Regarding the Dec. 2 article, “Paseo Nuevo Housing Plan Falls Short with Santa Barbara Council,” the criticisms raised by the City Council and the public at the Paseo Nuevo public hearing about the design, terms of the proposed deal and lack of transparency lie with the city staff, not AB Partners.
As pointed out in Noozhawk, “… council members said the situation kept changing and the public was left out of the process.”
In this, as in any such negotiation, AB Partners is looking to get the best deal it can for its company.
City staff should likewise be looking to get the best deal for the city with input from the public and keeping the council informed while doing so.
But staff seems to have caved to accept AB’s position on design and deal terms while keeping most of the information under wraps until the 11th hour. This all happened under the City Administrator Kelly McAdoo’s leadership.
Fortunately, the council called a timeout so perhaps a better result may emerge.
And yet, in spite of this performance, the council just gave McAdoo a very significant raise to a very hefty salary and benefits package. Go figure.
Something just doesn’t seem right here.
Art Thomas
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Nov. 23 article, “18-Story, 130-Unit Housing Project Proposed for Carpinteria,” seriously?! An 18-story building in Carpinteria?!
According to an artificial intelligence search, the current tallest building in Carpinteria is the 50-foot Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn next to Highway 101. Otherwise, the town has a 30-foot limit.
At 18 stories, the proposed apartment project would likely be more than 200 feet tall.
I don’t live in Carpinteria, but while we may need more housing in the area, that just seems stupid.
Kirk Greene
Santa Barbara
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I second what David Blunk wrote in his Nov. 28 letter to the editor about the lack of police enforcement in Santa Barbara.
Except for responding to traffic crashes and the occasional shooting, it is hard to know what the police do.
In my neighborhood, Garden and Anacapa streets are like speedways and there is no enforcement. The same for ignoring traffic signs and even lights.
There are dozens of oversized vehicles in violation of code. Children on motorized bikes are very dangerous.
Perhaps a Noozhawk reporter can ask Police Chief Kelly Gordon why she chooses not to enforce parts of the city code.
Rod Hersberger
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Dec. 3 article, “Lompoc Residents Speak Out About Councilman’s Felony Charges, Mayor’s Viral Video,” this is the first time that I can remember there were so many pointed complaints about City Council members during a public meeting.
Certainly it is the first time that any Lompoc council member has ever been charged with eight felonies.
As for the vigilante style of Mayor Jim Mosby, I am not surprised. Even though several of his properties and specifically his “ranch” on the eastern edge of town show sign of neglect, he thinks he can roam around town as the code enforcer.
The mayor’s primary function is to facilitate public meetings of the council, represent the city at various regional meetings and provide directions to the city staff. The duties don’t include code enforcement; this matter is best left to the professionals on city staff.
Lompoc needs reliable, law-abiding leadership, otherwise we will always be considered “the armpit of the county” as Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, has allegedly said in the past.
Citizens of Lompoc deserve leaders they can trust.
Ron Fink
Lompoc
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