We will soon need to decide whether to renew our lease, and I can tell you candidly that decisions like these make it harder and harder to justify staying.
I urge you to reconsider the parking change and to engage with those of us who are still here working hard every day to keep our businesses and downtown Santa Barbara vibrant. I welcome your response.
Colleen Macey
Santa Barbara Interiors
Conclusion:
City Council is fortunate to have been given the opportunity to possibly prevent the loss of one, or more, small businesses before potential customers abandon downtown and landlords complain about unrented spaces.
In order for City Council to retain any credibility, these concerns and questions must be addressed.
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I can’t help but remember Reagan’s comment on the government “ the nine most terrifying words in the English language are : I’m from the government and I’m here to help”
The clown show of our misguided local “ public servants “ destroying our city is enough to make a sane person weep or scream
If only the city would put an emphasis on business development at the level that they have for parking enforcement, fees for permits, and bike lane development… maybe things would improve.