After more than 30 years of public service with the city, Santa Barbara City Attorney Steve Wiley has announced that he will retire from his position in December and enter the private practice of law in Santa Barbara.

As city attorney, Wiley oversees an office staff consisting of five attorneys and their support staff to provide legal guidance to the City Council, the city administrator and all city departments, as well as representing the city in any litigation filed against or on behalf of the city.

During his tenure in the City Attorney’s Office, Wiley has worked on a number of important city and Redevelopment Agency projects, including the 1989 development of the Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center, the city’s 1998 Chase Palm Park Expansion project, the city’s acquisition and rehabilitation of the historic 1905 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, and the financing and construction of several downtown parking structures and lots.

“Steve has been an exceptional resource for the City Council on numerous policy issues,” Mayor Helene Schneider said. “We’ve appreciated his candid approach and advice, keeping the city’s best interest at heart.”

Prior to joining the city in 1983, Wiley worked as a deputy city attorney specializing in redevelopment law for the City of Costa Mesa and, before that, as a deputy public defender in Orange County.

The City of Santa Barbara is planning a nationwide recruitment to fill the position.

— Nina Johnson is an administrative assistant for the City of Santa Barbara.