••• Opening this Saturday: “The Farmacy Santa Barbara at 128 W. Mission St. [at De La Vina] offers the legal sale of cannabis for recreational use to customers age 21 or older showing their government-issued identification card. […] The showroom, which is about 1,000 square feet, displays a carefully curated range of products addressing a wide spectrum of health, wellness, beauty and recreational needs. Several curated products are farmed and sourced in Santa Barbara County. […] The Farmacy Santa Barbara has a variety of pot products, including edibles, cannabis-infused drinks, balms, pre-rolled joints, tinctures, extracts,” and more. Delivery will be available starting next month.—Noozhawk (and there’s a big profile of founder Graham Farrar in the Independent)
••• “The Montecito Fire Department, in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Carpinteria Summerland Fire Protection District, have engaged Atkin’s Engineering to update the Debris Flow Risk Map. The most current version of the Debris Flow Risk Map was published in late Fall 2018 and is available at readysbc.org. […] Scientists will begin gathering data at the end of August 2019 and the map will be published in late October 2019. Community meetings and a door to door campaign of affected properties will follow in early November 2019.” —Edhat
••• The New York Times looked at how many folks—not just in California, but across the West—are having trouble getting insurance after last year’s wildfires. Of note: “Decisions that were once made based largely on how quickly a fire department could reach the property now involve third-party analytics companies, Mr. Biskupiak said. Those companies examine everything from the surrounding timber and grass conditions, the slope of the ground, where the prevailing winds come from and the conditions on nearby land. ‘It’s not necessarily the property that’s being evaluated,’ [Montana deputy insurance commissioner Bob Biskupiak] said. ‘It’s about where the fire could potentially start.’” Related: The Wall Street Journal has a similar article.
••• There was a terrific article in the Montecito Journal a few weeks back about parking regulations—namely, can you legally park by the side of the road? I thought I kept it, but I thought wrong. The main point, if I remember correctly, was that unless official signage prohibits parking, you’re allowed to park on any street for up to 72 hours. What’s more, those rocks and other impediments that property owners put in front of their houses are illegal. If you have questions or complaints about a parking situation, you can all Santa Barbara County Public Works at 805-681-4990.
••• Santa Barbara Plaza “at 29 S. Milpas St. once housed Trader Joe’s and Petco, but now sits mostly empty, with a Rite Aid and bagel shop serving as two of the center’s most prominent businesses. The Santa Barbara Architectural Board of Review […] voted 5-0 to approve a remodel and redesign of the center [….] The project consists of a façade remodel including new colors, copper gutters, sandstone bases, and extended eaves. Plans call for a 33-foot-tall entry tower for the new Sprouts grocery store. The developers plan to reconfigure the parking lot circulation, add new bicycle parking, new landscaping and lighting, and improve drainage. They also plan to add queen palms, similar to the ones on Cabrillo Boulevard, in front of the plaza.” —Noozhawk
••• “In an attempt to crack down on drinking, loitering and other bad behavior, the Santa Barbara City Council […] passed a sweeping set of new regulations for its parks. Parks will now formally close 30 minutes after sunset, and adults will need to have a child 12 or younger with them to be at a playground.” —Noozhawk
••• “The U.S. Military launched a previously banned missile from San Nicolas Island on Sunday afternoon. This missile test would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty which the U.S. and Russia terminated just over 2 weeks ago.” —Edhat
••• “Separated bike paths, roundabouts and crosswalks are coming to Santa Barbara’s Cliff Drive. The projects are still in the planning stage, but officials hope by 2025 to begin construction on a series of changes designed to improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists. […] The city wants to add crosswalks on or near Cliff Drive at Camino Calma, Santa Cruz Boulevard and Oceano Avenue. […] The city also is considering a roundabout on Cliff Drive at the intersections of Mesa Lane and Flora Vista Drive.” —Noozhawk
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