Dear Fellow Concerned Citizen;
Thank you for supporting the effort to re-open State Street. Unfortunately, the Santa Barbara City Council voted 5 - 2 to keep State Street closed for 3 more years. Mayor Rowse and Councilman Friedman voted against keeping it closed. This terrible decision ignores all of the reasons to re-open it - the ending of the pandemic, the innumerable open air dining opportunities that already existed, the harm to retail establishments, the horrid structures defiling the highly scrutinized architectural landscape, and the filth and rats the “parklets" attract. Our time will come again in three years so please remain vigilante and ready.
In the meantime, let me invite you to join two long standing local organizations that are committed to preserving the beauty and quality of life in Santa Barbara - the Citizens’ Planning Association and the Pearl Chase Society:
https://www.pearlchasesociety.org/
I am a member of both and hope you will join me in making these organizations even more of a force for our community's good.
Best always,
Ed