The Santa Barbara City Council will consider and discuss the county’s request to Gov. Gavin Newsom to create a new Central Coast region consisting of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.
The Central Coast region would then be released from the regional stay-at-home order as long as ICU capacity remains above 15%.
If authorized, Mayor Cathy Murillo would sign a letter to the governor consistent with this request.
In other business, the council will receive an update on city actions to address homelessness, including efforts by the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation on the Santa Barbara City Homelessness Collaborative and City Net on outreach and response.
Council members will be recommended to approve an increase of $50,000 in appropriations in the Revolving Rehab Loan Fund, funded from its reserves, to facilitate a request from SB ACT for additional funding to offset unplanned costs incurred from the agency’s response to the pandemic.
They’ll also be asked to approve a $330,000 increase in estimated revenues and appropriations in the Permanent Local Housing Allocation, with funding from PLHA funds awarded by the State of California Housing and Community Development Department to fund a new one-year contract with City Net.
“Beginning in Fiscal Year 2013, City Council has appropriated funding annually for homeless collaboration, recognizing that homelessness is a complex social issue that cannot be solved by the city alone,” the staff report reads. “Since Council’s approval, this collaborative has worked to prevent homelessness, foster mutual accountability, coordinate service delivery, and improve access for those living on the streets.”
The Parks and Recreation Department and the City Attorney’s office are also proposing amendments to the Municipal Code pertaining to permits and regulations for special events, including parades, athletic events and other special events in parks or requiring the closure of streets and other public rights of way.
The proposed amendments, referred to as the City of Santa Barbara Special Events Ordinance, would establish the process for permitting and regulating all special events, such as athletic events, festivals, parades, public assemblies, demonstrations and other special activities in and on City parks, beaches, streets, sidewalk, and plazas.
“The city has historically used administrative guidelines to process special event permits; however, due to the increasing number and complexities of the many special events hosted on an annual basis, as well as the demand to use public spaces, including parks, new permit guidance is needed to ensure clarity and consistency with the permitting process,” the staff report reads.
The proposed amendments would: clarify special event permit requirements; designate a city special events coordinator; enhance customer service for event organizers; and streamline the permit review and approval process to achieve efficiencies.
The Council members will also receive an update on the supply planning analyses and recommendations for the Enhanced Urban Water Management Plan and staff will provide policy direction on the draft water supply recommendations.
The report and presentation provide a broad summary of the EUWMP work effort including results and recommendations for Santa Barbara’s future water supply.
“One notable recommendation supported by results of both the existing portfolio analysis and the future portfolio analysis is to change desalination operations from an emergency/drought supply to a regular element of the city’s water supply portfolio, whereby desalination would serve as a drought preparedness, drought response, and drought recovery supply,” the staff report reads. “The desal plant would not necessarily operate each year.
“Rather, the desal plant would be put into standby mode in the event that the proposed minimum water reserve thresholds are met, allowing the city to remain strongly positioned to meet demands, even in a dry year.”
Other recommendations include minimizing the need for future desal expansion through optimization of existing supplies and demand reductions through conservation efforts.
The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, and can be streamed online at www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov/CAP or watched on City TV Channel 18.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
