Regarding the July 2 article, “Santa Barbara Council Adopts Climate Action Plan Outlining Emissions Goals,” here is a city running a deficit and looking to raise taxes, has turned downtown into its own funk zone, and this is one of its goals?
And this is what City Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon considers her legacy? Maybe she and the City Council should take a field trip to San Pedro and watch the coal being unloaded to Asia, etc.
That 7-0 decision is meaningless for a city that has serious problems, especially a lack of vision.
Jarrell Jackman
Santa Barbara
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News flash for City Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon: The climate you should be worried about is the deplorable shape of the City of Santa Barbara’s finances.
Raul Villegas
Santa Barbara
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Tina Takaya and Richard Yates’ June 26 commentary, “Restaurateurs Support State Street Promenade,” is the most fact-based one I’ve read yet about the conditions on State Street.
People see empty storefronts and blame them on this and that but don’t remember many closed during the 2007-2008 mortgage meltdown.
They point to a plethora of their favorite bugaboos as the cause of empty storefronts and don’t realize the effects of absentee landlords downtown.
And there is no mention of all the people who go to the Funk Zone instead. It’s easy to confuse correlation with causation.
There is plenty of vehicle access to businesses via Anacapa and Chapala streets, both of which have access to the city’s parking lots and structures. That’s where motor vehicles should be.
Put barriers at intersections instead of pylons so bicycle riders will be forced to dismount and not just zip through. These barriers can be made to be easily movable to accommodate access by emergency vehicles.
Listen to what Takaya and Yates are saying. They join Cass Ensberg with some great ideas. We need to ignore the vocal few and keep cars off of State Street.
Brian Epstein
Santa Barbara
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Why can’t we get back to why Santa Barbara’s State Street was built (access to retailers and restaurants) and not legislate silly, unrealistic monthly trial by error remedies.
Bicyclists don’t buy or eat on State Street as I never see bikes parked in front of stores or restaurants, nor do I see merchandise items or takeout boxes on cyclists speeding down the street!
It’s too bad none of the council members has any skin in the game and don’t operate retail businesses on State Street as they would be going bankrupt due to these unrealistic ideas.
And you expect our $800,000-plus consultant to fix this? Get real!
George Zengel
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the June 17 article, “Santa Barbara County Has New Rule for Isla Vista Bluff Property Owners,” the new policy requiring property owners to measure cliff erosion is a step in the right direction toward increasing public safety, but we must advocate for more policies that address the overall climate crisis.
Adding vegetation, reducing storm runoff and building retaining walls are minimal solutions to erosion that have the potential to create a meaningful impact, but they are not sufficient long-term solutions.
Coastal cliff erosion is one of the many effects of climate change, and in order to address this issue and mitigate these effects, we must introduce climate legislation.
The impact that climate change has on coastal cliff erosion can be mitigated by the implementation of long-term solutions brought by environmental policy, such as placing carbon fees on fossil fuels.
Louise Stivers
Goleta
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I have appreciated Noozhawk’s accommodations of my back and forth with Nancy Freeman on the issue of “misinformation” and how to deal with it.
My only purpose in writing on the subject was to say what should be obvious and hardly debatable, that “misinformation” can be found on both ends of the political spectrum. It is not solely found on the right nor the left, and can even be found in the middle.
My hope was that I made that point clear, and that Freeman would understand that and have sufficient objectivity and fairness in her views to agree with it. I won’t hold my breath, however.
Glenn Dorfman
Montecito
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