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AB 5: ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’ Wrong-Headed

Weekly column by Sharon Byrne Assembly Rep Ammiano (D-San Francisco) has introduced Assembly Bill 5, the “Homeless Bill of Rights”, titling clearly meant to cow any opposition. One wonders why the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution isn’t sufficient…but this bill isn’t about homeless rights. It’s about Ammiano’s ego playing at one-upmanship with another ... Read More

Historic and Design Districts

By Kellam de Forest On April 9 and April 11 the Historic Landmarks Commission held public workshops April 9 and 11 to discuss the creation of Historic Districts.  The proposed districts are Bungalow Haven, between Olive and Micheltorerna east of Laguna. West Beach, north of Cabrillo Boulevard,  Castillo Street, North of Cota to De La ... Read More

Santa Barbara Business Beat

South Coast Firm’s Infra-Red System in Audis, BMWs A Goleta-based company’s infra-red system, which specializes in spotting animals in the dark, soon will be featured in some of the world’s most popular luxury cars. Autoliv has been making auto safety devices for some 60 years, including seatbelts and airbags. The $8.3 billion company employs 41 ... Read More

Fighting Crime with Caffeine

I attended the Coffee With A Cop last week at Good Cup on Wednesday afternoon.  I’m pleased first to report that I didn’t see a single donut amongst them. My two questions to Public Information Officer Riley Harwood, my beat coordinator and other local officers was this: What can we do to assist you in ... Read More

History of the City of Santa Barbara: Part VI

According to the General Plan, Santa Barbara has had ten major historical periods. Over the next few months, Santa Barbara View will post the History of the City… Design Review Origins (1902 – 1925) Like many communities throughout the country, Santa Barbara became interested in city improvement and beautification. In March of 1902, the City ... Read More

EcoFacts: Carbon News

By on May 18, 2013 in Green & Garden, News

We learned last week that CO2 levels in our atmosphere had just reached 400 parts per million for the first time in human history, although it turned out to actually be 399.89. Tune in later for the actual record breaker. 350 PPM was deemed a safe level for preventing climate change and sea level rises from ice melts, methane releases from permafrost melting, etc. The fast moving trend is seen here, from Scripps Institute:

April 2011 –  393.37
April 2012 –  396.45
April 2013 –  398.35

With recent developments in fracking technology, we’ll be producing more oil and gas, and other than using less coal as a result, there will be more fossil fuels for everyone, and less hope for conservation bringing down our levels, at least for economic reasons. So what to do?

Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group (Virgin Atlantic, et al) and others have put up a $25 million award for the best method for reducing C02 levels. It’s worth checking out the finalists, if you are looking for hope. My favorite one employs livestock grazing management as a solution for desertification, for food scarcity, and because healthy grasslands absorb lots of CO2. Allan Savory, a South African whose organization is successfully doing this as I write, gave a TED talk that begins with a heartbreaking story and ends satisfyingly encouraging.

Another potential solution involves technology, as most do. This one was reported last week in Scientific American - 440 PPM: Can Artifical Trees Pull CO2 From the Air?  It involves a resin attached to plastic that is formed for greatest surface area, like grass.  Here’s the funny part –  in order to pull .5 PPM each year it would require 10 million trees made of this plastic, tons of energy and water too. Not sure the Lorax would speak for these trees, even if they do look like the Truffula kind. A guy responded to the piece – “Why not just use real trees?….”

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AB 5: ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’ Wrong-Headed

By on May 17, 2013 in Sharon Byrne

Weekly column by Sharon Byrne

Assembly Rep Ammiano (D-San Francisco) has introduced Assembly Bill 5, the “Homeless Bill of Rights”, titling clearly meant to cow any opposition.

One wonders why the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution isn’t sufficient…but this bill isn’t about homeless rights. It’s about Ammiano’s ego playing at one-upmanship with another state.

Rhode Island passed a Homeless Bill of Rights last year. Theirs basically says cities can’t prosecute homeless individuals more than anyone else for the same violations. According to HUD, Rhode Island hosts 0.2% of the nation’s homeless, the lowest percentage.

As does Guam.

Feel-good gestures are easy when your problem is negligible.

California, by contrast, hosts 1/5th, or 20%, of the US homeless population. New York runs a distant second, with 11%. Our state needs real solutions. Ammiano, termed out next year, provides none. Instead, as his last hurrah, he strikes at cities struggling to maintain some quality of life. Clearly fuming over San Francisco’s no sit/lie law, Ammiano sweepingly equates “quality of life” ordinances with the brutality and oppression of “Jim Crow” laws.

This sort of hyperbolic hysteria is why the rest of the country laughs at California. Remember that South Park episode?

In the past decade, homeless advocacy has shifted from:

Homelessness is a serious problem that must be solved

To:

Homeless have the right to be homeless because they’re homeless!

That circular thinking leaves the homeless…well…

Homeless.

AB 5 calcifies this mental rut. Let them live in parks. Quit trying to get them into shelter and programs. The homeless should have the right to do whatever they want because they’re homeless.

While AB 5 will certainly appease the free-range crowd that abhors requirements entailed by indoor living, preferring to be unfettered in doing as they please, what about those that don’t want to be homeless? How does legislating their right to sleep in a bush represent progress?

California’s climate (meteorological and political) attracts out-of-state homeless, and some create serious problems for locals, whether those locals are housed or not, as Jose Arturo Ortiz Martinez-Gallegos’ letter in the Sentinel last week makes clear:

“We who were born here and are now homeless would like these aggressive outsiders to go away and leave SB forever.”

Amen, Jose. Want to have coffee (my treat), and work together on this?

What’s in AB 5:
(April 30th amended version)

Homeless persons have the right, free from harassment, to:
1. Rest, eat, share food, and panhandle in any public space

2. Inhabit a motor vehicle parked on public property

3. Legal counsel, paid for by the county, for any judicial proceedings.

4. Health and hygiene centers available 24 hours a day, seven days a week

-Law enforcement must compile all statistics on the number of citations, arrests, and other enforcement activities for loitering, sitting or lying down, lodging in public spaces, sleeping, panhandling…and report these annually to the Attorney General.

-Any person whose rights have been violated under this act may enforce those rights in a civil action.

-The court may award appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief…including statutory damages of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff.

Definitions:
(d) “Homeless persons” means those individuals or families who lack or are perceived to lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, or who have a primary nighttime residence in a shelter, on the street, in a vehicle, in an enclosure or structure that is not authorized or fit for human habitation. “Homeless” also means a person whose only residence is a residential hotel or who is residing anywhere without tenancy rights, and families with children staying in a residential hotel whether or not they have tenancy rights.
(e) “Public space” means any property that is owned by any state or local government entity or upon which there is an easement for public use and that is held open to the public, including, but not limited to, plazas, courtyards, parking lots, sidewalks, public transportation, public buildings and parks.
(f) “Rest” means the state of not moving, holding certain postures that include, but are not limited to, sitting, standing, leaning, kneeling, squatting, sleeping, or lying.

Full bill text: CLICK HERE.

*********************

Counties must provide adequate housing so that less than 50 people are on the housing wait list. No penalty is provided in AB 5 for failure, so there’s no incentive either.

AB5 instead penalizes cities, stripping them of their ability to enforce problem behaviors until their county meets the housing test. That’s a kick-in-the-teeth to cities like Santa Barbara and Santa Monica that have successful humanitarian efforts in place to help the homeless. They already work within court-imposed mandates to protect homeless rights. For example, police must store anything that could be personal belongings from encampment clean-outs. Our Restorative Police act as social workers to encourage individuals into Restorative Court, where they are provided with programs, at taxpayer expense, to help them leave homelessness.

AB 5 takes brass knuckles to successful municipal programs that actually help the homeless, but puts forward nothing to replace them.

That is not leadership. It’s puerile, political posturing masquerading as ‘helping the homeless’.

What can you do?
1. Don’t assume others will speak up for you. Call / email your state reps: Hannah-Beth Jackson and Das Williams.

2. Call / email your city council and county supervisors. They can pass resolutions encouraging state reps to vote against AB 5.

3. Write letters to the editor.

Solutions that truly help the homeless would be welcome, but AB 5 just seeks to enshrine homelessness into a permanent state of being.

That’s wrong-headed.

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Do You Have a Wildfire Action Plan?

By on May 16, 2013 in News

WildFire Action Plan

Last week’s red flag warnings and the 3,000-acre wildfire that is burning in the Los Padres National Forest are good reminders to revisit your own plan in the event of a wildfire. The City of Santa Barbara has developed this READY! SET! GO! program plan, PDF left, and Santa Barbara View will add it to the local links, because It’s never too late to be prepared.

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Amgen Tour Put Smiles on Racers, Business Owners Faces

By on May 16, 2013 in Business by Ray Estrada, News

Tyler Farrar, center, Ken Hanson, left, and Gianni Meersman, right, finished 1-2-3 in Wednesday’s Stage 4.

Former Santa Barbara resident Ken Hanson, runner-up in Wednesday’s Amgen Tour of California bike race, summed it all up at a post Stage 4 news conference: “I’m really happy the race came back here,” Hanson said, referring to the 2008 race, which drew thousands of South Coast visitors, helped filled hundreds of hotel and motel rooms and meant more than $1 million in taxable sales for the county.

Michelle Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara Convention & Visitor Bureau, said her agency expects 2013’s revenue numbers to be as good or better than the last time the race went through the region in 2008. Cyclists head Avila Beach on Thursday and will end up in Santa Rosa on Friday.

For all the road closures and rush-hour traffic headaches the Amgen Tour may have caused, it put smiles on the faces of many people in the hospitality industry and retail businesses. Despite a mid-week date, the race still managed to draw thousands of cheering spectators along Cabrillo Boulevard where cyclist Tyler Farrar took first-place for Stage 4.

Hanson, Farrar and other riders said they were very pleased at seeing the ocean after starting Stage 4 in steamy Santa Clarita in the morning. “Everyone was very happy to see water today,” Farrar said. South Coast temperatures for the race were in the low 70s with blue skies and a sideways breeze.

Police reported no unusual incidents as security seemed a bit tighter than usual in the wake of last month’s bombing at the Boston Marathon, which left several people dead and dozens injured. CHP officers, who serve as state troopers, in a hotel parking lot could be seen after the day’s race loading up their automatic weapons into a truck and leaving for their next assignment.

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Historic and Design Districts

By on May 16, 2013 in SB History

By Kellam de Forest

On April 9 and April 11 the Historic Landmarks Commission held public workshops April 9 and 11 to discuss the creation of Historic Districts.  The proposed districts are Bungalow Haven, between Olive and Micheltorerna east of Laguna. West Beach, north of Cabrillo Boulevard,  Castillo Street, North of Cota to De La Guerra, and Lower De La Vina, north of Cota to De La Guerra.

Bungalow Haven is already a special design district with guidelines aimed at preserving the Craftsman bungalows and the integrity of the neighborhood.  A Historic District designation would give CEQA status, possible property tax savings, and the use of the California Historic Building Code when making additions.  National and state studies found properties in historic districts increase housing values by an average of 16 %.

A proposal to add a 305 square foot second story addition to 1,030 square foot Craftsman bungalow at 1318 Morrison Avenue in the heart of the Bungalow Haven District was presented at the HLC meeting May 8.  It was stated by the applicants that the guidelines had been taken into account, but that was hard to believe with the plans calling for the second story to be plunked down on the rear of bungalow.  The HLC reluctantly went along with the concept of a second story despite the fact that the District Guidelines discourage second story additions.  They asked for design changes to make the addition less obtrusive and more in keeping the existing building.

The question of why the addition could not be one story added to the rear was raised.  Under current zoning this solution was deemed not feasible because such an addition would violate the open space requirements.  It would be conceivable if Historic District designation were approved, the Historic Building Code would allow the encroachment into the open space.

The impetus for historic districts comes from the desire to keep Santa Barbara Santa Barbara and preserve neighborhoods. The creation of a historic district requires that the designation be approved by City Council.   For more information contact City Urban Hernandez at 805-564-5470 x 4557 or email Nhernandez@SantabarbaraCA.gov

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Santa Barbara Business Beat

By on May 15, 2013 in Business by Ray Estrada

South Coast Firm’s Infra-Red System in Audis, BMWs

A Goleta-based company’s infra-red system, which specializes in spotting animals in the dark, soon will be featured in some of the world’s most popular luxury cars.

Autoliv has been making auto safety devices for some 60 years, including seatbelts and airbags. The $8.3 billion company employs 41 workers in Goleta where the camera for the new system is manufactured in a Fairview Avenue facility. Worldwide, Autoliv employs some 51,000 workers.

The system, which borrows the infra-red device made by another South Coast firm, FLIR, includes a grill-mounted camera in some Audis, Mercedes and BMWs.

Years of research have gone into the new system, which detects the movements of particular animals such as deer. Car collisions with deer cost an annual $3.5 billion, said Autoliv Managing Director Stuart Klapper.

He said since 2007 research has been conducted on safaris and deer farms to develop the system, which includes a moving spot light that tracks animal movements. A strobe light also is incorporated in the system because deer will stop in their tracks if a beam is shone directly at them, Klapper said.

The system adds up to $2,000 to the cost of the luxury cars that come equipped with them, Autoliv officials said. However, they said, less expensive cars such as Hondas may carry them in the future, which would lower the cost of installing the systems at the factory.

Granada Books Sets Thursday Dramatic Reading

Granada Books and its nonprofit arm, Pomegranate Arts, will host libations and light bites for the community at the Marquee Lounge, 1212 State St., for the fourth in a series of “First Edition” events from 5 to 7 p.m. May 16, featuring a live actor’s recitation from the play “Freud’s Last Session.”

Walking tours from the Marquee to the site of Granada Books at 1224 State St. will occur throughout Thursday night as attendees witness the bookstores progress. The store, first of its kind in 22 years, is set to open June 20.

In keeping in the mission of Pomegranate Arts, actor Ed Giron on Thursday will perform in character at the Marquee and recite excerpts from the play “Freud’s Last Session,” by Mark St. Germain. Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, and C. S. Lewis, author of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” meet in this fictionalized account as the two great thinkers convene at the invitation of Freud and the sparks fly.

Freud meets Lewis in his study at the onset of World War II, and two weeks before Freud takes his own life. The religious Lewis and the atheist Freud debate, relate and analyze each other in both comedic and dramatic exchanges. Lewis is as strong in his beliefs as Freud is in his non-beliefs as Lewis gives Freud a reasoned analysis for his beliefs, not without humor and irony.

“Freud’s Last Session” explores belief, sex, faith, life, death and philosophy in a “session” that is entertaining and insightful.
Continue Reading →

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Radiating Reality

By on May 15, 2013 in Cheri Rae

By Cheri Rae

Good neighbor Mike grew up right down the street and still lives in his family home. He remembers residents from times gone by, and virtually everything that has happened in this neighborhood for about a half-century.

When Mike was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer, he put out a plea on the neighborhood e-mail list: could we pitch in and drive him to his radiation treatments?

For weeks and weeks and weeks, an assortment of neighbors—and even a couple who don’t even live in the neighborhood anymore—have stepped up to drive him to his daily morning appointment across town. Sometimes it takes an hour, sometimes two. Sometimes he needs to run an errand afterward, sometimes not. It’s the least we can do to help him cope with his situation.

This particular morning, while Mike was receiving his treatment, the waiting room filled up with a lovely group of individuals, all waiting their turn. We got to talking and sharing stories.

One woman in a wheelchair had a brightly colored purse draped over the side. She proudly showed it off, and said it was her chemo bag; her daughter made it for her. She spoke of her fondness for scrapbooking and hummingbirds. She is facing another round of radiation treatment due to a recurrence of cancer—this time in her lungs.

Another woman with glittery nail polish and a pretty crocheted skullcap noted that all the color was to bring healing energy her way. “I don’t get manicures and pedicures,” she said, “but this was a birthday present to help me get better.” She pointed to her head: “I have brain cancer,” she said. “And breast cancer.”

And another woman named the large assortment of birds that occupy her back yard—and how she worries about her cat getting the robin that built its nest just two feet off the ground. “I just learned how to use the feeding tube, “ she remarked with a smile, “gotta keep my weight up.”

We talked about newspapers, books and bookstores; building furniture and traveling to Costa Rica; the dubious wisdom of 16-year-old drivers and open high school campuses. Of coping with losing hair and in admiration of the beautiful woman at the local wig shop who looks good in everything she sells. Everyone in the room knew of her.

A nice little neighborly connection among a group of individuals—unexpectedly finding themselves in the same place at the same time—united in a fight against an all-too-common foe.

United, too, in gratitude for having the time to notice the sweet and simple little matters of daily life on a beautiful morning in May.

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Remodeling of the Historic Lobero Theatre

By on May 14, 2013 in News

An Open Letter to the members of the Lobero Foundation by Kellam de Forest

The Lobero Theatre is a landmark and is so designated by the State and the City.  Your board is currently engaged in a fund raising campaign to fund extensive remodeling to this historic building. As your Encore Lobero brochure explains the current theater lacks heating and air conditioning, modern seating and adequate restroom facilities.  Such modernization is commendable and deserves community support.

Artist Rendering of Esplanade

As you are surely aware through letters and blogs that many object to your plans for a walled level terrace called an esplanade.  Such a major alteration will destroy the historic character defining. 1924 entrance designed by George Washington Smith with landscaping by Lockwood de Forest,

I realize that the walled terrace accessed by a flight of steps was deemed necessary to conform to current ADA requirements, which mandate the handicapped must have access through the principal entrance. I have contacted the Deputy California State Architect Dennis Corelis in Sacramento.  He is in charge advising and enforcement of the ADA codes.  He verified that the California Historic Building Code provides alternative regulations to facilitate and use by persons with disabilities to facilities as qualified historical buildings or properties. These regulations require enforcing agencies to accept alternatives when compliance with regular code will threaten or destroy the character defining features of a building or property. Section 8-603.2 allows access for the handicapped to any entrance or exit used by the general public, but such an entrance must be no further than 200 feet from the primary entrance. The exit doors to the theater lobby are less than 200 feet both on the paseo side and the Anacapa side. The use of either or both of these doors for the handicapped would mean the brick sloped entrance could remain as is.

The use of the sloping brick entrance walkway as a gathering place during intermissions could remain.  All that the ADA code requires is that 5% of a refreshment area be level and handicapped accessible. This space could be provided by expanding the terrace under the pergola or by using the existing pathway on the Paseo side.

As to the liability concern about the brick slope both Mr. Corelis and attorney friends opine that any claim would have little merit. A potential litigant would have to prove, 1, that he didn’t know the area was sloped and 2, the slope caused his fall. The Lobero slope has been there for 90 year.

Yes, it is true that the olive trees have been infected with the fungus verticllium.  Although there is no known cure currently, infected trees with proper care can live for a number of years.  I have been told that you might be reconsidering the replacement of the Olive trees. The use of olives was an important element of my father’s Lockwood de Forest landscape plan.

I hope you might consider taking advantage of the California Historic Building Code.  It was written to preserve the character-defining elements of California’s designated historic structures and sites. Using the Historic Building Code could save you money by eliminating the expense of building the terrace and the steps.

Under the stewardship of the Lobero Foundation, the Lobero Theatre has retained its importance as one of Santa Barbara’s premier historic sites as well as an all-important venue for the arts.

Sincerely, Kellam de Forest

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Fighting Crime with Caffeine

By on May 14, 2013 in Loretta Redd

Office Kasi Beutel at Coffee with a Cop

I attended the Coffee With A Cop last week at Good Cup on Wednesday afternoon.  I’m pleased first to report that I didn’t see a single donut amongst them. My two questions to Public Information Officer Riley Harwood, my beat coordinator and other local officers was this:

What can we do to assist you in your work?”

They seemed rather shocked by the question, but it led to some interesting exchanges.

They each referenced the heinous decade-long kidnapping in Cleveland, reminding us that there are two incredibly important steps to take as a resident:  first, get to know your neighbors.  Secondly, when something doesn’t seem ‘right’ take the time to call the authorities and report it.  Likely more times than not, it will turn out to be unfounded, but two things will result regardless: you’ll become more familiar with the police department, and they will be alerted to potential crimes or multiple calls for service in an area.

How many of us do know our neighbors?  In some cases, you may not want to…but you should at least know their names and maybe share a contact number.

Fortunately, Santa Barbara has a long tradition of friendliness and integration.  We haven’t replicated the obligatory prison-like gates, high walls and hedges of Montecito where status begins with insular exclusivity.  We don’t measure our importance by how difficult we are to speak to, or how little we participate in our community.

Block parties used to be a great way to get to know your neighbors.  But they now require a litany of permits, driven by America’s obsession to find employment for every attorney by regulating every aspect of life.  When my partner and I moved into a neighborhood, I placed a note in the mailbox of the surrounding neighbors (illegal, I know, but I waited until the mail had been delivered) introducing ourselves, and issuing an invitation to stop by for a visit.

As much as I believe in ‘foot patrols’ for beat cops, the economic reality is that they probably aren’t coming back.  That’s too bad, because when an officer gets out of a car, or off of a motorcycle or even bicycle, the world slows down and you begin to notice details and changes easily missed from a moving vehicle.  Plus, you can build relationship without buying coffee.

We have a multi-week program in town called the Citizens Police academy which I highly recommend.  It used to be English only, but with our changing demographics, they began including Spanish speaking classes as well.  Plus, when they moved the location from the Police headquarters to the Franklin Center, the enrollment shot through the roof.

Now the police are embarking on a cutting  edge adaptation, aimed at bringing our residents together regardless of cultural background.  They’re going to utilize ‘real time’ translation software, so that both English and Spanish speakers can be in the same class, sharing their thoughts and concerns about their neighborhoods and police response,  while they learn about all aspects of the different police divisions and departments.

Just last week, four drug dealers were apprehended on the basis of a citizen’s complaint…a drug house within 200 feet of an elementary school, no doubt.

During my sidewalk conversation with officers Beutel, Harwood and Hernandez, I confirmed the assumption that the homeless population–varied, though it is– is currently causing the highest number of calls for intervention, while also being  the biggest waste of time and dollars.

Since you cannot force a person into getting help, there will never be sufficient  housing for every person living on the street, and our jail cells have turned into revolving doors, perhaps it is time to stop expecting the police to singlehandedly do the work of upholding our community standards.

If we, as citizens, encounter a person who is asking for money rather than real assistance, we can:

(1) advise any visitors considering making such a contribution to please not do so,  “Excuse me, but in Santa Barbara we discourage people from giving money to street beggars, as they often don’t have the ability to make good spending decisions.  You could be doing more harm than good.”

(2) tell the youthful anarchists sitting on the brick wall “art” that they could do better.  “Young man, you appear to be a healthy, Caucasian male, raised in a country with free education…you can do better than this.”  When they tell you what they think of your advice, or where you can put it,  I’ll bet you’ll feel better about turning down their request for ‘spare change’ next time.

(3) actually familiarize yourself with some of the service agencies for shelter, food or other social services, and either talk to the person on the street about it or write it down on a piece of paper…preferably not on a dollar bill.

(4) lastly, call 911 for service if the individual appears to be in distress psychologically or physically, or is being abusive to you or others.

In other words, let’s stop complaining, and DO something about it.  I’m not being naive;  this can work if enough of us decide to take back our streets, get to know our neighbors, and confront behaviors you would rather not associate with your town or have your children witness.  We have to provide assistance to those who want it, but make it uncomfortable for those who do not.

In my coffee chat that day, there were three officers from Fullerton who joined in to watch, and plan to begin the Coffee with a Cop program in their community.  And, by the way, they told me that homelessness was not a problem in their town, so maybe it doesn’t have to be in ours.

We pay a lot of money for the police we have, but they can only do so much without our assistance, especially after three cups of coffee.

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Do You Want a Gang Injunction in Santa Barbara?

By on May 13, 2013 in News

Santa Barbara’s gang injunction was initiated by the City of Santa Barbara along with the District Attorney. It has been in the judicial system from a substantial amount of time without updates to the public about its status. It is also a topic of public controversy. Helene Schneider has asked for an update to be given tomorrow at the Santa Barbara City Council meeting, which leads to the poll question of the week:

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Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee Official Endorsements

By on May 13, 2013 in News

It comes as no surprise that the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee has endorsed incumbents Helene Schneider for Mayor and Bendy White for City Council, but two additional names have received endorsements from the Committee:

Megan Diaz Alley was born and raised in Crown Point, Indiana and achieved a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism, from Columbia College Chicago. Following graduation, Megan worked behind the scenes in the film industry, handling multi-million-dollar budgets as an Art Department Coordinator on film productions in Southern California.

Her passion for the environment on the central coast, led Megan to the Santa Barbara area, where she has worked for several non-profit organizations, including the Community Environmental Council (CEC) where she educated community leaders and the public on climate change and our dependency on finite resources such as fossil fuels. Megan also served as a producer and host of Nonprofit Spotlight, a program that highlights the proactive work of our region’s nonprofits.

Currently, Megan is the Development and Public Relations Coordinator for the local nonprofit Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International, which in addition to its global mission of restoring sight and preventing blindness to disadvantaged individuals worldwide, is the parent of the Santa Barbara Vision Care Program (SBVCP), which provides comprehensive eye exams, eyeglasses, medications, and eye surgery at no cost to qualified patients who reside in Santa Barbara County.
Continue Reading →

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History of the City of Santa Barbara: Part VI

By on May 13, 2013 in News, SB History

According to the General Plan, Santa Barbara has had ten major historical periods. Over the next few months, Santa Barbara View will post the History of the City…

Design Review Origins (1902 – 1925)

Like many communities throughout the country, Santa Barbara became interested in city improvement and beautification. In March of 1902, the City Council appointed the first Board of Park Commissioners. Within two years, the Board added two important parks (Oak Park and East Beach Park, now known as Chase Palm Park) to the city’s park system. In Oak Park more than 100 oak trees and other species were planted to give the park its natural, arcadian setting. Because of continued tree planting and maintenance throughout the city, Santa Barbara was officially designated a “Tree City USA” in 1980. It has retained that designation ever since. During this time period (and through at least 1931), various civic organizations purchased much of the Santa Barbara waterfront with the intention of assuring that it would be preserved in perpetuity for public use.

By the turn of the 20th Century, Santa Barbara had become a well-established destination for people from the Midwest and the East trying to escape the harsh winter months. In 1902, the 600-room Potter Hotel was constructed near West Beach. In 1911, this was followed by the completion of the equally grand new Mission Revival-style Arlington Hotel on State Street at Victoria which covered an entire city block. Both hotels were subsequently destroyed, the Potter by fire in 1921 and the Arlington, demolished in 1926 because of extensive damage from the 1925 earthquake.

In 1901, the long-awaited railroad link to San Francisco was completed. In 1905 a new Mission Revival-style train station was opened to travelers. During this time, the City’s streetcar system was expanded with lines running from the beach to the Mission, and in 1913, up to the State Normal School campus located on the Riviera. At that time, the Riviera Development Company bought about 300 acres of land on Mission Ridge and built the roads, sandstone retaining walls, underground utilities, and planted hundreds of oak trees. This was one of the first subdivisions designed to have a cohesive visual appearance both in its landscaping and layout. Additionally, there were architectural standards requiring that lot owners build “Riviera style” houses featuring white stucco walls with red tile roofs and costing at least $4,000, a significant amount for the time.

Santa Barbara’s Pearl

Shortly after the conclusion of World War I, Santa Barbara began to revamp its visual and cultural image. The nationally recognized architect Bertram G. Goodhue was hired to plan a new commercial streetscape (unbuilt) of Hispanic design. It was in the 1920’s that the idea of protecting and furthering the city’s Hispanic heritage was enthusiastically embraced. Civic leaders Bernhard Hoffmann and Pearl Chase of the Plans and Planting Committee, formed in 1922 as part of the Community Arts Association formed in 1919, were the driving force behind the movement to return Santa Barbara to its roots as a city reflecting its Hispanic heritage.

In 1922 a competition requiring the use of a “Spanish type” style was held for plans for a new city hall. Pearl Chase, dubbed “Santa Barbara’s Pearl” continued to work tirelessly to beautify Santa Barbara until her death in 1979 at the age of 90. Between 1923 and 1925, the architects of the Santa Barbara Community Drafting Room, along with the Allied Architectural Association of Los Angeles, held a series of public exhibitions of drawings showing how individual blocks of State Street could be rebuilt using a unifying Hispanic architectural theme. This goal would ultimately be realized through the development of architectural guidelines aimed at the creation of a “New Spain in America.” Until this point, Santa Barbara’s downtown core mainly featured Victorian era brick-faced buildings, typical of any other city in America.

One year after the establishment of the Plans and Planting Committee, the city created a Planning Commission. The City adopted a building and zoning ordinance in 1925. At the urging of the Plans and Planting Committee, several important civic buildings we re constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style between 1922 and 1924: City Hall, Santa Barbara High School, the original Roosevelt Elementary School and the Lobero Theater. Additionally, several important commercial buildings were constructed during this period including El Paseo (1922-24; 1928-29). Built as a group of shops, apartments, restaurants, and offices around the historic Casa de la Guerra (1818-1828), El Paseo is still regarded today as one of the finest examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style for its design, massing, and details. In 1924, the city funded a “Street, Boulevard, and Park System Plan” designed by the nationally renowned city planner Charles Cheney. Though most of Cheney’s plan was not implemented, it did provide inspiration in helping shape the present waterfront.

A significant success of the Plans and Planning Committee prior to the 1925 earthquake was its outreach campaign to educate the public in the value of good building practices and architectural harmony. This education was provided by the committee to schools and civic organizations. With Pearl Chase at its helm after 1927, the committee also crusaded for the development of more high quality, affordable small homes in Santa Barbara. She and like minded citizens wanted to make architectural harmony and beautification of lower-income neighborhoods an essential part of city planning.

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