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Police headquarters moves forward City’s Architectural Board of Review reviews plan for new police station
Group petitions to recall Gov. Newsom By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
A group of conservative activists gathered signatures on a petition to recall Governor Gavin Newsom Sunday on the corner of State and
Gutierrez streets. Denise Spangler Adams organized the event last Friday after she heard that the “Recall Gavin 2020” campaign had surpassed the 1.5 million Please see recall on A2
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESs
Laurie Punches (left) helps a passerby sign a petition to recall California governor Gavin Newsom at the corner of State and Gutierrez Streets in downtown Santa Barbara Sunday.
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
The city’s Architectural Board of Review reviewed the proposed plan for the new Santa Barbara Police Department headquarters. The current station is located at 215 E. Figueroa St.
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK
Goleta City Council to hear COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK
In a last-minute special meeting of the city’s Architectural Board of Review, members reviewed the proposed plan for the new Santa Barbara Police Department headquarters on Friday. The building, proposed to replace the existing 1.61-acre Cota Commuter parking lot at Santa Barbara and Cota streets, would be a three-story, approximately 53-foot high, 65,000 square foot structure, along with a 37.5 foot high, 86,000 square foot parking structure with 244 parking spaces. The hearing on Friday didn’t require an appealable decision; rather, the applicant requested ABR approval on its compliance with the compatibility analysis so that the project can go to the Planning Commission for discretionary approval. While a few members pointed out some concerns, the board voted 4-2 that the project complies with the city charter, passes the compatibility analysis, is an appropriate size, preserves local landmarks and historic resources, has enough open space and doesn’t impact public views. Board Chair Kevin Moore was one of the dissenting votes, and his biggest concern was the parking garage, which spans the entire Cota Street side of the block. Board member Lauren Anderson voted no as well. “I understand that wording about parking garages that says that if there’s no other option, we can orient the parking garage so that it’s perpendicular to the
Goleta city staff will present the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan to the city council on Tuesday. The plan includes the following subject areas: a plan goal; financial assistance; support for commercial and residential tenants; collaboration with regional partners; communications, marketing tools and resources; business-friendly policies and programs; continuing development projects; Santa Barbara County RISE Guide for Reopening; and an economic development strategic plan, among other content. Along with being asked to adopt the plan, council will also be asked to authorize a grant of $100,000 for the emergency rental assistance program, add $66,500 to the memorandum of understanding between the City of Goleta and the Santa Barbara Foundation and issue a request for proposals for an economic development strategic plan. “Attempting to plan for the future in some orderly way, and to outline a plan for economic recovery has been increasingly challenging,” the staff report reads. “Recovery plans tend to work well when there is some sense of a finality to an event (i.e., fire, flood, terrorist attack) as opposed to what we are facing now which are conditions largely controlled by a public health and economic crisis that is constantly changing.” In other business, staff will be asked to adopt an ordinance clarifying the temporary moratorium on residential
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTOS
A rendering of the new proposed police headquarters along Cota Street looking west.
street, but you’ve not represented any clear case through all of your studies that this is the only way to do this parking garage such that it can’t be fully screened by the building, so that’s my first hangup,” Chair Moore said. “Secondly … This is the downtown core where people are walking constantly past this site and to have lengths of blocks, very nearly two-thirds of the block, as parking garage … It’s dead frontage. That’s not contributing to our city and the desirable qualities we want to promote. Those are the ones I’m struggling with the most and I think they’re pretty important.” He added that he believes this early on in the process that the project planners have the flexibility to “lay it out in such a way that is good for the
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with the project’s garage elevation and staff’s softening of the architecture, as was a request from the last ABR review of the police station. The fact that the special meeting was held for the project was the reason for the resignation of Board member David Watkins last week. He said he didn’t find it fair that the firm designing this project was able to request a meeting and get it granted when a number of other firms in town don’t get the same opportunity. He added that he supports the project itself, but couldn’t sit with the decision to allow an expedited process for one firm and not every other firm planning a city project. email: gmccormick@newspress.com
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
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surrounding community.” If not, though, he said that part of Cota Street “is going to be essentially devoid of activity and not contributing to our urban environment.” Board member Richard Six had concerns with the building’s entrance, and said he wished it was more inviting and on the corner of Cota and Santa Barbara streets instead of just on Santa Barbara Street. However, he said for the record that the board understands there needs to be a balance between public desires/aesthetics and functional requirements of a police station. Mr. Six added that the applicant should further study how to find more inviting treatment to the garage. Members deemed the height acceptable, and were pleased
evictions to comport with recent changes in state law and setting forth the facts constituting such urgency. Under Goleta’s eviction moratorium ordinance, residential tenants are not obligated to pay rent if they can’t afford to do so because of COVID-19, but they’re obligated to repay it beginning March 1 and finish by Feb. 28, 2022. When Goleta lifts the local emergency and the repayment period is over, tenants may be evicted for nonpayment of rent. Senate Bill 91 delays and shortens the repayment period from March 31 through Feb. 28 to Aug. 1 through Aug. 31. The city’s repayment period is preempted by SB 91, so the ordinance must be amended to conform to state law. “The City Council could choose not to adopt this ordinance amendment; however, the repayment period provided for in SB 91 would still pre-empt the City’s repayment period. Not amending the existing ordinance would create confusion as portions of it are now inconsistent with state law,” the staff report says. The council will also receive a presentation regarding the status of the Draft Santa Barbara Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan and Airport Runway Safety Zones, but no action is required. They will also proclaim February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, and can be viewed on Goleta Channel 19 or online at https://tinyurl.com/ GoletaMeetings.
Obituaries............. A4 Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 18-22-38-40-42 Meganumber: 13
Sunday’s DAILY 4: 3-3-1-6
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 5-14-24-25-27 Meganumber: 14
Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 1-3-23-30-35
Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 01-04-09 Time: 1:44.48
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 20-28-33-63-68 Meganumber: 20
Sunday’s DAILY 3: 7-3-5 / Sunday’s Midday 4-7-9