Santa Barbara Proposes Painful Regulations for Restaurant Parklets

••• From Noozhawk: Santa Barbara’s Public Works Department “is proposing that businesses who want outdoor dining submit a plan and pay a $514 pre-application fee so that the city can review the parklet first. For projects in the coastal zone, after paying for the pre-application, fee, businesses would need to pay $5,535 for a coastal development permit. Among the new suggested rules is that parklets will be limited to the parking space(s) entirely within the frontage of the business. If a parking space straddles the line between two businesses, then it cannot be used for a parklet unless both businesses share the parklet.” That would reduce, say, Aperitivo’s parklet back to the size when it was first built (above). “Traffic and safety protection will also be required for all parklets.” Lest you think increased safety protection isn’t an issue, see below…. (Milk & Honey is at 30 W. Anapamu.) But wait, there’s more: “City staff is also recommending that parklets not be allowed on major arterial roads—two vehicle lanes going in the same direction.” And of course restaurants would have to pay $2 per square foot in rent. P.S. I think this does not affect the State Street Promenade. (UPDATE 10/19: The city council approved it, reports Noozhawk.)

A downtown Santa Barbara parklet was damaged Monday night at 30 west Anapamu St. The wooden structure used for dining was shattered. A witness said police were questioning a driver nearby about 7 p.m. The vehicle had damage. The restaurant was not open at the time. pic.twitter.com/BaTYyMRFc7

— John Palminteri (@JohnPalminteri) October 17, 2023

••• Meanwhile, “the Carpinteria City Council voted […] to permanently establish parklets for Carpinteria’s small businesses, allowing those businesses to continue operating in outdoor spaces” with an annual lease rate of $800.—Coastal View News

••• An Edhat reader says the city of Santa Barbara appears to be considering “a potential measure to increase the city’s transient occupancy tax (hotel tax) from the current 12% up to a total of 15%,” judging from a recent phone survey.

••• And “Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to conduct a public poll to gauge support for three potential tax measures that could be included on the November 2024 ballot. […] The potential tax measures include an increase in the unincorporated area sales tax for general purposes, a countywide sales tax increase, and a countywide parcel tax for special purposes, such as funding libraries. Each measure would require different voting thresholds for placement on the ballot and implementation.” —Edhat

••• “Local agencies are in talks with Los Angeles–based Metrolink to provide commuter service from Ventura County to Santa Barbara and Goleta, beginning in April. […] The preliminary concept is for Metrolink to leave Moorpark at 6:33 a.m., with stops in Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta. Commuters would then travel back to Ventura County beginning at 4:25 p.m. from Goleta, going through all the cities again, with a final stop in Moorpark at 6:05 p.m. The return trip would be on the Pacific Surfliner.” —Noozhawk

••• “A new gate […] has been installed at the Hot Springs Trailhead, which will be closed to prevent access on high-fire weather days and during red flag alerts.” So that’ll keep out everyone who doesn’t know you can just walk up Hot Springs Road…? —Montecito Journal

••• “Community West Bank’s seven full-service bank offices in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties will combine with Central Valley Community Bank’s 20 full-service banking centers in eight counties, according to a news release. Central Valley Community Bank will assume the name Community West Bank.” —Noozhawk

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