www.sbbike.org Serving Santa Barbara County
June 2008
Bike Week accelerates bicycling
We’re a countywide advocacy and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe transportation and recreation.
How to reach us Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition PO Box 92047 Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047 phone 962-1479 email info@sbbike.org web www.sbbike.org
June 3rd meeting Join us on the first Tuesday of the month for our general meeting: Tuesday, June 3rd 12:00 noon Santa Barbara Bank & Trust Community Room 1021 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara
Online email list We sponsor a free online email forum where you can post and read messages that pertain to regional bicycling issues. To subscribe, just send an email message to: sbbike-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Leave the subject line and body of the message blank.
Join our Coalition You can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in Santa Barbara County by joining others in our regional bicycling advocacy group. Together we’ll continue to make a real difference. See page 6 for info.
Drew Hunter, left, leads the second annual Ride of Silence in memory of those bicyclists lost or injured on public roadways. The local Ride was one of 293 similar ones worldwide in 17 countries taking place at the same time.
From the left, Bike Week honorees Grant House and Ed France; touring cyclist Willie Weir; Bike Art winner Mary Carol Kenney ; and Bicycle Coalition President Ralph Fertig. Photo by Laura Kath.
Our Bicycle Coalition’s 2008 Bike Week of nearly 20 events took place on May 17-25, attracting thousands of participants. Our Street Skills for Cyclists class held May 15-17 this time attracted several Boy Scouts from local Troop 2. Our Bike Week Celebration evening took place for the fifth year. We were delighted to have a Bike Art contest added to the evening (see story on page 2). We honored City Councilman Grant House and Bici Centro director Ed France for their dedication to the promotion of bicycling. Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum and Goleta Valley Cycling Club President Doris Phinney also attended the Celebration evening. Willie Weir returned from Seattle to describe his recent tour of Venezuela and Colombia. The traditional mainstays of Bike Week are Bike to School and Bike to Work Days, together attracting over a thousand participants at 22 sites around the county. This year, the school events were organized by COAST, and the work events by UCSB and the City of Santa Barbara. Thanks to Judy Keim, we were able to obtain use of Farrand Hall at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History where Willie Weir this time talked about biking in India, and Matt Dobberteen, Dru van Hengel, Don Lubach and Ralph Fertig offered inspiration about bicycling for transportation.
Our CycleSmart program The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition’s CycleSmart bicyclist education program offers bicycling skills classes for school children and adults. Look for details of upcoming classes inside Quick Release, or contact our Cocoordinators Dru van Hengel and Erika Lindemann by email CycleSmart@sbbike.org. Quick Release is published monthly by the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Subscribe for $25 per year. Issue # 200.
Hollister Elementary School principal Ryan Sparre greets a responsible dad with his two children in tow for Bike to School Day, May 20th. Another 120 students biked there.
Bike to Work Day in Downtown Santa Barbara attracted 200 bicyclists on May 21st. At UCSB, 120 commuters participated in their separate event.
Coalition election
Summer bike camps
Our Bicycle Coalition election of officers and members of the Board is held every two years. This year, voting will be held during our evening meeting on Tuesday, July 1st. All members in good standing at the time are eligible to vote. You can vote by either mailing in the ballot or a copy of it to SB Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190, or by coming in person to the meeting where we’ll have ballots.
This summer, six day camps are available in the South Coast area for BMX, triathlon, and mountain biking. (If you know of others, let Ralph Fertig know, sb-ralph@cox.net.) BMX Camp. These week-long camps at Elings Park are for ages 5-12 and designed for riders of all levels and abilities. Daily 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Info at www.elingspark.org. Weeks of June 23, June 30, July 28.
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Kid’s Triathlon Camp. This camp is sponsored by Momentum 4 Life for children ages 7-12 who can swim 25 yards in a pool and ride a two wheel bike. Class at UCSB, 2:305:00 PM. Info at momentum4life.com. Week of July 14.
BALLOT President
Vice President
❑ Ralph Fertig ❑ ____________ Treasurer ❑ David Bourgeois ❑ ____________
❑ Wilson Hubbell ❑ ____________ Secretary ❑ Mark McClure ❑ ____________
Last fall, our Bicycle Coalition Board member Judy Keim came up with the idea of a “Bike Art” contest as part of our Bike Week. We liked the idea, so over the following months, she developed it into a memorable, exciting addition to our Bike Week Celebration evening.
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Vote for one person for each of the following offices:
Chavez and Kenny are Bike Art winners
Mountain Bike Camp. These week-long camps at Elings Park are for ages 7-14. Instructors cover basic trail etiquette, bike maintenance, and riding skills. Daily 9:00 AM -12:00 PM. Info at www.elingspark.org. Weeks of August 4 and August 11.
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Choose five of the following for Board of Directors:
❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Judy Keim
Erika Lindemann
Don Lubach
Ed France
❑ ❑ Drew Hunter ❑ Michael Chiacos* ❑
____________ ____________
* Michael Chiacos has not yet confirmed his running as this goes to print.
Wet Willy Sez Dear Wet Willy: There are several traffic signals in the Santa Barbara–Goleta area that won’t detect the presence of a bicyclist. I’ve called the appropriate phone numbers listed in Quick Release to complain about this, but shouldn’t the people who maintain these things know that they’re supposed to be adjusted to detect cyclists? Thanks! — Tired of Waiting Dear Tired of Waiting: The signals can and should be adjusted to detect bicycles, but, for some older traffic signals, bicyclists need to know where to be stopped on the roadway in order to be detected. In general, older traffic signal detection mechanisms are triggered by wires buried in the street that detect bicycles and motor vehicles in the traffic lanes. If you are stopped along the edge of the roadway at a signalized intersection, no cars are coming and the green light just won’t shine, move away from the curb and out into the lane where you have a better chance of triggering the mechanism. Most of the traffic signals owned and maintained by Santa Barbara County and the cities within the County are video actuated and don’t depend on wires buried in the street. These contemporary systems do a much better job of detecting cyclists—anywhere on the roadway—than older systems that depend on buried wires. My own experience has been that it is these older signal detection systems that are most likely causing you problems.
Quick Release ~ June 2008 ~ Page 2
Adult Bike Art winner Mary Carol Kenney stands next to her winged bike. Photo by Judy Keim.
Entries had to be rideable to be eligible for prizes of $200 for the best adult bike, and $100 for the best youth one. At the start of the Celebration event, about a dozen artists displayed their creations, and event participants voted for the two winners—our congratulations go to Mary Carol Kenney and Alex Chavez for their exciting creations. Everybody seemed to be pleased with the new expression of bicycling. We believe the contest will continue to grow and mature in upcoming years. Send your ideas to Judy Keim, jkpedpad@aol.com.
City Councilman Grant House congratulates Bike Art youth winner Alex Chavez for his glistening low-rider bike. Photo by Judy Keim.
UCSB’s long-range plan shows foresight, but raises questions
Over the past several years, UC Santa Barbara has been developing a blueprint for the future of the University. It’s called the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and it proposes growth and change through 2025. By that year, the student population will have increased by 5000, faculty by 340 and staff by 1400—all of them to be housed on University land. You can read the LRDF online at www. UCSBVision2025.com. There also is an intimidating Draft Environmental Impact Report (draft EIR) of 832 pages—not to mention the EIR Appendix of 1124 more pages. Vice Chancellor Marc Fisher described beneficial characteristics of the LRDP at a May 22 meeting of the UCSB Transporta-
could be served in Isla Vista, within easy bike/walking distance. The idea is to create villages of dense housing up to 6 stories high with services within easy reach without driving. A concern is traffic management on the new Ocean Road. The Pardall bike tunnel will be removed, all Isla Vista roads will have direct bicyclist access to Ocean Road that will include bikelanes. About 500 new housing units—plus ground-floor This drawing shows proposed housing development along Ocean Road. Isla Vista is in the upper left. Art by Urban Design Associates. shops—will line both sides of Ocean el of sustainable, walkable, bikeable urban Road, replacing the curcommunities. rent “eucalyptus curtain.” There is an opportunity to hear what is Several new bikepaths will coming our way at a public meeting: lead from Ocean Road to Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 7:00 PM campus destinations. The Isla Vista Theater challenge is to manage 960 Embarcadero Del Norte, Isla Vista thousands of bicyclists Following the local public hearing and other and pedestrians, plus presentations, the hundreds of documents will promotor vehicles ceed to the UC Board on Ocean Road, of Regents this fall, all entering then to the California and leaving the Coastal Commission road at every in 2009 for review, This drawing shows a new Pardall corridor as it intersects Ocean Road block. Fisher and adoption. and leaves campus toward Isla Vista. The corner Bicycle Coop is a nice suggested that Pay attention to touch. Art by Urban Design Associates. traffic signals this progressive model tion Alternatives Board. He emphasized may be installed. It seems that of development—it’s that while parking spaces would increase by management will be considered doing exactly what 40%, nearly all of those spaces would be in and introduced as development many are proposing. conjunction with the new student/staff/facevolves. But is this enough? Unlike many regional ulty housing, and those residents could not Overall, the plan has much governments, the obtain separate campus parking permits, to love. In spite of the populaUniversity is able to forcing them to walk, bike, or bus to their tion growth, it’s embedded with nimbly adopt develclasses and jobs. means to keep motorized traffic opment paradigms The new housing developments would in- at its current level while increas- This map shows proposed development all along Ocean Road, faster than any other clude some commercial spaces, perhaps for ing travel on foot, bus and bike. with bike/pedestrian connectors local entity. cafés or small grocery stores. Other needs It appears to be the perfect mod- from each Isla Vista street.
Anapamu bikelanes are meeting topic
Come to our June 3rd Bicycle Coalition meeting to hear about possible design conflicts between proposed curb extensions “bulb-outs,” and part-time bicycle traffic on West Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara. Dru van Hengel will describe the situation and ask for suggestions. Parking is permitted there except for commute times to and from the High School.
ATOC 2009
QR issue 200
The Amgen Tour of California may return to Solvang in 2009, but won’t be back in Santa Barbara. The Solvang Local Organizing Committee has proposed that they again host the Tour time trial as they have done the past two years. The Santa Barbara committee did not gain major sponsorship for hosting an expensive stage start or finish by the time a proposal was due in mid May, so declined the opportunity.
Back in November 1991, Ralph Fertig named and created the first issue of Quick Release. The name stuck and so did his dedication to creating 199 additional ones up to this June 2008 issue. All published with Adobe PageMaker on a Macintosh, the printed issues now consume 1.1 gigabytes of data. Originally published on two pages, the issues increased to four pages in 1992, and then to six pages in 2002. Quick Release ~ June 2008 ~ Page 3
Bikelane work proceeds at Mission/101
Looking west on Mission, the bikelane construction requires closing one traffic lane at a time.
Long identified as the most dangerous bicycling route in Santa Barbara, the Mission Street undercrossing of Highway 101 is under construction for new bikelanes. The $2.2 million project actually does a lot more. We get bikelanes on both sides of Mission for three blocks between Castillo Street and Modoc Road. New sidewalks, lighting, curb ramps, retaining walls, and landscaping with native plants are also part of the project. Currently, no bikelanes exist and the roadway has cracks and potholes. Work will continue into September, so be extra careful biking through the construction zone.
UCSB adopts new bike standards On April 29th, the UCSB Campus Planning Committee voted to approve construction guidelines to encourage and accommodate campus bicyclists. It’s the Bicycle Plan for Construction that was crafted by the student AS BIKES committee, and modeled after those already in place at the Universities of Washington, Oregon and California—UCSD, UCI, UCLA, UCSC and UCD.
Upcoming bike meetings and events Our spring cycling season is moving toward summer. The days are long, make the best of them. Check our website for ongoing updates and longer event descriptions at www. sbbike.org/meet/meet.html.
this race consists of a 9-mile paddle from Gaviota to Haskell’s Beach, a 26-mile run up the mountains, then a 35-mile mountain bike ride back to Refugio. Information at www. gaviotaocr.net.
June 3, Bicycle Coalition General Meeting, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. Meeting at noon. Community Room at the Santa Barbara Bank and Trust building, 1021 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara. Phone president Ralph Fertig, 962-1479 or email him at sbralph@cox.net.
June 23-27, BMX Camp, sponsored by Elings Park. This week-long camp, for ages 5-12, is designed for riders of all levels and abilities. Improve basic skills, learn track etiquette and get a great workout. Participants must bring helmets and functioning bikes. Daily 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Information at www.elingspark.org.
June 4, UCSB Vision 2025 Public Hearing, sponsored by the University of California Santa Barbara. This is a general public meeting to hear about the University’s Long Range Development Plan and comment on the contents. Massive changes are coming to campus. Isla Vista Theater, 960 Embarcadero del Norte, Isla Vista, 7:00 PM. Details at www.ucsbvision2025.com. June 7-8, Santa Barbara Bicycle Festival, sponsored by Elings Park and others. Two full days in Santa Barbara featuring BMX racing and open riding; cross country and downhill mountain bike racing; kids race; live music; manufacturers demos; food and beer garden; and vendor area. From 7:00 AM each day. Go to www.santabarbarabikefest. com for details. June 12, Bikestation Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by the Bikestation Santa Barbara and our Bicycle Coalition. Members of both groups and invited guests will meet for wine, cheese, music and bike talk. Bikestation Santa Barbara 1219 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, 7:00 PM. June 21, Gaviota Ocean-Canyon-Ridge Endurance Challenge. For über-athletes, Quick Release ~ June 2008 ~ Page 4
June 23, Bicycle Coalition Board Meeting, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. Our Board of Directors and Advisors will discuss Coalition issues. Meet at Dave Bourgeois’ home. Email president Ralph Fertig sb-ralph@ cox.net with questions. June 27-29, Breathe Easy Ride, sponsored by the American Lung Association. Ride all three days or just on Saturday, June 28th. Pedal at your own pace on quiet country roads in the Santa Ynez Valley, 30-50 miles a day. Support stops every 10 miles, plus roving support vehicles. Camping at Midland School, entertainment at night. Go to www. BreatheEasyRide.org for details. June 29, Bike Clinic, sponsored by Open Air Bicycles. This Bike Week clinic covers bicycle maintenance basics to give you confidence to make repairs yourself when you’re away from home. Open Air Bicycles, 224 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 8:30-10:00 AM. Phone 962-7000, or email MFasth@aol.com for details. June 30-July 3, BMX Camp, sponsored by Elings Park. This four-day camp for ages 5-12 is the second of three. See the description above for details.
The Life Sciences Building was constructed with no bike parking. Students had no nearby choice, so parked as best they could around the building.
Need for a plan arose with recent construction of buildings not only lacking bike parking and paths, but also losing existing bike facilities through land acquisition. Examples are Bren, Marine Science, Psychology, Life Sciences, and Student Resources. The new guidelines include these: New buildings and expansions must have a bike route that connects to a dedicated bike parking area at the building.
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New construction projects must provide bicycle racks for short-term parking, and bike lockers or rooms for long-term parking. Bike rack choice is based on theft-preventing features, ease of maintenance and use, cost, durability, and appearance.
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Bicycle racks shall be placed in a clearly defined bicycle parking areas near building entrances in high visibility areas.
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Bike racks shall be installed to provide spaces for 25% of the building population (faculty, staff, student workers), plus 60% of the student classroom capacity.
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Secured bicycle parking shall be installed to provide for 5% of the building population or 2 lockers, whichever is greater.
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Buildings should include shower/changing facilities to support the biking members of faculty, staff, and graduate students.
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Carpinteria alters bike routes
We thank our active members
The $50 million Milpas-Hot Springs Highway 101 improvements are starting this month, and just as they finish in 2012, construction will begin on a $97 million project in Carpinteria. It’s the Linden Avenue and Casital This drawing shows the new bikepaths on both sides of Via Real, and on the west bank of Pass Road InterCarpinteria Creek under Highway 101. changes project. Both Linden and Casitas Pass bridges over Highway 101 will be reconstructed. We’re pleased to see that each one has five-foot bikelanes on both sides, plus adjacent five-foot sidewalks. Of greater interest to bicyclists is the extension of Via Real. On the east, it currently ends at Carpinteria Creek where a popular bikepath continues through the creek, under Highway 101, and onto Carpinteria Avenue. The new project includes continuing Via Real over the creek and west to Casitas Pass Road. There will be bikelanes on the road, and a traffic signal at the freeway on/off ramps to the west. The major change is that a new bikepath complex will be created entirely on the west side of Carpinteria Creek, so the creek crossing is eliminated. There will be two entrances to the path, one on each side of Via Real so bicyclists don’t have to cross the road. One section will even have its own tunnel under Via Real. A public workshop was held on May 7th in Carpinteria. Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig attended and spoke in favor of the bicyclist accommodations. The project is a joint effort by Caltrans, SBCAG, and the City of Carpinteria. You can learn more from Cathy Stettler at 549-3797. Comments can be submitted by June 24th. Late in 2008 a Draft Environmental Impact Report will be released.
Please thank and support the following Bicycle Coalition business members: Bicycle Bob’s, Santa Barbara Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbara g Open Air Bicycles, Santa Barbara g Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria g Chris King Precision Components, Portland OR g Run Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara In addition, we thank those who joined us: Rachel Weber, Phill Conrad, Elizabeth Soriano, Rosie Dyste, Kathleen Boehm, Jean Roberts, Dan Gira, Daniel Boffey, and Otis Calif. And we greatly appreciate those who renewed their memberships: Michael Kwan, Andy Cranmer, Howard Howe, Lindsay Webster, Edward Barrier, Kathleen Blake, Mark Mittermiller, and Jerry Vassallo. g g
May Coalition meeting topics Our May 6th monthly Bicycle Coalition meeting was held at noon in Santa Barbara, attracting 14 people to discuss these topics: g Earth Day events were discussed. It was considered a success all around in attendance and interest. g Nominations for officers and Board members were held. g SBCAG’s Gregg Hart described features of the Measure A transportation tax renewal up for vote this November. He was followed by COAST’s Alex Pujo and Mark Bradley who offered a similar positive take on the measure. g Lori La Riva from Traffic Solutions described how the Team Bike Challenge will be incorporated into a new Commute Challenge. g Ed France described ongoing activities at the Bici Centro community bike program in Santa Barbara. g We considered Bike Week activities, including Bike Art contest, Celebration evening, Willie Weir on India, a Bike Film Night at the Mercury Lounge, and more. g Ralph Fertig described youth biking camps available this summer. g We discussed applying for grants from the Goleta Valley Cycling Club this coming June; several ideas were considered.
Quick Release accepts advertisements. Circulation is about 500 people. Ad details and an order form are available online at www. sbbike.org/QR/ad.pdf . Quick Release ~ June 2008 ~ Page 5
Shop discounts
“If you bicycle, you should join the Bicycle Coalition”
Application for Membership
Yes! I want to help make bicycling better for all of us in Santa Barbara County. ❏ Student/Senior, 1 year $12 ❏ Household, 1 year $40 ❏ Student/Senior, 2 years $22 ❏ Household, 2 years $75 ❏ Business, 2 years $180 ❏ Lifetime $1000
❏ Individual, 1 year $25 ❏ Individual, 2 years $45 ❏ Business, 1 year $100
name _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ city, state, zip _______________________________________________________________________________________________ phone ___________________________________ email _____________________________________________________________ ❏ New membership ❏ Renewal membership ❏ Email me Adobe PDF files of Quick Release newsletters instead of printed ones. Make payable to Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Mail to Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. We are a 501c3 nonprofit, so contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition President, Ralph Fertig, 962-1479 sb-ralph@cox.net Vice President, Wilson Hubbell, 6831240, wilsonhubbell@aol.com Secretary, Drew Hunter, 896-2119 watair1@earthlink.net Treasurer, David Bourgeois, 899-3728 daveb@alumni.caltech.edu Director, Judy Keim, 687-2912 jkpedpad@aol.com Director, Don Lubach, 722-2349 dlubach@mac.com Director, Jim Marshall, 962-3531 Jim2Mars@aol.com Director, Mark McClure, 967-5031 mcclure606@yahoo.com Director, Nancy Mulholland, 563-9073 nmulhol04@yahoo.com Advisor, Dru van Hengel, 564-5544 dvanhengel@SantaBarbaraCA.gov Advisor, Erika Lindemann, 569-1544 eglindemann@gmail.com Advisor, Matt Dobberteen, 568-3000 matt@cosbpw.net Advisor, Ed France, 310-936-0857 edfrance@bicicentro.org
Regional bicycle clubs & groups The Cutters Mark Langowski, 937-3252 mark_langowski@dot.ca.gov Echelon Santa Barbara Kim Weixel, kweixel@photoscene. com Goleta Valley Cycling Club Doris Phinney, 968-3143 Cyclebug@aol.com Lompoc Valley Bicycle Club Bob Grant, 735-7763 pambowman@hotmail.com SB Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers John Berberet, 681-0048 johnberberet@hotmail.com Santa Barbara Bicycle Club Dave Court, david_court@earthlink. net Santa Barbara BMX Dale Bowers, res0d201@verizon.net Tailwinds Bicycle Club Kris Madaus, 268-1802 kmadaus@gmail.com UCSB Cycling Club Jennifer Johansen, 661-478-5374 jojoh9@gmail.com
Road repair contacts
Caltrans www.dot.ca.gov/maintform.html Carpinteria Tom Evans, 684-5405 x402 pwd@ci.carpinteria.ca.us Goleta Bill Millar, 961-7575 bmillar@cityofgoleta.org Lompoc Larry Bean, 736-1261 l_bean@ci.lompoc.ca.us Santa Barbara City Dru van Hengel, 564-5544 dvanhengel@SantaBarbaraCA.gov Santa Barbara County Matt Dobberteen, 568-3576 matt@cosbpw.net Santa Maria David Whitehead, 925-0951 x227 dwhitehead@ci.santa-maria.ca.us Solvang Brad Vigro, 688-5575 bradv@cityofsolvang.com UCSB Dennis Whelan, 893-7009 dennis.whelan@planning.ucsb.edu
Bicycle Coalition members benefit from discounts at local shops. It’s another reason to join our group. To get your discount, take your copy of Quick Release to the shop and show them your address label that says “MEMBER” on it. Or cut out the label box and take it. Discount details are online at www.sbbike.org/SBBC/who.html. Please patronize these shops: Bicycle Bob’s 250 Storke Road #A, Goleta 15 Hitchcock Way, Santa Barbara Bicycle Connection 223 W. Ocean Avenue, Lompoc Hazard’s Cyclesport 110 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara Mad Mike’s Bikes 1108 E. Clark Avenue #G, Santa Maria Main Street Cycles 311 East Main Street, Santa Maria Open Air Bicycles 224 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara Pedal Power Bicycles 1740 Broadway, Santa Maria Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Phone 275-2335 VeloPro Cyclery 633 State Street, Santa Barbara 5887 Hollister Avenue, Goleta
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