101 Updates, a Montecito Sheriff’s Office, and More
The Montecito Association December meeting was held in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom, Tuesday, December 10.
MA President Doug Black was absent. The meeting was led by 2nd Vice President Leslie Lundgren with assistance by MA Executive Director Houghton Hyatt.
Via Zoom, Montecito Fire Chief David Neels updated attendees on the Franklin Fire in Malibu. Montecito Fire and Santa Barbara County responded at 2 am on December 10. He reminded everyone that a wind event or weather shift can cause significant fire spread, and fire season is not over yet in southern California.
Montecito Sanitation District General Manager John Weigold reported on the Montecito manhole lining project which will line 93 manholes, many located in easements behind resident’s homes. This is a $1.5 million project.
Superintendent Montecito Union School District Anthony Ranii said that since last month they have instituted 13 safety enhancements – for example, adding cameras and constructing fences. He thanked Mindy Denson’s subcommittee on safety. He asked for recommendations for instructional assistants, and a Physical Education teacher. Jacqueline Duran who served for 12 years on MUS Board is leaving, and he talked about her many attributes. He is collaborating with the Montecito Journal for a story on all the MUS construction projects.
Superintendent & Principal of the Cold Spring School District Amy Alzina talked about her holiday craft fair and holiday concert, and their healthy garden program.
Lt. Richard Brittingham reported on crime in Montecito, mostly area drug possessions, burglaries, domestic violence and deadly weapons (see the MJ’s weekly Crime in the ‘Cito). He addressed questions on burglaries in gated communities and homelessness.
Kirsten Ayars of Ayars & Associates, who does community outreach for the Highway 101 widening project, Michael Becker, Director of Planning for SBCAG, and Joe Arnold from Caltrans, were there to present the 101 updates.
Ayars said, “The project is going to the Montecito Planning Commission next week. There is a new Butterfly Lane closure. Carpinteria 101, Santa Claus Lane bikeway and the two roundabouts at Olive Mill and San Ysidro with landscaping are completed. Four projects still under construction: Padaro Lane segment, Summerland landscaping, Montecito segment Sheffield to Olive Mill, and Santa Barbara south. We’re grinding at night to put grooves in the 101 pavement for rain and noise reduction to offset the highway lane increase. Continuously reinforced highway pavement is being used. We will open the new northbound carpool lane this month, striping of the lane is dependent on the weather. In mid-January will open the southbound carpool lanes. Summerland landscaping continues with trees. Montecito construction for a year and half, progress on northbound side, summer 2025 we will work on southbound side. We will tell the Montecito Planning Commission next week about the design change we had to make. In the creeks area of Romero, Oak and San Ysidro, FEMA restricts movement of water from one watershed to another watershed area. We needed to raise the profile of the freeway to keep the water in their watersheds and change the safety barrier on the outside edge of the freeway to an open concrete barrier so flood waters can flow through it. The work on the original median area of the highway in Montecito continues through Spring/Summer 2025; due to a new issue the Butterfly Lane undercrossing is closed till December 23; the Olive Mill ramp northbound will be closed through March 2025 and once opened, the Hermosillo ramp will be closed. Butterfly Lane undercrossing closure is due to the tunnel having an open grate in the ceiling.”
The MA Board brought up that there is insufficient lead time provided in the northbound signage, which alerts drivers of the need to exit San Ysidro Road in lieu of Olive Mill to get onto Coast Village Road. Lt. Richard Brittingham agreed. In response to all questions, Ayars stated she would either take it back to her team or Caltrans; no resolutions to the issues addressed were promised.
The new Safety Committee that is working with Lt. Brittingham reported their goal is to have a Sheriff’s station in Montecito with two computers to provide a police presence and rapid response time in the area. They will meet twice more in January and thanked Brittingham for an already-evident increase in police patrolling of Montecito. They proposed a community wide response drill.
Brittingham replied saying he would appreciate a Sheriff’s station in Montecito and is open to vetting locations. He further added that the CHP officers would also appreciate the space, as they frequently stop at the Carpinteria Sheriff’s office to do their reports. The MA Board invited him to look at their office space and their History Office space at the Montecito Library after the meeting. Brittingham said the Montecito Library location is ideal.
Hyatt asked the MA board to vote on the draft letter to SBC Board of Supervisors regarding the pathways being constructed in Montecito – in order to request clarification on all fronts. Draft letter was approved unanimously. Board members brought up that the pathways are not handicap accessible, and the SBC Public Works Dept is coming out and tearing up the right of way easements on residents’ properties who would not comply with the pathways.
History Chair Trish Davis reported that Montecito’s architecture is being featured in Town & Country Magazine.
Hands Across Montecito Chair Andrea Newquist reported that although the team tries to help the homeless in Montecito, they are not considered eligible for services from the nonprofits in Santa Barbara due to the area they inhabit.
Updates from the Land Use committee were that the committee itself is trying to revive their review status on local projects – prior to projects going to the Montecito Board of Architectural Review and Montecito Planning Commission. They stated that at this time projects that come to them are already approved.
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