Regarding the Nov. 24 article, “Santa Barbara to Remove Nordstrom Land From Paseo Nuevo Deal,” with all of the reports about the City of Santa Barbara’s potential giveaway of the land under Paseo Nuevo to AB Commercial for its proposed redevelopment of the mall, I have seen no mention of why a long-term lease is not on the table.
Why not a 99-year lease, even as low as $1 a year? Many developments pencil out with such long-term leases, why not this one?
The public deserves to know why city staff thinks that giving the land to AB is essential.
Addison Thompson
Santa Barbara
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Regarding Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen’s Nov. 28 column, “City Blinks, Pulls Nordstrom Parcel from Paseo Nuevo Land Deal,” our heads are all spinning from the obvious incompetence of City Administrator Kelly McAdoo and her team. How are the city attorneys participating?
The Paseo Nuevo project is definitely going deeper into the rabbit hole for the city. By the day.
This project MUST have a pause. It is tangled into a lethal spider web. A new specialized outside team must be hired. Lawyers with expertise in complex public-private development, a mediator and expert negotiators are all needed.
I have never seen such unintended disastrous planning before.
The City Council must counter city staff on Dec. 2, and only resolve to approve the finding of and funding for a NEW TEAM of experts with the correct experience.
Pull this fiasco from the McAdoo project team, immediately. The city is in legal jeopardy.
Missy Zeitsoff
Santa Barbara
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Thank you to Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen for his Nov. 28 comments about the proposed 18-story Carpinteria “skyscraper,” as he put it. The project is absurd, and I can’t believe the developer proposed it with a straight face.
I wonder if the end game is to build the project or to be denied approval? Please follow up on this story.
Dan Hallman
Carpinteria
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Now that Santa Barbara police Chief Kelly Gordon has claimed to have conquered out-of-control bicyclists on State Street, perhaps she can turn her attention to the many other traffic issues plaguing our city.
Many speeding cars and motorcycles are dangerous to the public. And the noise! Is there no enforcement anymore by police for exhaust systems that seem to be for announcing the size of one’s manhood than quieting the combustion of engines?
We have stoplight runners and stop sign runners on a continuing basis. There is a big problem with vehicles that are parked illegally in red zones. No enforcement for that.
And I have personally witnessed a car that was parked illegally for months, ticketed by enforcement, allowed to remain in place for weeks after that, and then towed. How does that happen?
And now a nationally known truck rental company has a local dealer that stores vehicles on the street, which is not permitted by city ordinances.
And a local auto body shop that parks its flatbed truck on the streets with a customer car loaded on it. Another no-no.
And I am not going to mention the many “encampment RVs” that are everywhere. We need enforcement, Chief Gordon.
Dave Blunk
Santa Barbara
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