The City is closed until January 🙂

By Bonnie Donovan

Ah well, Merry Christmas from your elected officials and the City of Santa Barbara staff.

Will things be approved during the closure?

No Notices Needed

In a previous column I told you about a neighbor being approved “in house” by the Community Development Department to add two ADUs on an apartment building's parking lot.

No notice was given to the neighbors.

I have asked, with no response yet… what about the previous mandatory parking for the 5-unit apartment building?

ADUs are supposed to be taking up your yard, not destroying neighborhoods.

Talk About Piecemealing a Project

After nine years of being on the notification list for this address, nothing! No notice to the neighbors. No yellow development sign out front.

The developer went to the Architectural Board of Review (ABR) on Monday with their next project.

Now they are back to add six two-story apartment buildings. Each apartment with two 2-bedroom/2-bath and again, no parking. Because they are ADUs. (These six new buildings will have a total of twelve 2-bedroom/2-bathroom units.)

Eight additional buildings are being added next to the existing apartment.

Let's add this up for the city and state.

Thirteen previous parking spaces for the existing apartment building removed, add two new ADUs, and now add 12 new apartments (they are calling them ADUs) each with two bedrooms.

Car total expected: 42!

This is a corner lot on a very busy thoroughfare used by everyone, especially the City of Santa Barbara, MarBorg, Amtrac, Greyhound and tourist buses. And everyone who might be headed to the Funk Zone.

Since the tenants of the apartment building lost their parking lot, cars are now parking in the red. Wait until the new tenants arrive with their cars.

Where the hell are our engineers, planners, traffic, and circulation, etc.?

As we are always told, the State of California is mandating this…

That is Gavin Newsom, Monique Limon, Gregg Hart…

Are our elected officials and our city staff writing letters to them?

Or is everyone just waiting until Santa Barbara is totally destroyed and the staff leaves along with the developers?

Meanwhile in Another Neighborhood

Elsewhere, a comparable situation is unfolding. Interestingly, both projects are being presented by the same planner (used for the Montecito Street project). In this instance, the planner successfully secures approval for two houses, but the city inadvertently grants permission for an additional four homes within the same project, without any oversight or review by the Single Family Design Board (SFDB). Remarkably, the city has not retracted the permit. This “oversight” raises questions about the regulatory processes in place and the implications for what is still being called “urban planning.”

Forwarded From One of the Neighbors:

Dear Mr. Friedman,

I am the homeowner at XXXX, which backs up to the XXXX development project of six homes, and I live two doors down from XXXX. In June, I began the design process for building an ADU behind my home that was built in 1908. I have enlisted a local designer, XXXX, to handle the design, drafting, and interfacing with City planners and the permitting process. The XXXX suggested I contact you to provide an update on how the process is unfolding.

To date, XXXX has met with three different City Planners to ensure that our plans are compliant, with the hope that the build will proceed smoothly. Unfortunately, each planner has provided different guidance. I have two walls, from around 1955 that could be grandfathered in, but the feedback from the city has been inconsistent. We will be requesting a modification to retain one wall on the property line and move the other wall to current compliance. However, we’ve heard from various contractors and city workers that modifications are rarely granted, although the city still collects the $6,000 application fee.

We are striving to make this project as smooth and compliant as possible while ensuring it fits within the neighborhood’s scope and style. I am, however, frustrated to learn that the City inadvertently approved and permitted the last four homes behind us without requiring the project to go before the Single Family Design Board or offering an opportunity for neighborhood comments or concerns. Was this project approved due to the developer’s deep pockets? It is disheartening to feel that neighborhood input is overlooked in favor of financial interests.

I sincerely hope that I will receive the same consideration when I apply for my permits, as long as they are within compliance with the City’s rules and regulations and thoughtful consideration to the modification I am requesting.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your guidance as we continue navigating this process.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There is much more on this housing project site, coming soon.

Moving Up the Ladder

How the Democrats take care of their own: they have a new guy who they have promised a seat; he takes former Commissioner Sheila Lodge’s open seat on the Planning commission.

“Ben Peterson, who has spent the past five years specializing on housing policy for State Senator Monique Limón.”

Is he who has helped put us where we are?

Just watch and you will see what I'm talking about!

From Readers in Montecito

Hi, Bonnie-

If I were writing your column, I'd add this:

'Thanks' County of Santa Barbara:

Nine new stores and a restaurant have been approved by Staff Directive in the past two years, without Planning Commission notice or approval, greatly exceeding the original permission to have a 1000 sq ft resort shop for sundries and visitor supplies. And now you're allowing the addition of 12 more stores, some greater than 2,000 sq ft, to make 21 stores. This constitutes a huge change in use and development of a new commercial zone in Montecito, which is prohibited by the 'Montecito Community Plan.'

So, with $ to pay for how to buck the system (put forth a very few so-called low income housing for employees), Rick Caruso got his way.

Thanks, Das Williams and don't let the door hit your ____ on the way out!

We'll remember this when you run for ANOTHER office.

Sincerely,

The Jameson/Boehr family

(six generations right here in Montecito)

Hi, Bonnie-

This is a travesty!

All Saints Should NEVER have agreed to whatever they agreed to. And when that happened it just gave 'him' more leverage to crow about . . . It's all complicated, but they will eventually have almost NO mountain view, etc.

So that put us concerned neighbors at a disadvantage because they could say: 'Well. We gave up ____ and ____ and didn't keep our original plan, etc., like no entrance at the corner (which they wouldn't have gotten any way, and All Saints agreed, etc., and they now 'approve' the project, so (too bad about other neighbors who live here, not just on SUNDAYS).

A Beverly Hills mall right here forever (and he won't stop).

So, the Board of Supervisors just caved because they usually follow the 'buddy' in whose area it is and ____ had the high-paid attorneys to put the crumbs of a few units of so-called work force housing, or whatever it's now called.

P.J.

Another reader forwarded his two Community Voices Pieces regarding Montecito

https://www.montecitojournal.net/2024/11/26/an-activist-cpc-grabs-the-reins-miramar-cannabis/

https://www.montecitojournal.net/2024/12/10/a-note-to-roy-lee-as-he-begins-his-journey/

Special Recruitment for Fire and Police Commission

Are you passionate about public safety and making a difference in your community? The City of Santa Barbara is holding a special recruitment to fill a vacancy on the Fire and Police Commission. This is a unique opportunity to contribute your voice and ideas to decisions that impact the safety and well-being of Santa Barbara residents.

The City is an equal-opportunity employer and adopts practices that value and include diversity at all levels of the organization; this is an essential step to developing strategies that meet the needs of a diverse community. If you're an individual interested in making a difference in your community, contributing ideas, and being a part of the City team, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Currently, there is one unscheduled vacancy on the Fire and Police Commission. Unscheduled vacancies occur when a Board or Commission member resigns before their term end date, thus the need for special recruitment to be held to assist in avoiding meeting cancellations due to lack of quorum. If you're interested in serving on the Commission, please contact the City Clerk's Office at Clerk@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or call (805) 564-5309.

For a detailed list of scheduled vacancies occurring in 2025 and an online application, visit our Boards and Commissions page.

Application Deadline is Friday, January 17, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

The City Council will conduct applicant interviews at City Hall (735 Anacapa St.) on:

• Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. (estimated time)

The City Council will make the appointment to the Fire and Police Commission on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.

Contact

Sarah Gorman
City Clerk Services Manager
(805) 564-5309
SGorman@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

•••

Merry Christmas to you and yours!