De la Guerra Plaza project remains in the concept phase

COUNCIL

Continued from Page A1

Project).

On March 5, 2019, an initial contract was awarded to the RRM Design Group (RRM) to launch the DLG Plaza Project’s public outreach process.

“Staff unanimously selected RRM as the best firm to assist with public outreach and conceptual design, based on RRM’s strong statement of qualifications, team interview, and successful past plaza redevelopment experience.”

The De la Guerra Plaza Revitalization Project Advisory Committee (Plaza Advisory Committee) formed in late 2019 to guide the concept plan. They held their first meeting on November 8, 2019. The process was long and thorough, with the 14th meeting held on June 3, 2022.

“The framework for the concept plan is finished, and the Plaza Advisory Committee is no longer meeting,” staff said. “Therefore, staff anticipate this proposed contract will carry RRM through the end of construction.”

This final scope of work includes final design development, construction documents, permitting, and construction administration to handle requests for information and clarification from the contractor.

During Phase 2b, Ann Kale Associates was brought on to create concept lighting plans.

They will continue to work with RRM and city staff to create lighting design concepts based on the nearly completed plan.

The DLG Plaza Project is composed of five separate elements: architecture, landscape, public art, archaeology and utility coordination.

At this point in the DLG Plaza Project, it is too soon to forecast estimated construction start or completion dates, staff said.

Currently, the design is still in the concept phase, primarily due to two unrefined areas: the area between City Hall and Santa Barbara News-Press building, and the landscaping in front of City Hall on the Anacapa Street side. Once these areas are further developed, the formal planning application will be submitted to the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) to commence the city’s review process.

The DLG Plaza Project has proceeded through the Pre-Application Review Team process, and the majority of issues and concerns raised have been addressed, staff said. One of these issues is defining the DLG Plaza Project site. The DLG Plaza Project Site will not include the City Hall parking lot. email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

Multiple concepts for the proposed structure design between City Hall and the News-Press Building were developed over a series of meetings with the Plaza Advisory Committee and the design team.

However, they did not reach consensus on any of the designs, and determined the building design would be better developed by working with an Ad Hoc Committee composed of the design team and two members of the HLC. This Ad Hoc Committee has met three times, and the new building concept is nearly complete.

In other business, the council’s consent calendar includes approving zoning ordinance amendments for accessory dwelling units, approving a construction and operating agreement and reciprocal easements for Chase Palm Park and the future waterfront hotel at Cabrillo Boulevard and Calle Cesar Chavez, and approving a five-year Measure A local program for projects for fiscal years 2024-28 public hearing.

JOE: “But we’re better positioned than any country on Earth right now.”

Sorry, but the World Happiness Report ranks the USA at No. 19. Unlike Joe’s statistics, which are pulled out of thin air (the same thin air from which greenbacks are printed), ours are fact-check ably accurate.

JOE: “Americans are tired of being played for suckers.”

You got that right. And the smart ones know who’s playing them. Sadly, half the country has become victim to an educational system more interested in critical race theory and tearing down this country than true academic disciplines.

JOE: “When we made public education — 12 years of it — universal in the last century, we became the best-educated, bestpaid nation in the world. But the rest of the world has caught up.”

Not just caught up, Joe — they’re way ahead of us. We are ranked No. 21 in the world. But at least we’ve got transvestite library readings and teachers who coax our children to surgically alter their gender!

In the course of one hour, 13 minutes, there was more hot air coming out of Joe’s lungs than in China’s spy balloon.

Late night TV host Jimmy Fallon quipped that the biggest winners at this year’s satanic Grammys were the ones who didn’t watch it. We might say the same about those who chose not to tune in on Joe Biden’s codswallop. Maybe it’s an age thing, which brings us to our…

Chuckle Of The Week

The older I get, the earlier it gets late. Or put another way, 60 might be the new 40, but 9 p.m. is the new midnight. And 80? Time to hang it up, Joe. Otherwise, we’ll be looking like the old Soviet Union (think Leonid Brezhnev). We have nothing against old white guys, but it’s time for you (and The Donald too) to shift their butts aside and open the door to fresh eyes. May the best man or woman move into the Oval Office in 2024.

Robert Eringer is a longtime Montecito author with vast experience in investigative journalism. He welcomes questions or comments at reringer@gmail. com.

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VOL. 167 NO.

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Bridge project in Los Alamos

results in Hwy. 101 closure

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY – A project to reconstruct the bridges on US 101 at the Interchange with State Route 135 in Los Alamos resulted in a full overnight closure Monday in both directions of US 101. Northbound US 101 was closed at the interchange with State Route 135 on Monday at 8 p.m. until today at 6 a.m. Southbound US 101 was closed at the same location Monday at 7 p.m. until today at 6 a.m.

These closures allowed for realignment work on the bridges.

The contractor for this $10 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria, CA. It is scheduled to be complete by spring of this year.

— Neil Hartstein