Land Use Committee Meets

At the Montecito Association’s Land Use Committee meeting on May 1, Bucket Brigade co-founders Josiah Hamilton and Abe Powell reported on a project they are working on to build a pedestrian pathway along North Jameson Road. “Now that this area is opened up, the dirt is primed and the time is right to build a connector path,” Hamilton said. 

With many of the homes along North Jameson losing fences and landscaping during the January 9 debris flow, the Bucket Brigade founders are hopeful to better the area with a decomposed granite pathway similar to the one on San Ysidro Road. The pathway would span North Jameson between San Ysidro and Olive Mill, allowing people in the Montecito Oaks and La Vereda to more safely and easily access Coast Village Road, Butterfly Beach, and All Saints By-the-Sea. 

The Bucket Brigade plans to fund the project and is currently working with Public Works deputy director Chris Sneddon and other County reps. Hamilton said the path, which will be located in a public right of way, will be buffered by plantings and landscaping and will not look like a sidewalk. “We want to make it look as rural as possible,” he said. The neighbors in the area are currently being polled for their opinion on the project. 

Two neighbors spoke on the proposal, voicing their support. Darlene Bierig, who helped work on the San Ysidro Road pathway, also expressed her backing, saying the plan was an excellent idea. The Land Use Committee agreed, and unanimously supported the idea. 

The committee also voted to recommend to the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors that they approve the upcoming “like-for-like” rebuilding ordinance amendments and is suggesting that language be added to require expedited design review with public notice in three instances. Those instances include when a structure is being moved elsewhere on the property, when the height of the floor is being raised more than 42 inches from prior grade, and when a legal non-conforming structure is being rebuilt with changes but stays within the intent of like-for-like. 

“There needs to be some neighbor input without slowing down the process,” Land Use chair Cori Hayman said. Members of the public disagreed and urged the Committee to allow homeowners to rebuild as soon as possible, without needing design review. The Board of Supervisors will review the ordinance amendments on Tuesday, May 15. 

Hayman also reported that a process has been convened to expedite the opening of front country hiking trails. “That is good news, and it’s a great first step,” she said. 

The Montecito Association Board of Directors will meet next Tuesday, May 8.