Council Proposes Steamlining Zoning Rules

A proposal to change a number of Santa Barbara zoning rules in the name of increased user-friendliness and improved clarity came under fire from a former mayor and neighborhood preservationists concerned that the modifications would allow increased density at the expense of open space and landscaping. City planner Betty Weiss argued that the aim of the changes is to remove contradictory, outdated, and unclear rules from the lengthy list.