SANTA BARBARA COUNCIL & ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS: APR 24-28

By an edhat reader

Week of April 24, 2023: Council and advisory committee meetings of Santa Barbara City

A long-time Edhat subscriber, hoping for more public participation in our local government, thought it would be helpful and interesting for the community to have a weekly listing of selected meetings, those of city-wide interest. We agreed. Please tell us what you think. There have been requests for coverage of other jurisdictions; volunteers to do that, please contact info@edhat.com. If we’ve mis-posted an address or there’s a meeting that we failed to list, please note the correction in the Comments section below. Thanks!

Santa Barbara has a City Calendar of events, including meetings. City TV covers many of the meetings and has reruns. However, Consent Calendar meetings are not televised. Our new city website design is a mixed blessing, prettier-looking but with some information harder to find if it exists at all. The agenda descriptions here are copied from the meetings’ agendas, shortened for clarity.

Common acronyms, abbreviations: hybrid or Hyflex, meeting access is both in person and via Zoom or other webinar; PDA, Project Design Approval; FA, Final Approval; CAR, Council Agenda Report. Meeting locations: City Council chambers upstairs at City Hall, 735 Anacapa Street; David Gebhard Room (DGR), 630 Garden Street; or where noted. Noted also for some Council and Advisory Committee meetings are non-public addresses; these are addresses for those public servants who choose to attend the meetings at home or elsewhere.

WEEKLY NOTABLES, among others: On Tuesday, City Council revisits promenade outdoor business facility fees; “The costs associated with operations and maintenance of the State Street Promenade, including the 400 and 1300 blocks of State Street, are largely borne by the Downtown Parking Fund. Expenditures are estimated to be approximately $515,000 (does not include the cost of adding a 0.5 FTE code compliance officer for ADA, design, and other regulatory requirements) in Fiscal Year 2023, and approximately $675,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 (includes the cost of a 0.5 FTE code compliance officer), with additional increases in future years. All revenue generated from the new fees would be used to defray the annual cost associated with State Street Promenade interim operations.” CAR pg. 3 Thursday’s Fire and Police Commission presents the OIR GROUP audit of Santa Barbara Police Department policies, procedures and practices; and also FY 2024 budget reviews.

MONDAY, 4/24

Single Family Design Board, 11:00 a.m., DGR, in person: Consent Agenda: Cancelled. 939 Carrillo Road postponed, tentatively for May 8. Past agendas, architectural drawings and public comments from prior meetings, link.

Architectural Board of Review, 1 p.m., DGR, in person, Consent Calendar agenda: Cancelled; tentatively scheduled for May 1.

Single Family Design Board, regular meeting, 3 p.m, DGR, hyflex, Agenda:

Discussion item Accessory dwelling unit legislation update & training Staff: Jillian Ferguson, Associate Planner, City of Santa Barbara (Staff will be providing a brief legislative update on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).)
1215 High Ridge Lane, New Item: Concept Review … Applicant/Architect: David Watkins, David Watkins Design (Proposal to construct a 5,708 square foot, one-story, single-unit residence, with an 840 square foot attached three-car garage, and a 270 square foot pool cabana, located in the Hillside Design District. Project includes associated site improvements …The existing residence and garage/storage space will be demolished… No final appealable decision will take place at this hearing. Neighborhood Preservation Findings, Hillside Design District & Sloped Lot Findings, and Grading Findings will be required when the project is reviewed for Project Design Approval.
1414 Santa Rosa Avenue …Applicant/Architect: Mark Bucciarelli (Interior remodel and proposal to construct a 386 square foot first floor addition, and a 766 square foot second story Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), to the existing 1,521 square foot one-story single-unit residence. … Staff Hearing Officer approved a Coastal Development Permit for the ADU on April 5, 2023.) Project Design Approval is requested. Neighborhood Preservation Findings are required. Project was last reviewed on February 27, 2023.
3855 Calle Cita, Cont. Item, Concept Review … Owner: Missionary Church of Santa Barbara Designer: Roland Fournier, Fournier Design Studio Proposal to construct a new 2,351 square foot two-story residence with a 432 square foot garage on a 10,000 square foot vacant lot with an existing creek/drainage area. Project requests front setback and interior setback Modification approvals from the Staff Hearing Officer. … Neighborhood Preservation Findings will be required when the project is reviewed for Project Design Approval. Project was last reviewed on March 27, 2023.
3635 Santa Maria Lane …Applicant/Architect: Jeanna Ruby, JR Design Proposal to demolish the existing 1,124 square foot single-story single-unit residence and construct a new 2,021 square foot single-story single-unit residence and a new 430 square foot attached garage. The existing permitted 375 square foot Accessory Dwelling Unit will remain and is not under the SFDB purview. … No final appealable decision will take place at this hearing. Neighborhood Preservation Findings will be required when the project is reviewed for Project Design Approval. Project was last reviewed on March 27, 2023.

Architectural drawings, public comment re 1215 High Ridge Lane, recent minutes: link.

TUESDAY, 4/25

City Council Ordinance Committee (Agenda states 12:00, CAR states, 12:30 p.m.,) Council Chamber, hyflex, Agenda: storage of personal property in public areas; Council Agenda Report, packet pages 11-23: Recommended: That the Ordinance Committee consider a proposed Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Adding Chapter 9.96 to the Municipal Code to Regulate the Storage of Personal Property in Public Places and forward the ordinance amendment to City Council for introduction and adoption.

City Council Regular meeting, 2:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Hyflex, 2 P.M.,

(95-page Council Agenda packet: link.) Agenda: Zoom/Web access info is available in the Agenda; Consent Calendar, Items 3-12, highlights: grants and contracts.

Item 13 Appeal of Planning Commission’s approval re: 2315 Edgewater Way continued to 5/23.

Item 14, Public Works, Revisiting: Promenade fees, “BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION: The costs associated with operations and maintenance of the State Street Promenade, including the 400 and 1300 blocks of State Street, are largely borne by the Downtown Parking Fund. Expenditures are estimated to be approximately $515,000 (does not include the cost of adding a 0.5 FTE code compliance officer for ADA, design, and other regulatory requirements) in Fiscal Year 2023, and approximately $675,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 (includes the cost of a 0.5 FTE code compliance officer), with additional increases in future years. All revenue generated from the new fees would be used to defray the annual cost associated with State Street Promenade interim operations….”

Item 15, City Attorney: “EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, S-T Rental Enforcement Pilot Program: This report provides an overview of a proposed 12-month Short-Term Rental Enforcement Pilot Program that would be overseen by the City Attorney’s Office and supported by the Finance Department. The Pilot Program’s goals are to achieve the City Council’s policy objectives of preserving the City’s housing stock and protecting neighborhood character by proactively enforcing on illegal short-term rentals in the inland zones and enforcing on a nuisance complaint basis in the Costal Zones, pursuant to the Second District Court of Appeal’s decision Kracke v. City of Santa Barbara. The projected cost for the one-year Pilot Program is between $947,000 to $1,402,000 due to the large number of projected illegal short term rentals on the market. At this time staff is requesting Council adopt the attached resolution to appropriate $1,175,000 to the City Attorney’s budget to fund the Short-Term Rental Enforcement Pilot Program in Fisal Year 2023. The report contains a breakdown of those costs as well as a description of the enforcement process. “

Wednesday, 4/2

Historic Landmarks Commission, 11 a.m., in person DGR, Consent Calendar Agenda: Cancelled.

Historic Landmarks Commission: regular meeting, 1:30 p.m., DGR, hyflex: Agenda:

113-115 &117 W. de la Guerra St, Continued Item: FA; The W.D. Smith Building is listed on the Historic Resources Inventory, designed in 1928 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by Edwards Plunket and Howell. Proposal to construct a new mixed-use building with 1,085 square feet commercial area and 23 residential units. All existing development would be demolished with the exception of the historic façade and tile roof of the W.D. Smith Building, which will be preserved. One existing Queen Palm in the right of way is proposed to be relocated…. Project plans must demonstrate substantial conformance to the plans that received Project Design Approval on November 9, 2022, which is when the project was last reviewed. Historic Structures/Sites Report*
130 Canyon Acres Dr., New Item: PDA, 2. 130 CANYON ACRES DR #A (Designated a Structure of Merit, designed in 1915 in the Mediterranean style by Russell Ray.) Proposal to construct a new 544 square foot garage associated with an existing 4,022 square foot single-unit residence. … Project Compatibility Findings and Minor Alterations Findings are required. Historic Significance Report*

Architectural Drawings, staff reports/*Historic Structures Reports, recent minutes: link.

Parks and Recreation Commission, 4 p.m., regular meeting, hyflex, City Council Chamber; Agenda: Consent Items 1. Summary of Council Actions) 2. Subject: Minutes –the Commission waive the reading and approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 22, 2023.

Street Tree Advisory Committee Items … For Action, Recommendation: That the Commission: A. Partially approve the following street tree removal request: 1. 3411 Calle Noguera – (2) Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak – Randall Wilson B. Conditionally approve the following setback tree removal requests: 1. 1244 Shoreline Drive – Schinus terebinthifolia, Brazilian Pepper – Will Rivera 2. 2526 Murrell Road – (2) Hesperocyparis macrocarpa, Monterey Cypress – Rebecca Johnson ADMINISTRATIVE AND

STAFF REPORTS

4. Subject: Director’s Report – Recommendation: That the Commission receive a presentation on the status of the various Parks and Recreation Department (Department) initiatives and activities.

5. Subject: Youth Employment Services – For Information

NEW BUSINESS

6. Subject: Parks and Recreation Recommended Financial Plan for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 –That the Commission receive a presentation of the Recommended Parks and Recreation Department Financial Plan for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025, including the General Fund, Golf Fund, Capital Program, and Fees and Charges Schedule, and provide recommendations to the City Council.

THURSDAY, 4/27

Fire and Police Commission, Special Meeting 3. p.m., hyflex, City Council Chamber, Agenda and staff report, pgs 1-95; Agenda items:

Dance permit application for whiskey richards due to change in ownership
OIR GROUP audit of Santa Barbara Police Department policies, procedures and practices; Barbara Andersen from the City Administrator’s Office will present the major observations and key recommendations from the Audit of the Santa Barbara Police Department conducted by the OIR Group. Andersen will be joined by Police Chief Kelly Gordon to share an update on the status of the Audit recommendations.
FY2024 BUDGET REVIEW for the SB Police Department Police Chief Kelly Gordon will present the proposed budget for the Police Department for FY2024.
FY2024 BUDGET REVIEW FOR THE SB Fire Department, Fire Chief Chris Mailes will present the proposed budget for the Fire Department for FY2024.
Quarterly report of complaints received by the Santa Barbara Police Department Commander Kasi Corbett of the Police Department will speak to the quarterly reporting of complaints received by the Department as required under the new oversight duties of the Fire and Police Commission.
AB 481 Annual Reporting For The Santa Barbara Police Department Lieutenant Charlie Katsapis of the Police Department will report on the use of military equipment by the Department as required by AB 481.

Transportation & Circulation Committee, regular meeting, 5:30 p.m., DGR, hyflex, but no City TV, for web access see the agenda:

Consent agenda: 1. Approval of the minutes from the regular meeting of October 27, 2023 2. Approval of the minutes from the downtown parking committee special joint meeting with transportation and circulation committee of December 15, 2022. 3. Approval of the minutes from the regular meeting of February 23, 2023 reports
Advisory group purview, communication, and conduct essentials recommendation: That the Committee receive a training on Advisory Group purview, communication, and conduct essentials from the City Clerk Services Manager and Human Resources Manager.
Upcoming Transportation Projects Recommendation: That the Committee receive an update on planned Street Transportation projects to be released for bid approximately in the next twelve months. Staff report: link.

FRIDAY, 4/28

City Administrative offices closed.

Of general interest:

City Advisory Commissions are listed with their duties and powers described in the Charter of the City of Santa Barbara, See: Article Vlll, Appointive Boards and Commissions, pg; 25 et seg. Other commissions may be formed by the City Council for certain issues of public concern. Santa Barbara Municipal Code. The City Council meets at 2 p.m., Tuesdays, except for these holidays: January 3, January 17, February 21, March 28, April 4, May 30, June 20, July 4, July 11, August 8, August 15, September 5, November 14, November 21, November 28, December 19, and December 26, 2023. The regular Council meetings are sometimes preceded by their Finance and Ordinance committees whose agendas are part of the regular council meeting agenda; the Council also has a Legislative Committee and a Sustainability Committee, each of which meets irregularly.

AIA-Santa Barbara, August 2020, State Street Promenade and housing community survey results, more than 4,800 responses, linked here. Civic groups concerned about city government: Allied Neighborhoods Association, Citizens Planning Association, League of Women Voters -Santa Barbara, and various hyperlocal neighborhood associations.

City of Santa Barbara says it emphasizes transparency: https://santabarbaraca.gov/government-transparency. Listed under city transparency is a link to the Ralph M. Brown Act (“Brown Act“), “In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.”