Library Mojo Where the Magic Happens…

by Kim Crail

Each month, Montecito Library holds our regular programs in the Community Hall, which end up creating some of the most enjoyable and deep connections between patrons. Here’s a quick update on what we are doing and we welcome you to join the fun!

Stay & Play Tuesday Mornings

Starting in March of 2022, we launched our Stay & Play program outside, in front of the library. You may have driven by and seen colorful safety gates and adorable little ones playing with their caregivers.

As of September, we moved inside and are now in the Community Hall each Tuesday from 9-10:30 am, offering time to play, relax, and connect with other children and caregivers. We offer coffee (for the grownups), graham crackers (for the kids), and lots of bubbles and smiles for everyone.

Come check out our new toys and board books!

Book Club, 4th Tuesday at Noon

Our Montecito Book Club is, to be completely objective, downright delightful. The books that we read vary, including fiction and nonfiction, books on social themes, as well as quirky characters and less mainstream genres and locales.

Members sit in a circle, get to know each other, and discuss the books while connecting them to our everyday experiences. We also often share reading recommendations.

Please let me know if you would like to get on our newsletter list. We invite new members to join this opinionated, clever group of voracious readers.

Preschool Storytime Thursday Mornings

For children who are open to sitting a little longer to listen to stories, sing songs, and make a craft, we have our Preschool Storytime every Thursday from 10-10:30 am. This is a wonderful way for a smaller group of kids to practice their social skills and get ready for kindergarten. We keep it short and sweet so that expectations are not too high for young attention spans.

The recommended age range is 3 to 5, but some very little ones have been having a blast, so feel free to try it out if yours is younger. For the month of March, our theme was dinosaurs.

For April, we enjoyed stories about forest animals.

Come see what we have in store for May!

Knit ‘n’ Needle Thursday Afternoons

Our weekly meeting of fiber artists, currently facilitated by Library Technician Janet Baker, has been a consistent gathering, having met for many years. They even met privately on Zoom during the pandemic while library programs were on pause.

Incredible conversations and laughter can be heard coming from the Community Hall every Thursday afternoon, with plenty of jokes from the library peanut gallery about the knitters running the world and being dangerous spies, armed with their knitting needles.

We invite you to bring your projects with you and see what this group is all about.

Public Service Announcement

Recently, at a local school event, I was shocked to hear someone say they didn’t know that there’s a public library in Montecito! Please do your friends and neighbors a favor and spread the word that we’ve been in this same location here for over 40 years, right across from the gas station in the Upper Village. Thank you.

May Events:

Stay & Play – Tuesdays, Drop in anytime 9-10:30 am

Preschool Storytime (age 3-5) –Thursdays, 10-10:30 am

Knit ‘n’ Needle – Thursdays, 2-3:30 pm

Learn Library Apps: Digital Local History Resources – Wed, 5/3, 10-11 am

Library On the Go Van @ Cold Spring School – Wed, 5/10, 3:30-5:30 pm

Montecito Book Club: Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder – Tues, 5/23, 12-1 pm

See you at the library!

County of Santa Barbara Montecito Planning Commission

Notice Of Public Hearing

Safety Element Update Wildfire Policies

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Planning Commission Hearing Room

123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Hearing begins at 9:00 A.M.

On Wednesday May 17, 2023, the Montecito Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the following item:

Hearing on the request of the County of Santa Barbara (County) Planning and Development Department (P&D) that the Montecito Planning Commission consider recommending the County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors adopt a Comprehensive Plan amendment, Case No. 22GPA-00000-00005, amending the wildfire hazard information and policies in the Seismic Safety and Safety Element (Safety Element) of the County Comprehensive Plan, including incorporating the 2022 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan by reference into the Safety Element pursuant to Government Code 65302.6.

The Montecito Planning Commission hearing begins at 9:00 A.M. The order of items listed on the agenda is subject to change by the Montecito Planning Commission. The staff analysis of the proposal may be viewed at the Planning and Development Department website, located at https://www.countyofsb.org/1625/County-Planning-Commission prior to the hearing. For further information about the project, please contact Whitney Wilkinson, Planner, at (805) 568-2067 or at wwilkinson@countyofsb.org.

Important Notice Regarding Public Participation

The Montecito Planning Commission provides in-person participation as well as virtual participation until further notice.

The following alternative methods of participation are available to the public:

1. You may observe the live stream of the Montecito Planning Commission meetings on (1) Local Cable Channel 20, (2) online at: http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/csbtv/livestream.sbc; or (3) YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/user/CSBTV20

2. If you wish to provide public comment, the following methods are available:

 Distribution to the Montecito Planning Commission - Submit your comment via email prior to 12:00 p.m. on the Monday prior to the Commission hearing. Please submit your comment to the Recording Secretary at dvillalo@countyofsb.org. Your comment will be placed into the record and distributed appropriately.

 Attend the Meeting In-Person: Individuals are allowed to attend and provide comments at the Montecito Planning Commission meeting in-person. Please note, we are following all local and State guidelines and are no longer requiring face coverings indoors. Please be advised that the Public Health Department is still strongly encouraging County staff and members of the public to mask and social distance themselves in public areas.

 Attend the Meeting by Zoom Webinar - Individuals wishing to provide public comment during the Montecito Planning Commission meeting can do so via Zoom webinar by clicking the below link to register in advance. Register in advance for this meeting: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing important information about joining the webinar.

When: May 17, 2023, 09:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Montecito Planning Commission 05/17/2023

Register in advance for this webinar: https://countyofsb.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AO8mm_HMQDJD7y54MW5wA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The Montecito Planning Commission’s rules on hearings and public comment, unless otherwise directed by the Chair, remain applicable to each of the participation methods listed above.

Kim is the Librarian at the Montecito Library. Questions or comments? Contact her: kcrail@santabarbaraca.gov

Attendance and participation by the public is invited and encouraged. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Hearing Support Staff (805) 568-2000. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the Hearing Support Staff to make reasonable arrangements.

If you challenge the project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence to the Planning Commission prior to the public hearing.