Misguided Oversight

I am a longtime resident of Santa Barbara. We are so fortunate to live in this beautiful coastal area that we call home. I count my blessings on a daily basis and I thank my ancestors for “finding” this place.

I love Santa Barbara like I love my family, unconditionally and completely. Therefore, it pains me to witness the current state of the City of Santa Barbara under the guidance of the Santa Barbara City Council. The most glaring faux pas to date is the misguided oversight of our historic main thoroughfare, State Street.  

Providing parklet space to local restaurants during the dark days of COVID was the right thing to do.
Closing State Street with no plan in place, and no plan in motion for the near future is complete and total negligence. Not only toward the community as a whole, but specifically business owners, property owners, as well as their customers, vendors, and public who used to visit State Street on a regular basis.

I suggest that Santa Barbara reopen State Street immediately, by removing all barriers, allowing cars trollies and bicycles on the road, and in their designated part of the roadway. And lastly, welcome the public back to the wide, clean walkways that we remember so well.

Basically, reopen  State Street as it was in 2020. In the meantime, city planners, councilmembers, as well as local businesses and citizens, work together to develop a cohesive and viable plan.