••• “Santa Barbara hired an $800,000 consultant to help create a State Street Master Plan, and so far the work has focused on a website, workshops and community surveys,” reports Noozhawk. “79% of 4,000 people who responded to a survey said ‘no to cars’ on State Street” and “residents want more trees and greenery along State Street, additional places for art and performances, more diverse seating areas, some food and coffee kiosks, and places for ‘street play,'” whatever that means.
••• Dirt reports that the buyers of the Ennisbrook hacienda twice bought and sold by Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are “Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe and her Texas oil heir husband Michael Herd. […] Wolfe’s acquisition of the property and venue is perhaps ironic, considering she co-founded Tinder alongside [Sean Rad, the hacienda’s previous owner], but departed the tech giant in 2014, later filing a lawsuit that accused Tinder executives of sexual harassment.”
••• “82-Unit Milpas Street Housing Project Wins Santa Barbara Design Approval [….] With a few additional feature requests, Architectural Board of Review grants green light for apartment complex at 701 N. Milpas St.” And developer Ed “St. George said the development eventually will be the nicest housing project in Santa Barbara.” I look forward to seeing it. —Noozhawk
••• From a city press release on Edhat: “Construction for the Westside Community Paseos Project, which will provide strong walking and biking connections within the Westside, and from the Westside to Downtown, begins on the 600 block of West Mission Street on January 27 and will last for two months in this location.” While the rendering simply shows the green wayfinding markings you see elsewhere, the release goes on to say that “a new, separated multiuse path will be constructed that safely connects cyclists and pedestrians to routes on Modoc Road and San Pascual Street.”
••• “Santa Barbara Central Library Reopens Upper Level […] Access resumes to public computers and printing; other construction projects expected to be complete by the fall.” —Noozhawk
••• “UC Regents Express Frustration with UCSB Chancellor Yang over Munger Hall [….] New Design for UC Santa Barbara’s Proposed Mega-Dorm Could Be Unveiled ‘as Early as This Summer,’ but Regents Want It Sooner.” —Independent
••• A Farmacy cannabis shop has opened in Santa Ynez. —Noozhawk
••• The tree of the month is the Kentia palm. “Its most distinctive characteristic is its open canopy of slightly drooping fronds—the quintessential appearance and relaxed feel of a tropical island palm. […] Mature Kentia Palms can be seen in many locations in our community: in the sunken gardens of the County Courthouse; in East Alameda Plaza; in front of the Carriage Museum at Pershing Park; in the Santa Barbara Cemetery; mixed with other palms in front of the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion; many in Lotusland; on the UCSB campus; and, in yards and gardens all around town.” —Edhat
••• What used to be the St. Regis Princeville Resort on Kauai will reopen as 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on February 15: “Wellness is a focus, with an 18,000-square-foot spa and an 8,400-square-foot fitness center and yoga studio. Guests can arrange consultations with nutritionists, integrative-medicine doctors, physical trainers and meditation guides; sign up for holistic therapy and infrared sauna sessions; or book four-, seven- or 10-day retreats with personalized physical and nutritional programming.” Rates starts at $1,500 per night. —The New York Times (and I’m not sure whether that’s a photo or a rendering)
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Rendering.
$800k of taxpayer money on “consultants” who essentially put together a poll (a poll that I’m sure any average 12 year-old could conceive for their 7th grade social studies class)?? Are they serious?!?!
Even if it cost 80k, it would be too much!