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Oct 17, 2024

Siteline | Santa Barbara Is Finally Getting Serious About E-Bikes

October 17, 2024|by Erik Torkells ••• From the Independent: “The City of Santa Barbara is considering a few sweeping changes to its bicycle ordinance, which are intended to ensure that e-bikes follow

October 17, 2024|by Erik Torkells

••• From the Independent: “The City of Santa Barbara is considering a few sweeping changes to its bicycle ordinance, which are intended to ensure that e-bikes follow the same rules as other bicycles [….] One of the biggest changes would be that the city would be able to impound e-bikes from underaged riders who are ‘operating in an unsafe manner’—[which] would allow Santa Barbara police to have a direct conversation with parents or guardians when they come to retrieve the bike (currently, state law limits law enforcement’s ability to speak directly with juveniles).” Noozhawk, meanwhile, said the city’s Ordinance Committee voted to send the matter to the city council, and said the changes also mandate “that riders must ride single file, use bike lanes, stay off sidewalks and wear properly strapped helmets for those under 18 years old. The changes also prohibit the operation of a bicycle or electric bicycle on a roadway unless it is ‘equipped with a brake that will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.'” The big question, of course, is to what degree any of this gets enforced.

••• The Art Essentials art-supply store is moving to 1207 State Street (Anapamu/Victoria) at year end. “The new store space is about 6,000 square feet, slightly smaller than the current store.” —Independent

••• The Montecito Journal has a police blotter (page 32), which I believe is new, with stuff like indecent exposure on Butterfly Beach and a burglary via dog door. Here’s hoping it’s a recurring feature.

••• “Rick Caruso, owner of the Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel, took his housing and luxury retail shop project to the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission. […] Caruso wants to build 26 affordable-housing units and eight market-rate units at the five-star luxury hotel [and] to add about 17,500 square feet of high-end boutique retail shops. […] Santa Barbara County last month tried to skip a hearing at the Montecito Planning Commission, but after public outcry added a hearing on Oct. 18. The project is scheduled to go back to the county Planning commission on Nov. 1 for a final vote. If it is appealed, which it likely will be, the Board of Supervisors would decide the fate of the project likely in December.” P.S. “Caruso pulled out all the stops at the meeting. He catered a coffee, breakfast and lunch bar on the sidewalk outside the county building. Containers of fresh fruit, boxes of BLT and veggie sandwiches, and bowls of kale salad covered the table.” —Noozhawk

••• A look at the contest between incumbent Oscar Gutierrez and challenger Tony Becerra over the District 3 seat on the Santa Barbara City Council. —Noozhawk

••• “After serving as the Lobero Theatre’s executive director since 1997, David Asbell is stepping down to a part time role in the new year as the nonprofit’s program director. Asbell is the longest-serving director in the theater’s 150-year history [….] Asbell will be handing over the executive director reins to his trusted ally, Marianne Clark, who has also been with the Lobero since 1997.” —Independent

••• “The California Coastal Commission on Thursday voted against SpaceX boosting its number of annual launches to 50 a year from Vandenberg Space Force Base,” reported Noozhawk. “However, the rejection could be moot because of the ongoing difference of opinion about how to handle SpaceX missions as the dispute appears to be inching toward legal action.” (The vast majority of the launches include non-government-related payloads, but Vandenberg Space Force Base and SpaceX want them all treated as if they’re military in nature.) Indeed, reports KEYT, “SpaceX has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the California Coastal Commission alleging political discrimination and unlawful regulation of a federal activity.”

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Tags: California Coastal Commission, Lobero Theatre, Oscar Gutierrez, Rosewood Miramar Beach, Santa Barbara Art Essentials, SpaceX, Tony Becerra, Vandenberg Space Force Base