Group to explain why it thinks voter should preserve Carpinteria’s Parking Lot 3
Supporters of Measure T are fighting to preserve Parking Lot 3 in Carpinteria and prevent a hotel from rising on it.
The Carpinteria group fighting to preserve open space in downtown Carpinteria — by preventing construction of a two-story boutique hotel with rooftop bar and pool on what is now a popular parking lot — will host an informational open house Saturday designed to “Clear-up Confusion about Measure T2022.”
The open house will be held from 5-6 p.m. at the Carpinteria Woman’s Club, 1059 Vallecito Road in Carpinteria.
The public is invited to attend, particularly those looking for answers related to the following:
— Why an initiative?
— What is a General Plan and how is it changed? What are the impacts?
— The residential overlay?
— Parking on open space recreation.
At the Yes group’s open house, several Carpinterians will be fielding questions from attendees, and Doug Treloar, Carpinterian of the Year 2002, will share why he is voting yes on Measure T2022.
Scheduled for the Nov. 8 election, Measure T2022 proposes to change the zoning on only two parcels of public land to save open space in downtown Carpinteria, preventing private development on the property.
The Yes on Measure T group, also known as Save Our Downtown Open Space, is urging voters to pass their ballot initiative to rezone Parking Lot 3, located at Linden Avenue and Fifth Street near the railroad tracks, and another lot on the other side of the railroad tracks, from general commercial to open space/recreational.
The group says the initiative allows Carpinterians to decide how public land is used, preserve the essential character of their small beach town and prevent the slippery slope of development, while also ensuring the community garden next to Parking Lot 3 remains untouched.
Another group, called No on Measure T2022, says the pro-initiative forces have been misleading and deceptive in laying out to the voters what the measure would accomplish.
The “No” group supports continuing to allow the normal planning process, city general plan and city council consideration to decide the issue rather than resort to city governance by ballot initiative.
They say if approved, Measure T would impose sweeping changes to how the city of Carpinteria plans and approves development proposals. The “No” group also said that ballot measure has the potential to remove professional planners and elected representatives from the oversight and approval process that has been instrumental to protecting Carpinteria from overdevelopment.
In contrast, the “Vote Yes” group says the public process so far has failed to address overwhelming public opposition to private development on public land, and that the initiative empowers voters to determine the use of downtown open space.
They also insist the measure will not lead to housing being built on existing land designated for open space.
Measure T2022 qualified for the ballot after more than the required 10% of registered Carpinteria voters signed the Initiative Petition well before the December 2021 deadline. Supporters of Measure T say they gathered more than 1,000 signatures.
Light refreshments and door prizes will round out the Sept. 17 community event. No RSVP is necessary to attend. More information is available at parkinglot3.org and Facebook.com/saveourparkinglot3.
email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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The Santa Barbara County Democratic Party is recommending Carpinteria residents vote against Measure T. A10.
