The next chapter in the story of State Street in Santa Barbara is beginning.

The Santa Barbara City Council adopted the State Street Master Plan on Tuesday night, but a few questions remain about vehicle access and how the city will pay for it.

On the other hand, adoption means there is now a vision to work toward. 

Tess Harris, the city’s State Street master planner, said the plan is about adapting to the changing needs for the downtown area.

“There is a whole generation of children in this city who, if you act today, will grow up on the street in this plan and never know it any other way,” Harris said. “They won’t think of it as a project or a plan or a decision that anybody had to make.

“It will just be their downtown.”

The plan includes a redesign of the 400 to 1300 blocks of State Street, with expanded 30-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides, two 10-foot travel lanes in the center of the street, and retractable bollards at the intersections.

While most of the debate about the city’s main downtown thoroughfare has centered on whether it should be reopened to vehicles, most of the council and staff said the plan is about more than just bringing back vehicles.

“This plan is not about the closure,” the city’s project consultant, Stefanos Polyzoides, said. “This plan is about keeping the street flexible.”

City Administrator Kelly McAdoo added that the flexibility in the design allows future city councils to make changes based on changing conditions.

While the original draft included proposed times to open and close the street to vehicles, the final draft does not propose access hours. The council will have to decide on that before construction is complete.

Councilman Eric Friedman made a last-ditch effort to bring back vehicles to part of the street by proposing to reopen the blocks above Canon Perdido Street while the four blocks before Canon Perdido are under construction. 

“I can almost guarantee you it’s not going to cost $100 million and be done in six years,” Friedman said. “It’s going to cost more, and it’s going to take longer.

“If we leave it as-is for the next six years, that is why those who are not buying in are saying they don’t have six years to wait, and they need some type of circulation.”

However, his idea was not supported by any of his council colleagues.

During public comment, many residents, including Rosalie Hardoin, expressed concern that the project would bankrupt the city, especially as it looks for ways to build back its savings.

“Think about six years of construction and how this alone will be a huge detriment to the 50-plus businesses on State Street that are against this plan,” Hardoin said. “I see this as a huge mistake for Santa Barbara, for businesses and our city in general.”

Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon, who strongly supports the plan, argued that funding will come the city’s way as it supports a clear idea for the future.

“I’m not worried that we don’t know where exactly every dollar is going to come from right now,” Sneddon said. “If we make a plan, and that’s how we’re oriented, the funding will come. There are investors who are waiting for us to be decisive.”

Sneddon also said that she would like for the city to own the former Santa Barbara News-Press building next to City Hall to turn it into a civic center for downtown.

Other commenters said they liked the designs, but worried about what would happen in the 18 months before construction starts.

“Between now and the two years until it actually is implemented, what are we going to do?” asked Colleen Macey, owner of Santa Barbara Interiors and an organizer with the State Street Business Alliance. “What are we going to do for two years down there? We are already struggling.

“We need your support. We really do. I feel like you have all turned your back on us, and we are really upset.”

Harris said plans for the time before construction is complete will go before the council later this fall. 

The plan isn’t without its enthusiastic supporters.

Kevin Heim read directly from the city’s 1964 general plan, which called for a pedestrian-oriented shopping street. 

Sharon Rich, president of Friends of State Street, said it’s time to bring the plan to life.

“There is risk in reluctance to commit to a future,” Rich said. “You have moved this plan forward at every step, and now I’m asking you to take the next step. Waiting will cost us momentum, funding and people ready to build.”

Drew Cuddy, owner of Satellite SB at 1117 State St., which is set to close Sept. 13, said the street no longer supports local businesses. While he said he supports the plan, the problem isn’t with vehicles, bikes or beautification; the problem is the lack of housing. 

“The $93 million investment is awesome, but it lacks a serious plan to sustainably pay for it. I think housing is the answer to that,” Cuddy said. “We need to restore a healthy business environment, and we need people to serve.”

There are a few changes from the original draft of the master plan, including the cost of construction. Early estimates per block were $6 million to $8 million. The city is now estimating the project to cost $9 million per block.

The implementation timeline also has been cut down from 10 years to six, which will include multiple phases of construction. Additionally, city staff recommended that work begin within 18 months.

The final plan included new design elements, including added tile seating and intersection artwork. Plaza De la Guerra is also included in the plan, with sketches showing similar design elements to what’s proposed for State Street. 

In addition, the final draft has refined bollard placement and crosswalks. 

City staff is pursuing a grant for the design and pre-construction phase, and while there are some other possible grants, no funding is guaranteed at this point.