Tag archives: MPC

MPC Befuddlement
By Montecito Journal   |   October 29, 2024

Befuddled. I rarely use this word, but found it the most appropriate to describe what I witnessed at the MPC meeting regarding the Miramar project. Talk about Amateur Hour(s).  There are a lot a great people in Montecito, who earned their place, with pure intent, and who want nothing more than to preserve the beauty […]

What’s Really and Accurately Up with the Miramar Beach Resort? A Rebuttal to Bob Hazard’s One-Sided and Inaccurate Article
By Harry Rabin   |   October 29, 2024

Mr. Hazard, let’s begin with your 1st point (MJ Vol. 30_40, October 3-10, 2024) that the Rosewood expansion will provide “Workforce Housing for Employees.” Yes, affordable Housing is GREAT but only when it’s available to the community at large, not for self-serving interests taking advantage of a poorly written bill; SB-330. So 26 affordable housing […]

Dark Day at the MPC
By Bob Hazard   |   October 29, 2024

Friday, October 18 was a dark day for those who care about the principles of integrity and fairness in Montecito. This was the day the Montecito Planning Commission utterly failed in its mission to faithfully abide by its legal and ethical obligations in representing our community. Their unfinished hearing amounted to a self-inflicted wound that […]

MPC Recusal: Miramar and the 18 Pages Heard Around the Room
By Tiana Molony   |   October 29, 2024

The October 18th Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) meeting, scheduled for the purposes of discussing the Rosewood Miramar’s proposed expansion for mixed-use housing, abruptly ended when Commissioner Sandy Stahl recused herself halfway through, causing the commission to lose its required quorum.  The mixed-use housing development plan being considered, in advance of next week’s scheduled County Planning […]

Biltmore at the MPC: Schedules, Palapas, and More Discussed at Meeting
By Tiana Molony   |   October 29, 2024

On Wednesday, October 16th, the Four Seasons Biltmore received preliminary approval from the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) for its updated development plan. The plan includes adding private hot tubs for the bungalows, renovating the guest houses, building a new pool, and renovating the outdoor dining deck.  Ahead of the vote, the MPC requested that the […]

Montecito Planning Commission 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 26, 2023

Last week the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) received an annual maintenance report on the Debris Flow Mitigation Project.  Pat McElroy, a rep for the citizen-led group The Project for Resilient Communities (TPRC), which spearheaded the installation of the six steel debris flow nets that were placed in the canyons above Montecito in 2018, told the […]

Music Academy Operational Changes Appealed
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 9, 2023

Several neighbors living by the Music Academy have filed appeals to the Montecito Planning Commission’s approval of the Academy’s proposal to revise its Conditional Use Permit. Last month, the MPC voted 3-1 (with Commissioner Sandy Stahl dissenting) to approve the proposed revisions, which include changes to events at the Academy’s property, located on Fairway Road […]

New MPC Commissioner 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 7, 2023

Also at the SB Board of Supervisors hearing, local realtor and longtime resident Sandy Stahl was appointed to the Montecito Planning Commission, filling the vacancy left by Susan Keller, who was removed from the commission in January after nearly a decade of service.  Stahl has been a resident of Montecito since 1982, and has been […]

Montecito Planning Commission Meets
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 28, 2023

At the first hearing of the year of the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC), the commission was back in person for the first time since before the pandemic. Chair Ron Pulice thanked former Commissioner Susan Keller for her nearly 10 years of service on the commission; it was decided that election of the 2023 MPC Chair, […]

Regarding Susan Keller letter, “In Response to the MPC Removal” (Montecito Journal, Feb. 9-16, 2023)
By Montecito Journal   |   February 28, 2023

I must add my protest to Susan’s arbitrary removal from the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC).  As a 20-year resident of Montecito, who recently had an issue important to us and our neighborhood before the MPC, Susan Keller was one of two commissioners who took the time to listen to us, actually visit the site, and […]

In Response to the MPC Removal
By Montecito Journal   |   February 14, 2023

I feel I must reply to the Journal’s article (“The MPC Shuffle”) of Jan. 26 regarding my removal from the Montecito Planning Commission, as it contained several errors. Additionally, there were important issues that I raised at the hearing before the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors to which they did not respond, and which the Journal […]

The MPC Shuffle: Commissioner Susan Keller Removed from the Montecito Planning Commission
By Zach Rosen   |   January 31, 2023

In the County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors meeting that occurred on January 24, 2023, First District Supervisor and Chair Das Williams asked the board to approve the removal of Susan Keller from the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC). According to Williams, this request comes after two MPC members stated to him that they would […]

Cemetery Project on Hold 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   December 13, 2022

Early next year, the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) will further consider a project by the Santa Barbara Cemetery that involves the subterranean installation of 2,358 cubic yards pre-cast, double-depth, concrete crypts and associated grading and drainage.  The proposed project will require approximately 9,859 cubic yards of cut and 4,066 cubic yards of fill over an […]

Highway 101 at MPC
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 30, 2022

In a six-hour meeting last week, the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) completed their review of the 101 Highway project through Montecito, sending their recommendations and comments to the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission (SBPC). This was the final hearing in a series of three conceptual reviews at MPC. SBPC will consider the project at two […]

MPC Considers Highway 101 Project 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 31, 2022

The Montecito Planning Commission had its first opportunity to look at the freeway widening project through Montecito last week, with a conceptual hearing held last Wednesday. The project had previously been seen by Montecito Board of Architectural Review in September, February, and March.  Project planner Chris Schmuckal gave Commissioners a background on the regional transportation […]

Sound Wall Concerns
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 29, 2022

At last week’s Montecito Planning Commission hearing, the Commission was briefed on the Highway 101 Widening Project, which will eventually be in front of the Commission for conceptual review once the project application is deemed complete.  Project planner Nicole Lieu explained to the Commission that the final design of the project is still in flux […]

Longtime Local Marshall Miller Named New MPC Commissioner
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   June 24, 2021

Earlier this week the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors appointed Marshall Miller to the Montecito Planning Commission. His appointment was for the vacancy left by Charles Newman, who stepped down from the Commission at the end of his second term in December 2020. Growing up in Montecito, Miller attended All Saints, Montecito Union School, […]

New MPC Commissioner to be Appointed
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 25, 2021

The Santa Barbara County Executive Office is seeking to fill a vacancy on the Montecito Planning Commission, effective immediately. The vacancy is left from the departure of Charles Newman, who stepped down from the Commission at the end of his second term in December.  Newman was appointed to the Montecito Planning Commission in January 2017, […]

ABCs of Montecito
By J'Amy Brown   |   September 19, 2019

Q: I just opened my September calendar and staring up at me is a bowl of alphabet soup – BOS, MLUDC, LUC, MCP, MAG, MPC, MBAR, MA! Can you help me sort out some of Montecito’s abundant and confusing acronym code? A: What a perfect “Back-to-School” question! Take a seat, grab your pen, and I’ll […]

Jameson Walking Trail
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   June 27, 2019

On Sunday, June 23, over 100 members of the community gathered at the corner of San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Road for an official ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the new pedestrian pathway that was recently completed after a quick six weeks of construction.  The project was a County-led road enhancement project following the […]