DID YOU KNOW?
Bonnie Donovan
The Modoc Preserve continues to take center stage over other local issues of importance, because of the timeline and for how much is at stake with the possible loss of this enclave of rare and mature trees. Thankfully it has become a rallying point for the community.
We don’t want to leave the decision of what happens with this local preserve to the Santa Barbara County Supervisor and county employees who seem to be more interested in pleasing the contractors who are chomping at the bit to spend the $5 million grant allocated for this project, to implement the overbuilt bikeway, contrary to the wishes or the needs of the prevailing community. Clearly, there are ways to make the bike path safer, without spending $5 million without such destructive changes.
This heralds back to the similar fight that Santa Barbara faced when another grant was being dangled before the city, to rebuild the Mission Creek Bridge, which had been proved by engineers to be structurally sound. The same exhaustive fight, all to preserve what people most appreciate about Santa Barbara: its history and its natural beauty.
While the community succeeded in saving the Mission Bridge from destruction, sadly grassroot efforts aren’t always as successful.
Recently we were told, “Some years back a developer who bought an apartment complex on my block — the property that formerly housed the Doremus estate full of historic trees — literally cut down 100 trees and obliterated a historic stone wall and got away with it … We appealed to the city, but even though we won 7-0, the damage was done. Now they’re even more brazen. Look at what they did to all the mature trees at the high school when they had to build the $39 million football stadium.”
Now the Santa Barbara area is working similarly to save the Modoc Preserve. Just because the county has been offered a $5 million grant, does not mean they need to be so invasive about the improvements necessary to make the bike path safer. Certainly we understand the bike path needs to be safer, and the county needs to provide ADA access. That is not the issue. Where is the protection for the ADA and the pedestrians on this bike path, from electric bikes?
County Supervisor Gregg Hart claims that the county takes seriously concerns about tree preservation.
We remain skeptical that the project team is working to minimize the removal of trees and identify ways to enhance the preserve for generations to come. We have seen Gregg Hart speak out of both sides of his mouth regarding this issue, and we don’t trust him or the team to take into consideration the concerns of CAMP (Community Association for Modoc Preserve.) Look for its petition to sign at change.org. (At press time, nearly 2,000 people had signed it.)
Bicycles, e-bikes and skateboards and their inherent lack of safety seems to be a hot topic in Santa Barbara. Everyone is concerned for the safety of the riders, but what about the safety of the pedestrians?
When walking at the Santa Barbara Harbor or up and down State Street, pedestrians are faced daily with the incompatibility and dangers of navigating among the e-bikes, other bikes, skateboards and scooters. We don’t have adequate police to enforce any rules, nor are the rules clearly defined. This results in dangerous behavior as an unfortunate consequence.
Regarding the danger of the electric bikes, a reader called in to say that he and his wife frequently walk along the sea wall around the harbor. “It is a delight to do so most of the time. Unfortunately, this tranquil pastime is disturbed and can be dangerous because, more frequently, cyclists are disobeying the warning prohibiting cycling along pedestrian walkways.
“The situation became worse about three weeks ago when a young man and woman on electric bikes came speeding up behind me and my wife yelling to get us out of their way,” he said. “They sped passed between me and the harbor wall. There appears to be no enforcement, nor penalties for people doing this. It seems to happen more frequently at weekends.”
How is this chaotic behavior compatible with enjoying a Sunday stroll at the beach or a walk up State Street? For all the people who want State Street to remain a promenade, why are wheeled modes of transportation allowed? How can any wheels co-exist with a pedestrian walkway? Why are electric bikes not required to follow the same Department of Motor Vehicles regulations as mopeds?
Did you know that electric bikes can travel speeds up to 20-30 mph, carrying the momentum of 5279 pound per second and a kinetic energy of 3,236,26 Joules that could cause serious injury to a pedestrian on impact? (Joules is a measurement of work and force.)
Thankfully, Mayor Randy Rowse spoke at last week’s Santa Barbara City Council meeting in support of more order on State Street.
“We can have portability and the promenade,” said Mayor Rowse. “We can have both, but we have a duty to provide public health and safety for our citizens … and we’re sworn to protect both.”
We also applaud his remarks regarding acting in the here and now, as reported in Thursday’s edition of the News-Press.
In the business model of the real world, a committee, which is given 15 plus months to work out a problem and come up with an action plan, does so. Perhaps this city council has grown accustomed to a more laissez-faire accountability than our current mayor expects.
At the very least they could come up with a plan to deal with cleaning, stormwater drainage, aesthetics, rent and regulations. City staff promised they will have a viable solution by September. Let’s hope that they keep their word.
Since the newly hired MIG consultants for the State Street plan are based in San Francisco and are mostly working remotely, we eye with concern just how much they will include local input into the project. Even though State Street Master Planner Tess Harris assured the city council that they would consult locally, we remain guarded. It is easy to say, “yes, of course” at a city council meeting.
If this is their vision for the next 30 to 50 years, we hope it is a good one. But with a firm based in San Francisco dictating/orchestrating what our downtown corridor will look like, we remain skeptical. We see what the city planners of San Francisco have done in the last 10-30 years, and we are not too impressed.
With Fiesta coming back in full force this week, we encourage residents to get out and enjoy the festivities we have sorely missed over the last three years.
Check the website for Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2022 (sbfiesta.org) for a complete list of activities for the week. The parade is Friday on Cabrillo Boulevard from Castillo Street to Calle Puerto Vallarta.
