Did You Know?
by Bonnie Donovan
Where is the Groundswell?
From the Eastside to the Westside – it’s all the same – insane. The roads are being taken away one by one for bike paths. Who gets to decide which streets are going to take the hit? Alisos, W Valerio, E Sola, E Gutierrez, Mason, and at numerous intersections delegated as “for bikes only.” No matter if the location is on a street used to cross town, and/or to avoid traffic. Now vehicles must drive an additional three blocks or make a U-turn to continue in the direction they were headed. And for what? A bike path used by how many?
The new traffic patterns include much more than bollards for bike safety.
Have you driven the back road from the Mesa to the Westside? From 1900 West Valerio to Gillespie, the city has installed nine – count ‘em, nine) – “traffic calming” humps in the road; it’s like riding a slow-moving steeple chase – akin to Hunt-Seat equitation.
It’s doable… if you have nowhere to go or are driving an off-road vehicle, and what about cars equipped with low-profile tires? Last week, we saw a semitruck “stuck” as they tried to maneuver the cement barrier at Gillespie and W Valerio.
No heed or thought to emergency vehicles?
Do you realize with the closure of northbound traffic on Gillespie at W Valerio – the only way to get to the 101 is to go south to Carrillo? What to do during a fire or a medical emergency? Alisos St has been a back way to Montecito, but now is blocked at East Ortega and East Gutierrez and East Mason.
Back to who gets to decide where and even why the street closures in our city. Who was given the mandate and for whom? The freedom of movement and ease to traverse the streets of SB were so effectively mapped out by the master planner, Captain Salisbury Haley. In 1850, he hammered an iron stake at the intersection of Carrillo/State which officially designated the city’s midtown area. His city plan has served Santa Barbara ever since. Until now. Is the hidden agenda of this whole process a curtailing of our freedom of movement?
Our emergency escape routes are being cut off. What is the ulterior motive?
Speaking of curtailing our freedom of movement, bike paths can serve the individual bike rider to a certain extent. However, families, the elderly, and people who can’t ride bikes, all need vehicles to handle their daily needs. It feels like a movement away from supporting families. School, groceries, sports practice, shopping, doctor’s appointments, places of worship. For what they are doing to the blockage of our streets, how many more people will be using the bike paths? Again, who does this serve? It is not for families, nor most current residents.
Beware of the Builder’s Remedy
We figure this is merely an extension of the long-term plan of the city which allows and encourages people to be stacked into high-density housing with no parking. This destroys SB’s distinctive character turning it over bit by bit into a place that is unrecognizable. Five stories at State and Gutierrez? A rare and beautiful spot that so many such as Pearl Chase, Bernard Hoffmann, and many other groups have worked hard to protect over the decades.
Do the developers and this generation of planners embrace the Builder’s Remedy? These people appear to lack a deep appreciation for the historical past as well as the aesthetic of both the built and natural environment. Builder’s Remedy allows developers to build what they want, where they want, if they provide “some” low- and middle-income units, and the city has not approved their Housing Element mandated by the state, by using SB330.
Builder’s Remedy is where greed goes to seed. It’s sprouting in our own backyards. If you haven’t heard of it, you will see it. A developer plans to take 1609 -1615 Grand Ave. over the top…of the hill. This development on Grand Ave was first introduced as 30 units and 5 stories – no setbacks, no yard, after all the sky is their playground. With little room for pushback, they pushed up and now the project is 45 units and 6 stories! Can you feel the new “Californication” with Jack and the screw-stalk at the helm? We are in for a wild ride of monsters and goblins eating up our fairytale landscape.
Dr. Frankenstein’s Accessory Dwelling Units
But we don’t muster the moxie to vote these people out of office. The lovely, smiling Senator Monique Limon, along with Assemblymen Steve Bennett and the whole cast, abstain from voting, or call in sick, on issues that detrimentally affect their constituents.
Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez abstained from voting on the State St/Parklets. “I didn’t vote” (yes) which, we know, instead of a NO vote, keeps the band together and the politicians stay in favor with their unsavory colleagues like SF’s Scott Weiner and SD’s Tracy Adkins.
In San Diego, the ADU accessory dwelling unit – touted as a sweet grandmother’s cottage in the back – has morphed into the not-so-Jolly Green Giant that looms as apartment buildings over the 1950’s 3 bd-1bath ranch style. The biggest ADU so far is 148 units. It’s an accessory alright – to the murder of a town. New Franken-style housing to go with newly minted Frankenstein people. SB’s Housing Element received a finding of substantial compliance from Sacramento (HCD) and is at City Council (CC) this Tuesday for local approval. Our Planning Commission wants 21 changes. However, if the Housing Element is not approved on Tuesday, we could see more SB330/Builder’s Remedy Applications. Insist CC stops the delays and approves the Housing Element the State has deemed compliant.
Santa Barbara City Council has a duty to vote.
No Abstaining. Will we wake up from this nightmare, Virginia?
Speaking of Christmas, all the areas surrounding SB – Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito, and the SY Valley – are still holding their traditional parades. Except for downtown Santa Barbara. With State St being closed, our only two choices for Christmas parades are in the outskirts: the Parade of Lights at the Harbor Dec 10th and the Milpas St Parade, Dec 9th. The same as we have done sidelining the Fiesta Parade to Cabrillo Blvd.
It may take extra time to get through the city’s obstacle course with unexpected stop signs, signal lights, speed humps and street closures, but a merry time will still be had for all.
For all the city’s transportation planners, that is.
I call them the bike Nazis. And all politicians are following them. It’s crazy. An aging population and we want you to drive a bike or walk. 🤷🏽♂️ They are stealing our roads, our safety and don’t have any accountability. I believe they all should be required to have a license on the bike so I can ID them and also insurance when they run me over.
Such a great article Bonnie! The loss of freedom is the thread that continues to weave through many of these stories.
People may be afraid to stand up to those who allow the loss of our freedom, but I would suggest, they should be more afraid of continuing to live, more and more each day, without our freedom.