I saw this post on De La Guerra Street and I can’t figure out what “SBTP” stands for. Can you help? —A.
As you undoubtedly know, a quick Google search leads nowhere. Because the post has electrical wires plugged into it, I tried asking the Santa Barbara Public Works Department (no response), and Southern California Edison (which said it’s probably not their post but they couldn’t say for sure). So I reached out to the nice folks at Allen Construction: “SBTP most likely stands for Santa Barbara Temporary Power, a local company we use during construction. The poles are temporary during construction until we can move power to the new location on a building or underground.”
And Santa Barbara Temporary Power is also known by its parent company’s name, Owens Electric. According to the bio on the Owens Electric page on the SantaBarbaraYP website—the company’s most robust online presence—Santa Barbara Temporary Power was founded in 1994. “When an electric panel is not on a residence yet or has been removed for a remodel,” explained a representative, “we put in a pole that Edison puts a meter on, so contractors can do construction.” As for the number on the post, it’s the company’s phone number, minus the area code and with quirky spacing.
P.S. Now that you know what SBTP means, you’ll probably start to see the posts everywhere, like the Hot Springs Road building site pictured below.
Got a question? Email [email protected] or text 917-209-6473.
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Previous Burning Questions:
••• What’s up with the “no e-bike” signs on local trails?
••• Why is Franceschi House in a holding pattern?
••• Why is there a train station inside this State Street storefront?
••• What’s happening with this derelict house in Summerland?
••• Is there a story behind Lucky Penny’s bell?
••• Why is there wood on some power lines?
••• What are these black beetles that are everywhere this spring?
••• Can you explain how sundowner winds work?
••• Why is there a pressure cooker attached to this utility pole?
••• What’s this concrete ramp thing on East Beach?
••• Why does “USA” get written on the street?
••• What are those poles in the ocean near the Ritz-Carlton Bacara?
••• Are people really allowed to set fires in the middle of Montecito?
••• What’s the story with the half-finished lot next to the Montecito Country Mart?
••• Is the bridge over San Ysidro Creek ever going to get repaired?
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