Santa Barbara - It could be so much more.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Iaskwhy

The only big issue with Santa Barbara is the oil platforms. I hate them.

So do Santa Barbarians (wait, that was our old crew)...I mean Santa Barbarans. The oil people are in Santa Ynez Valley.

[Iaskwhy]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

So do Santa Barbarians (wait, that was our old crew)...I mean Santa Barbarans. The oil people are in Santa Ynez Valley.

The recent oil spill really pissed me off. I saw some gray whales heading right through it around Gaviota, when I was in the area recently.

[Dave Coe]

I've noticed recently there's been a lot of construction on state street between the ocean and the train station. If they put the freeway underground that would make a huge difference connecting downtown to the waterfront. There is this insanity in SB that everything over 3 stories is high density. Most cities the Mediterranean which SB was modeled after are much denser.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Dave Coe

I've noticed recently there's been a lot of construction on state street between the ocean and the train station. If they put the freeway underground that would make a huge difference connecting downtown to the waterfront. There is this insanity in SB that everything over 3 stories is high density. Most cities the Mediterranean which SB was modeled after are much denser.

Keep it small. That is the goal.
Otherwise, it gets sucked into the LA megalopolis.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by HappyinCali

You people are crazy. If I just read the responses, I would think that the OP wanted to put all homeless in prisons, bulldoze everything and build condos and golf communities. Oh and oil refineries.

Turns out it was a very reasonable and measured post that simply stated - why can't we just fix up some buildings. I notice no one has addressed his point about the dumpy green fence. Why not at least make it a green space?

Anyway, I don't really have a dog in this fight. I like reading about cities in this beautiful states and that's why I came here. I was to SB once, thought it was OK and I have no plans on going back any time soon. If I go back, I am sure I will enjoy it.

I just thought that the responses to the OP are ridiculous and perhaps quite illustrative of the attitude the OP is complaining about. A measured, reasonable, completely innocuous post is considered a call to crush SB's spirit. Hlarious.

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. What this poster said.

Even though this is supposed to be a forum where people share their opinions and experiences, don't dare criticize any city because someone will be ready to take offense and write a defensive retort. I agree with the OP's assessment of SB 100%. It is SB for goodness sake, why can't it work a little harder to live up to the hype?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. What this poster said.

Even though this is supposed to be a forum where people share their opinions and experiences, don't dare criticize any city because someone will be ready to take offense and write a defensive retort. I agree with the OP's assessment of SB 100%. It is SB for goodness sake, why can't it work a little harder to live up to the hype?

"why can't it work a little harder to live up to the hype?"
Because it is hyped. We do not live in Utopia. We live and we suffer,some places more than others.

[MeowMeowArfArf]

Thank you for your post, which was excellent. I was just today also wondering what is "wrong" with this beautiful place, which seems so wonderful yet is so unsatisfying to live in (for me). I've been here 10 years.

Your focus on the development process rings true--it is schizophrenic and fearful of change. Take the height limit, for example. How many drop-dead-beautiful, peaceful towns have you been to in Europe where the buildings are much much taller than they are here? The height limit makes no sense. I agree that sprawl should be avoided, and agree that density is good. How do you achieve either of those things with height limits?

I wouldn't fault the old hippies so much--in fact I wouldn't fault anyone. I would just say that Santa Barbara has gotten too big, like most nice places in the US eventually do. And of course there is a sharp divide between the very rich and everyone else here that many communities don't have to deal with.

A month or so ago I happened to visit Carpenteria and was pleasantly surprised to see a place that looked like what I imagine Santa Barbara used to look like. I know that Santa Cruz once looked that way because I lived there in the 1970's. Carpenteria is charming. But in another 25 years Carp will be just another played-out place that is too expensive, and fume-y with traffic.

Here's my take on it, for what it's worth, and it has to do with cars. People have absolutely no restraint where the automobile is concerned. The major difference between what Santa Barbara is and what Santa Barbara was is that everyone drives everywhere now, wants to park near where they are going, and yet doesn't want to live on a busy street. It's not just that we're older and less able to move, because younger people drive even more than we do.

Think about the last pretty, peaceful Italian, French or German town you were in: there were people--old people, young people, poor people, rich people--out walking and taking mass transit. There wasn't a lot of traffic noise, and you could get around without a car.

What I am saying will fall on deaf ears in America, I know, but it bears saying: Until we make walking and mass transit a priority over cars, we will have this malaise in some form in all the towns and cities of the USA. It's not just Americans--every group of immigrants that comes here does exactly what we do: drive themselves crazy. I just hope that either new technology or shortage of resources saves us humans from our irrational obsession with driving. (I got rid of my car in 2006 but I am quite alone).

But of course that's not the only problem, and your post was courageous to try to tackle some of the contradictions that exist here. It is possible to reconcile respect for the environment with development, and we could do it successfully if we are willing to begin the conversation you have begun.

[Dave Coe]

As someone who's spent a lot of time in SB my overall thoughts are it's one of the most stunning natural locations with the Coast and Mountains. It has some nice Spanish architecture downtown but it is underwhelming. There is strong nymby sentinement preventing more development downtown. One thing that is unique is that it still has a decent size middle class unlike other ritzy seaside towns such as Laguna Beach. I would like to see the Freeway put underground connecting state street to downtown. The waterfront is such as spectacular location but architectural it's underwhelming. There's a wherehouss district in what should be prime real estate. Downtown is basically just state street. The paralel streets are very quite.