••• From a press release on Noozhawk: Someone gave $500,000 toward the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County‘s purchase of 48 acres next to the Arroyo Hondo Preserve. The effort still needs $210,000. (Photo by Bill Dewey.)
••• The state of California is insisting that local governments prove the ability to add a certain amount of housing, so Santa Barbara County prioritized rezoning agricultural land and the Glen Annie Golf Course, but then Goleta objected, wondering why Montecito and Hope Ranch got left out. As a result, an effort was made to identify land in Montecito that could be rezoned used, and now the Rosewood Miramar Beach parking lot could be developed as employee housing. —Noozhawk
••• Meanwhile, the city of Santa Barbara thinks it should have much more involvement in the proposal to build 685 apartments in a mixed-use development at the Macy’s end of La Cumbre Plaza. —Noozhawk
••• The Rosewood Miramar Beach resort is working on installing an offshore platform for swimmers, the way there used to be one back in the day. —Montecito Journal
••• From a press release on Edhat: “Looking ahead to Fiesta 2023 [August 2-6], officials announced that the Friday historic parade, El Desfile Histórico, will return to Cabrillo Boulevard with a longer route from Castillo Street to Milpas; a full Mercado and carnival has been given the green light to return to its historic roots at the beach; and all other traditional events, from Fiesta Pequeña to the Rodeo to Noches de Ronda, are confirmed for Fiesta 2023.” The theme is “Let’s Fiesta.” Wonder how many people it took to come up with that.
••• From another press release on Edhat: “The Starr King Rummage Sale is back for the first time since the pandemic! A community favorite, the one-day sale Saturday, March 11th is in a new location this year at La Cumbre Plaza, the upper parking lot of the Old Sears building. Early Birds pay $20 from 7 am to 8 am and General Admission is Free from 8am to 3 pm.”
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The zoning of the Miramar site already allows for housing. It does not need to be rezoned to allow housing. However, building in the parking lot could impact the required parking for the hotel. To avoid impacts to required hotel parking they would instead need to convert guestrooms or other portions of the site to housing.
Can they not retain parking on the first level with housing above? I’ve also been wondering how the hotel will handle the removal and then the need for this parking.
Moving the Fiesta parade to Cabrillo full time s a no brainer. But that’s why it took 40 years and a global pandemic. Our local officials have always had a hard time with implementing the best solutions… Did they hire 7 consultants over 3 years and pay them $250k each for this decision? Not sure, but its highly likely based on how they approach every other decision they’re paid to make…
Viva La Taxes!
Your telling me La Cumbra Plaza is a large enough space for 682 small apartment for what $4000.00 a month for what 500 sq ft. If that.
Deanna R – Yes. It’s actually only about 1/3 of the La Cumbre Plaza site. Here’s a link for more info. https://www.sitelinesb.com/the-plan-for-685-new-apartments-at-la-cumbre-plaza/
If you want to go to the best party during Fiesta this year, do yourself a favor and go see Trombone Shorty and Ziggy Marley at the SB Bowl.